Historedia
AmericasEvent

Union command reshuffle and Confederate political consolidation, November–December 1861

When
1861
Where
Washington, D.C.; Western Department (unlocated); Confederate States (election held across states); Confederate government (unlocated); Richmond, Virginia; Frankfort, Kentucky
Episodes
7

In late 1861, Union command structures shifted as George B. McClellan replaced Winfield Scott as general-in-chief, while David Hunter succeeded John C. Frémont in the Western Department. Confederate political consolidation advanced through Jefferson Davis's election, Judah P. Benjamin's appointment as Secretary of War, and the admission of Missouri and Kentucky. Lincoln also signed Public Resolution 82, establishing the Navy Medal of Honor.

Episodes

  1. November 1861 · Confederate government (unlocated)Benjamin Appointed Secretary of War

    Judah P. Benjamin was appointed Confederate Secretary of War in late 1861, while continuing to act as Attorney General until November 15, 1861.

  2. 1 November 1861 · Washington, D.C.McClellan Appointed General-in-Chief

    George B. McClellan became general-in-chief of all Union armies on November 1, 1861, following Winfield Scott's retirement.

  3. 6 November 1861 · Confederate States (election held across states)Davis Elected Confederate President

    Presidential elections were held in the Confederate States on November 6, 1861, resulting in Jefferson Davis's election.

  4. 9 November 1861 · Western Department (unlocated)Western Department Discontinued After Command Change

    David Hunter replaced John C. Frémont in the Western Department; the department itself was discontinued on November 9, 1861.

  5. 28 November 1861 · Richmond, VirginiaMissouri Admitted to Confederacy

    The Confederate Congress admitted Missouri as the 12th Confederate state on November 28, 1861.

  6. 10 December 1861 · Frankfort, KentuckyKentucky Admitted to Confederacy

    Kentucky was admitted to the Confederacy on December 10, 1861, recognizing its provisional government.

  7. 21 December 1861 · Washington, D.C.Navy Medal of Honor Resolution Signed

    President Lincoln signed Public Resolution 82 on December 21, 1861, creating a Navy Medal of Honor.

Background and detail

Background. Following the Union defeat at Bull Run, President Lincoln summoned George B. McClellan from western Virginia. McClellan became general-in-chief on November 1, 1861, after Winfield Scott retired. In the Western Department, David Hunter replaced John C. Frémont under Lincoln's orders, contingent on Frémont failing to lead an army into battle by October 24, 1861. The Western Department was subsequently discontinued on November 9, 1861.

Navy Medal of Honor. President Abraham Lincoln signed Public Resolution 82 into law on December 21, 1861, creating a Navy medal of honor. This followed a proposal for a battlefield decoration submitted to Lieutenant General Winfield Scott in 1861. A similar resolution for an Army version was passed in July 1862, and Congress made the Army Medal of Honor a permanent decoration in March 1863.

People involved

Sources

  1. George B. McClellan Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
  2. Department of the West Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-09
  3. 1861 Confederate States presidential election Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-04
  4. Judah P. Benjamin Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-05
  5. Confederate government of Missouri Wikipedia, revision of 2026-05-05
  6. Confederate government of Kentucky Wikipedia, revision of 2026-06-16
  7. Medal of Honor Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-03

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.