Department

Department is an organizational term used by the U.S. Army, mostly prior to World War I, to describe named geographical districts created for control and administration of installations and units. In 1920, most of the named departments were redesignated as numbered Corps Areas. However, the Hawaiian, Panama Canal, and Philippine Departments retained their old names. In 1939, the Puerto Rican Department was created and in May 1941 the Panama Canal and Puerto Rican Departments were combined as the Caribbean Defense Command, although each was still referred to as a department. 1800s War of 1812 The United States Army was divided into nine military districts by the War Department General Order, of 19 March 1813. They were increased to ten on 2 July 1814 but reduced to nine by consolidation of the 4th and 10th Military Districts in January 1815. Military districts were abolished, 17 May 1815. 1815–21 At the end of the War of 1812, Military districts were superseded by ten Military Departments, divided equally between Divisions of the North and South, 17 May 1815. Division of the North, 17 May 1815 – May 1821 1st Military Department, 1815–17 2nd Military Department, 1815–18 3rd Military Department, 1815–17 Consolidated 1st and 3rd Military Departments, 1817–19 Consolidated 1st and 3rd Military Departments, 1818–21 4th Military Department, 1815–19 Consolidated 1st, 3rd, and 4th Military Departments, 1819–21 5th Military Department, 1815–21. Division of the South, 17 May 1815 – May 1821 6th Military Department, 1815–1821 7th Military Department, 1815–1821 8th Military Department, 1815–19, 1820–21 9th Military Department, June 1819 – June 1821 10th Military Department, 1815–1821