The Department of Virginia and North Carolina was a United States Military department

Department (United States Army)

Department, is a term used, by the U.S. Army, mostly prior to World War I. In 1920, most of the departments were redesignated as corps areas. However, the Hawaiian, Panama Canal, and Philippine Departments retained their old names...

 encompassing Union-occupied territory in the Confederate States

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...

 during the Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

. In 1863 it was formed by the merging of two previously existing departments: the Department of Virginia and the Department of North Carolina. In 1865 the two departments were once again separated.

1861

The Department of Virginia was created on May 22, 1861 to include any areas within a 60 mile radius of Fortress Monroe and any sections of North Carolina and South Carolina occupied by the Union Army. Major General Benjamin F. Butler was appointed the its first commander. Early battles undertaken by troops from this department under General Butler included actions at Big Bethel

Battle of Big Bethel

The Battle of Big Bethel, also known as the Battle of Bethel Church or Great Bethel was one of the earliest land battles of the American Civil War after the surrender of Fort Sumter...

 and Hatteras Inlent

Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries

The Battle of Hatteras Inlet Batteries, sometimes known as the Battle of Forts Hatteras and Clark, was a small but significant engagement in the early days of the American Civil War. Two Confederate forts on the North Carolina Outer Banks were subjected to an amphibious assault by Union forces that...

. Early on the department was also known as the ‘’’Department of Southeastern Virginia’’’.

On January 7, 1862 the areas of North Carolina were detached to form the Department of North Carolina. On June 1, 1862 the area south of the Rappahannock River

Rappahannock River

The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...

 and east of the Fredericksburg-Richmond-Petersburg-Weldon Railroad were added to the department. From June 26, 1862 to September 12, 1862 John Pope’s

John Pope (military officer)

John Pope was a career United States Army officer and Union general in the American Civil War. He had a brief but successful career in the Western Theater, but he is best known for his defeat at the Second Battle of Bull Run in the East.Pope was a graduate of the United States Military Academy in...

 Army of Virginia

Army of Virginia

The Army of Virginia was organized as a major unit of the Union Army and operated briefly and unsuccessfully in 1862 in the American Civil War. It should not be confused with its principal opponent, the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, commanded by Robert E...

 operated within the department. On July 15, 1863 the Dept. of Virginia was merged with the Dept. of North Carolina.

1865

On January 18, 1865 the Department of Virginia was re-created to consist of the area within 60 miles of Fortress Monroe, the areas south of the Rappahannock River

Rappahannock River

The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia, in the United States, approximately in length. It traverses the entire northern part of the state, from the Blue Ridge Mountains in the west, across the Piedmont, to the Chesapeake Bay, south of the Potomac River.An important river in American...

 and east of the Fredericksburg-Richmond-Petersburg-Weldon Railroad. On April 19, 1865 much of the rest of Virginia was added, excluding the Shenandoah Valley

Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...

. From January 18, 1865 to August 1, 1865 the Army of the James

Army of the James

The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...

 consisted of troops from this department which were the first to enter the fallen capital city of Richmond

Richmond, Virginia

Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...

.

Commanders

1861

Benjamin F. Butler (22 May 1861-9 August 1861)

John E. Wool

John E. Wool

John Ellis Wool was an officer in the United States Army during three consecutive U.S. wars: the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. By the time of the Mexican-American War, he was widely considered one of the most capable officers in the army and a superb organizer...

 (9 August 1861-2 June 1862)

George B. McClellan

George B. McClellan

George Brinton McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Early in the war, McClellan played an important role in raising a well-trained and organized army for the Union...

 (appointed 1 June 1862 – never assumed command)

John Adams Dix

John Adams Dix

John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...

 (2 June 1862-6 April 1863)

Erasmus D. Keyes

Erasmus D. Keyes

Erasmus Darwin Keyes was a businessman, banker, and military general, noted for leading the IV Corps of the Union Army of the Potomac during the first half of the American Civil War.-Early life and career:...

 (6 April 1863-14 April 1863)

John Adams Dix

John Adams Dix

John Adams Dix was an American politician from New York. He served as Secretary of the Treasury, U.S. Senator, and the 24th Governor of New York. He was also a Union major general during the Civil War.-Early life and career:...

 (14 April 1863-15 July 1863)

1865

E.O.C. Ord (18 January 1865-14 June 1865)

Henry W. Halleck (appointed 16 April 1865 but revoked 19 April 1865)

Alfred H. Terry (14 June 1865-6 August 1866)

1862

The Department of North Carolina was created on January 7, 1862 to include the areas of North Carolina occupied by Union forces. These areas were formerly part of the Department of Virginia. Brigadier General Ambrose E. Burnside was the department’s first commander. Early territories captured by Burnside’s Expeditionary Force included Roanoke Island

Roanoke Island

Roanoke Island is an island in Dare County near the coast of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the area in the 16th century at the time of English exploration....

, New Bern

New Bern, North Carolina

New Bern is a city in Craven County, North Carolina with a population of 29,524 as of the 2010 census.. It is located at the confluence of the Trent and the Neuse rivers...

, Morehead City

Morehead City, North Carolina

Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...

