An Encyclopedia of Early Civil War Virginia
In a rain-soaked dawn attack at Philippi, Union columns under Benjamin Kelley and Ebenezer Dumont scattered Col. George A. Porterfield’s inexperienced command, sending it fleeing in what became known as the “Philippi Races.” The brief fight secured the B&O lifeline and shattered secessionist momentum in northwestern Virginia at the very outset of the war. Events…
Continue reading ➞ The Philippi Races: How a Rain-Soaked Surprise Secured Northwestern Virginia
From May to July 1861, the Second Virginia Infantry (U.S.) did not operate as a cohesive regiment. Instead, several of its companies acted independently in support of Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan’s campaign to secure northwestern Virginia and the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad for the Union. The regiment did not fully come together until…
In the tense weeks following Virginia’s secession vote, rival unionist and secessionist forces in northwestern Virginia maneuvered for control of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Skirmishes at Fetterman and Glover’s Gap produced some of the war’s earliest casualties and set the stage for the opening of McClellan's campaign in the region. On April 17, 1861,…
In the tense weeks following the April 17, 1861 secession vote, communities across northwestern Virginia divided sharply as unionists and secessionists began organizing. The killing of Thornsbury Bailey Brown at Fetterman Bridge in May, often considered the first Union soldier killed in combat during the Civil War, showed how quickly the political crisis was spiraling…
I recently came across this neat episode of the Ancestral Findings Podcast focusing on Matilda Humphrey, the civilian who fired the first shots on the morning of June 3, 1861, alerting Porterfield's command and likely preventing an even worse disaster for the secessionists. It shows how seemingly small, unforeseen events can have major consequences in…
Continue reading ➞ Ancestral Findings Podcast – The Shot Heard in Philippi
The First Virginia Infantry Regiment (U.S.) featured prominently in Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's advance into northwestern Virginia in late May 1861. Its presence helped reassure nervous civilians that this was a limited operation designed to protect the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and expel secessionist militias, not a heavy-handed federal invasion. The regiment's colonel, Benjamin…
Determining the composition of the Union force that attacked Philippi on June 3, 1861, is, thankfully, easier than for their opponents. The orders outlining which units were to take part, and the number of companies assigned, have long been published. Even so, estimates of the total strength vary, and the sources do not always explain…
Continue reading ➞ Union Forces Involved in the Action at Philippi
As one of the earliest engagements in the American Civil War, the Action at Philippi on June 3, 1861 is clouded in faulty and incomplete information. We owe it to history (and the ancestors of the men involved) to get an accurate picture of who was present on that day, for either side. Today we…
Continue reading ➞ Secessionist Forces Involved in the Action at Philippi
The following is a comprehensive chronology of the important events leading up to the Action at Philippi, June 3, 1861. It begins at the initial secession vote at the Virginia Convention in Richmond, April 17, 1861, and covers 47 days, although not every day is represented. These days were filled with military and political intrigue…
Continue reading ➞ Events Leading up to the Action at Philippi
Allow me to take a moment to explain how Spirit of 61's battle entries are organized to convey the principal events in a specific geographic area (what we call "fronts"). While each entry is a standalone article, it should also summarize the events leading up to the main conflict to provide the necessary background. This…
Continue reading ➞ Understanding the Tygart Valley Battle Entries
Spirit of '61 