Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans needed clarification that Lander was not under his command
The organization of the armies was in flux throughout the war, especially the Union armies. Those in the area that is now West Virginia were no exception. We have already seen that two key Union commanders in B & O Winter were present in the West Virginia Campaign in the spring and summer of 1861: Brigadier Generals Benjamin F. Kelley and Frederick W. Lander. When the "Young Napoleon" (George McClellan) left Western Virginia for the Department of the Potomac, things quickly began to change.
The Department of West Virginia was established, replacing the Department of the Ohio in September 1861, and Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans assumed command. At the time, Winfield Scott was still the overall command of the Union Armies. Scott had eyed Lander for command of a newly created Department of Harpers Ferry and Cumberland to guard the B & O. At the time, Lander was a Brigade Commander in Stone's Division, Army of the Potomac. Scott had already indicated this intention in an order to Brigadier General Thruston, who was at Cumberland, on October 20th 1861.
Unfortunately, Lander was wounded at Edwards Ferry on October 22nd, and command of the newly created Department of Harpers Ferry and Cumberland went to Brigadier General Kelley, also recovered from a wound a Philippi until Lander could take over command, but as the US Army transitioned from Winfield Scott, McClellan eliminated the department.
Lander was eventually assigned to a division in the Army of the Potomac and sent to the same area. It is difficult to determine the exact status of the division and it often fails to appear in returns the Army of the Potomac during the period (January 1862). Lander's Division, which would eventually be the foundation of Shield's Division appears to essentially have been carved out of Rosecrans' Department of West Virginia (which would become the Mountain Department). This happened while Rosecrans was in the east advocating for his command. While the Romney Campaign was underway, Washington found it necessary to write to Rosecrans (who was in New York at the time) and inform him that Landers was not under his command, but rather under the Army of the Potomac.
To reconstruct an order of battle for Lander's Division from material available online, it was necessary to identify regiments that were in Shield's Division, the Railroad District, or other organizations around the time and see try to find their brigade assignment under Lander through regimental records. I have yet to find a stand-alone order of battle for the division for the period of January - February 1861, as it appears to be a command that was being formed and in transition between Rosecrans' command and the Army of the Potomac, and soon to have a brief stint in the Army of the Virginia.
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SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
No. 147. Washington, September 6, 1861.
I. The following brigadier-generals of the volunteer service will report to Major-General McClellan for duty in the Department of the Potomac: Brigadier-Generals Abercrombie, S. Casey, Meade, L. P. Graham, F. W. Lander, Sedgwick, C. J. Biddle, Duryea.
II. Instead of reporting for duty in the Department of the Potomac, Brig. Gen. John F. Reynolds will repair to Fort Monroe, Va., without delay, and report to Major-General Wool for assignment to the command at Hatteras Inlet, IN. C.
III. Brigadier-General Viele will report to Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Sherman, in New York, for duty with his expedition. IV. Capt. J. M. Korvell, assistant adjutant-general, volunteer serv- ice, is assigned to duty with Brigadier-General Richardson.
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By command of Lieutenant-General Scott:
E. D. TOWNSEND,
SPECIAL ORDERS, HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
No. 147. Washington, September 6, 1861.
I. The following brigadier-generals of the volunteer service will report to Major-General McClellan for duty in the Department of the Potomac: Brigadier-Generals Abercrombie, S. Casey, Meade, L. P. Graham, F. W. Lander, Sedgwick, C. J. Biddle, Duryea.
II. Instead of reporting for duty in the Department of the Potomac, Brig. Gen. John F. Reynolds will repair to Fort Monroe, Va., without delay, and report to Major-General Wool for assignment to the command at Hatteras Inlet, IN. C.
III. Brigadier-General Viele will report to Brig. Gen. Thomas W. Sherman, in New York, for duty with his expedition. IV. Capt. J. M. Korvell, assistant adjutant-general, volunteer serv- ice, is assigned to duty with Brigadier-General Richardson.
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By command of Lieutenant-General Scott:
E. D. TOWNSEND,
Assistant Adjutant- General.
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ,ARMY.
Washington, D. C., October 20, 1861.
Brig. Gen. C. M. THRUSTON, U. S. A.,
Cumberland, Md., via Grafton, Va.:
Organize and dispatch a detachment of troops from those nearest at hand to protect the North and South Branch Bridges, with other parts of the Baltimore and Ohio road within easy reach of Cumberland. Brigadier-General Lander will be sent to take general direction of the service in that quarter, with other instructions and troops for the same object. The greatest expedition is required in this first movement from Cumberland. The agent of the road will be instructed to give you all advice and assistance in his power. If time permit, call for any necessary detachment of troops from New Creek, or even Grafton, to save the bridges of the road.
WINFIELD SCOTT
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, October 22, 1861.
Brig. Gen. B. F. KELLEY,
Grafton, W. Va.:
Proceed with your command to Romney and assume command of the Department of Harpers Ferry and Cumberland until the arrival of Brigadier-General Lander.
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ,ARMY.
Washington, D. C., October 20, 1861.
Brig. Gen. C. M. THRUSTON, U. S. A.,
Cumberland, Md., via Grafton, Va.:
Organize and dispatch a detachment of troops from those nearest at hand to protect the North and South Branch Bridges, with other parts of the Baltimore and Ohio road within easy reach of Cumberland. Brigadier-General Lander will be sent to take general direction of the service in that quarter, with other instructions and troops for the same object. The greatest expedition is required in this first movement from Cumberland. The agent of the road will be instructed to give you all advice and assistance in his power. If time permit, call for any necessary detachment of troops from New Creek, or even Grafton, to save the bridges of the road.
WINFIELD SCOTT
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
Washington, October 22, 1861.
Brig. Gen. B. F. KELLEY,
Grafton, W. Va.:
Proceed with your command to Romney and assume command of the Department of Harpers Ferry and Cumberland until the arrival of Brigadier-General Lander.
WINFIELD SCOTT.
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
January 10, 1862.
Brigadier-General LANDER,
Romney, VA.:
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HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY,
January 10, 1862.
Brigadier-General LANDER,
Romney, VA.:
Captain Hartsuff has been directed to send from four to six regiments to you at once from Western Virginia.
A. V. COLBURN,
Assistant Adjutant-General.
Information has been sent to-day to Rosecrans that you belong to the Army of the Potomac and not to his command.
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Information has been sent to-day to Rosecrans that you belong to the Army of the Potomac and not to his command.
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