, Beaufort

Beaufort, North Carolina

Beaufort is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. Established in 1709, it is the third-oldest town in North Carolina.The population was 4,189 at the 2008 census and it is the county seat of Carteret County...

 and Fort Macon. On July 15, 1863 the department was merged with the Department of Virginia.

1865

On January 31, 1865 the department was re-created to include Union-occupied areas of North Carolina excluding those occupied by the armies of William T. Sherman. General John M. Schofield was hand picked by Ulysses Grant to head the department. Schofield assembled troops within the department into the Wilmington Expeditionary Force which he personally led in the capture of Wilmington

Battle of Wilmington

The Battle of Wilmington was fought February 11 – February 22, 1865, during the American Civil War. It was a direct result of the Union victory at the Second Battle of Fort Fisher.-Background:...

. Significant territories included in the department were those captured by Ambrose Burnside in 1862 along with recently captured Fort Fisher

Fort Fisher

Fort Fisher was a Confederate fort during the American Civil War. It protected the vital trading routes of the port at Wilmington, North Carolina, from 1861 until its capture by the Union in 1865....

 and Wilmington

Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...

. On May 19, 1866 it was merged into the Department of the Carolinas.

Commanders

1862

Ambrose Burnside (7 January 1862-6 July 1862)

John G. Foster

John G. Foster

John Gray Foster was a career military officer in the United States Army and a Union general during the American Civil War whose most distinguished services were in North and South Carolina. A postbellum expert in underwater demolition, he wrote the definitive treatise on the subject.-Early...

 (6 July 1862-29 March 1863)

Innis N. Palmer

Innis N. Palmer

Innis Newton Palmer was a career officer in the United States Army, serving in the Mexican-American War, the Civil War, and on the Western frontier....

 (29 March 1863-16 April 1863)

John G. Foster

John G. Foster

John Gray Foster was a career military officer in the United States Army and a Union general during the American Civil War whose most distinguished services were in North and South Carolina. A postbellum expert in underwater demolition, he wrote the definitive treatise on the subject.-Early...

 (16 April-15 July 1863)

1865

John M. Schofield (31 January 1865-20 June 1865)

Jacob D. Cox (20 June 1865-28 June 1865)

Thomas H. Ruger

Thomas H. Ruger

Thomas Howard Ruger was an American soldier and lawyer who served as a Union general in the American Civil War. After the war, he was a superintendent of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York....

 (28 June 1865-19 May 1866)

Department of Virginia & North Carolina

The Department of Virginia & North Carolina was created on July 15, 1863 composed of all the territories formerly part of the Department of Virginia and Department of North Carolina. From December 21, 1863 to June 27, 1864 St. Mary's County, Maryland was also part of the department. On January 18, 1865 the department was again separated into the Dept. of Virginia and Dept. of North Carolina.

From August 12, 1863 to April 25, 1864 the Army of North Carolina consisted of troops from the District of North Carolina within the Department of Virginia & North Carolina. The Army and District of North Carolina were commanded by John J. Peck

John J. Peck

John James Peck was a United States soldier who fought in the Mexican-American War and American Civil War.-Early life:...

.

From April 28, 1864 to January 18, 1865 the Army of the James

Army of the James

The Army of the James was a Union Army that was composed of units from the Department of Virginia and North Carolina and served along the James River during the final operations of the American Civil War in Virginia.-History:...

 was composed of troops within the Dept. of Virginia & North Carolina. It primarily served in Virginia during the Bermuda Hundred Campaign

Bermuda Hundred Campaign

The Bermuda Hundred Campaign was a series of battles fought at the town of Bermuda Hundred, outside Richmond, Virginia, during May 1864 in the American Civil War. Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler, commanding the Army of the James, threatened Richmond from the east but was stopped by forces under ...

 and during the siege of Petersburg

Siege of Petersburg

The Richmond–Petersburg Campaign was a series of battles around Petersburg, Virginia, fought from June 9, 1864, to March 25, 1865, during the American Civil War...

 conducting operations against the city of Richmond north of the James River

James River

The James River may refer to:Rivers in the United States and their namesakes* James River * James River , North Dakota, South Dakota* James River * James River * James River...

.

Commanders

George W. Getty

George W. Getty

George Washington Getty was a career military officer in the United States Army, most noted for his role as a division commander in the Army of the Potomac during the final full year of the American Civil War....

 (15 July 1863-18 July 1863)

John G. Foster

John G. Foster

John Gray Foster was a career military officer in the United States Army and a Union general during the American Civil War whose most distinguished services were in North and South Carolina. A postbellum expert in underwater demolition, he wrote the definitive treatise on the subject.-Early...

 (18 July 1863-28 August 1863)

Benjamin F. Butler (28 August 1863-27 August 1864)

E.O.C. Ord (27 August 1864-5 September 1864)

David B. Birney

David B. Birney

David Bell Birney was a businessman, lawyer, and a Union General in the American Civil War.-Early life:Birney was born in Huntsville, Alabama, the son of an abolitionist from Kentucky, James G. Birney. The Birney family returned to Kentucky in 1833, and James Birney freed his slaves...

(5 September 1864-7 September 1864)

Benjamin F. Butler (7 September 1864-14 December 1864)

E.O.C. Ord (14 December 1864-24 December 1864)

Benjamin F. Butler (24 December 1864-7 January 1865)

E.O.C. Ord (7 January 1865-18 January 1865)