Ok, Then what you are saying is that the troop organizations gathered at Camp White Sulphur Springs by Brig General Roane in May of 1862 was in fact the actual start of the organization of the Confederate Army in The Trans Mississippi department as an independant command from those departments east of the Mississippi River.

I had always thought that Ben McCulloch had commanded the Army of the West (CS) and Albert Pike the Indian Territories, prior to Van Dorn's appointment when McCulloch was religated to Division command. And that McCulloch and Pike had operated as an independent command structure prior to Van Dorns appointment.

Interestingly enough both Henry Heth and Braxton Bragg refused the command, prior to Van Dorn taking it. I wonder why? Especially since Bragg was under Johnston command anyway.