The department was constituted on February 23, 1862 when the United States War Department issued General Orders No. 20; the department consisted of "...all of the coast of the Gulf of Mexico west of Pensacola harbor, and so much of the Gulf States as may be occupied by the forces under Major General B.F. Butler." On March 20, 1862, Butler activated his command at Ship Island, Mississippi by issuing General Orders No. 1 assuming his new command.
Major General B. F. Butler, March 20, 1862 – December 17, 1862
Major General N. P. Banks, December 17, 1862 – September 23, 1864
Major General S. G. Hurlbut, September 23, 1864 – to April 22, 1865
Major General N. P. Banks, 22 April 22, 1865 – June 3, 1865
Major General E. R. S. Canby, June 3, 1865 –
Confederate States Army
Organization
The department, frequently referred to as the Gulf District, was established on July 2, 1862 as a part of Department No. 2; its area was defined as the coast from the Pearl River to the Apalachicola River northward to latitude 32° north. On November 3, 1863, the northern boundary was extended to latitude 33° north. On July 25, 1863, the department/district was transferred to the Department of Mississippi and Eastern Louisiana. It remained in that department only until January 28, 1864, when it was transferred to the Department of Alabama and Eastern Mississippi. Upon being transferred, the department/district boundaries were redefined as beginning at the mouth of the Pearl River, running north to latitude 32° north, east to the Georgia State line and south to the Gulf of Mexico. On May 8, 1864, the boundary was again modified to define the eastern edge as being the intersection of latitude 32° north with a line running from the junction of the Coosa and Tallapoosa to point where the Choctawhatchee River entered Florida then following the Choctawhatchee to its mouth on the Gulf of Mexico. The department/district surrendered on May 4, 1865.
Commanders
John H. Forney, July 2, 1862 – December 8, 1862
William W. Mackall, December 8, 1862 – December 14, 1862
Simon B. Buckner, December 14, 1862 – April 27, 1863
Dabney H. Maury, August 15, 1864 – November 22, 1864
Danville Leadbetter, November 22 – December 12, 1864
Dabney H. Maury, December 12, 1864 – May 4, 1865
United States Army (Spanish–American War era)
Creation
The department was constituted by General Order 7, Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant General's Office, dated March 11, 1898. The order specified that the department was to include the states of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. All of the named states had previously been included in the Department of the East except Texas which had been the sole state in the Department of Texas. The depart was redesignated as the Department of the South on March 12, 1898 and back to the Department of the Gulf on March 18, 1898. Brigadier General William M. Graham assumed command of the department on March 14, 1898. The department was headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. On October 25, 1899, the department was merged with the Department of the East. It was reestablished in December 1903.
Commanders
Brigadier General William M. Graham, March 14, 1898 – May 18, 1898
Major General John R. Brooke, May 17, 1898 – July 4, 1898
Brigadier General A. C. M. Pennington, July 4, 1898 – March 22, 1899
Brigadier General Royal T. Frank, March 22, 1899 - October 18, 1899
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Brigadier General Thomas H. Barry, December 1903 – May 15, 1905
Brigadier General James F. Wade, May 15, 1905 - April 6, 1906
