Maneuvers and battles in Virginia prior to the Battle of First Manassas were centered around control of major waterways. Virginia had three main waterways that defined its antebellum borders: the Ohio, Potomac, and Chesapeake rivers. While the men who fought in the Civil War wouldn’t have recognized these as “fronts” or used that terminology, I find it a convenient way to organize the military activity in Virginia during the first few months of the war.
I created the map below to illustrate the location of 14 known actions, skirmishes, and battles that took place in western Virginia between May 22 and July 19, 1861. The major railroads and towns are in black, state borders in red, and prominent rivers in blue. In the future, I may add lines to indicate troop movements.
Make sure to check out the Ohio Front page for more information about these battles.
Spirit of '61 