The quasifree gamma d --> pi- -p(p) differential cross section has been measured with CLAS at photon beam energies E_(gamma) from 0.445 to 2.510 GeV (corresponding to W from 1.311 to 2.366 GeV) for pion center-of-mass angles cos(theta)_(pi)^(c.m). from -0.72 to 0.92. A correction for final state interactions has been applied to these data to extract the gamma n --> pi- -p differential cross sections. These cross sections are quoted in 8428 ( E_(gamma) ,theta)_(pi)^(c.m)) bins, a factor of nearly 3 increase in the world statistics for this channel in this kinematic range. These new data help to constrain coupled-channel analysis fits used to disentangle the spectrum of N* resonances and extract their properties. Selected photon decay amplitudes N* --> gamma n at the resonance poles are determined for the first time and are reported here.