United States. Army. Military Departments. Department of the Gulf

The United States Army Department of the Gulf was a geographical command established on February 23, 1862, headquartered at New Orleans. At its establishment, it encompassed Louisiana west of the Mississippi River and other sections of the Gulf Coast under Union control. It added Florida west of the Apalachicola River on August 8, 1862 and Texas on November 8, 1862. On May 17, 1865 it was reorganized to encompass the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. On June 27, 1865 it was disestablished with each state forming separate departments.

On August 6, 1866 it was reestablished to encompass Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. It continued until March of 1867 with the passage of the First Reconstruction Act by Congress in March 1867. Under the act, Florida merged into the Third Military District, and Texas and Louisiana merged into the Fifth Military District on March 11, 1867.

It was reestablished in November 1871 by General Orders No. 66, encompassing the state of Mississippi eastward to Fort Jefferson, Key West, Florida. Later in the same year, General Orders No. 71 excluded Mobile, Alabama and its vicinity. It was merged into the Department of the South under General Orders No. 38 dated June 21, 1878.

Its commanders were Maj. Gen. Benjamin F. Butler (February 23–November 8, 1862), Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks (November 8, 1862–September 22, 1864), Maj. Gen. Stephen A. Hurlburt (September 22, 1864–March 18, 1865), Maj. Gen. Nathan P. Banks (March 18–May 17, 1865), Maj. Gen. Edward R. S. Canby (May 17–June 27, 1865), Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan (August 6, 1866–August 15, 1866), Maj. Gen. William H. Emory (November 1871–1875), and Maj. Gen. Christopher C. Augur (1875–July 1, 1878). (United States War Department, Annual Report of the Secretary of War, 1872, 81; United States War Department, Annual Report of the Secretary of War, 1878, 98; Eicher, Civil War High Commands, 828; Wikipedia)