An Encyclopedia of Early Civil War Virginia
In the early days of the Civil War, as Virginia seceded and Confederate forces rushed to secure key positions across the state, Jamestown Island—better known as the birthplace of English America—was drawn into the conflict. Between April and July 1861, the Confederacy quickly turned Jamestown Island’s strategic position on the James River into a forward…
Continue reading ➞ Fort Pocahontas: Jamestown Island’s Forgotten Confederate Stronghold
In June 1861, just weeks after Virginia’s secession from the Union, Governor John Letcher issued a fiery proclamation to the people of Northwestern Virginia—a region increasingly resistant to Confederate alignment. His message was clear: the time for debate was over, and unity under the Confederate cause was now a matter of duty and survival. John…
Continue reading ➞ Governor Letcher’s 1861 Call to Arms: Uniting Virginia for the Confederacy
The growth of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) in recent years has opened up an exciting new field. When used properly and responsibly, it can be of invaluable assistance to researchers and historians looking for new ways to bring the past to life. Our policy on A.I. is to solely employ it for purposes that complement, not…
Continue reading ➞ Using Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Civil War Portraits
From the first battlefield amputation to the first conventional land battle, Virginia was the stage for many pivotal "firsts" of the Civil War. This article explores these groundbreaking moments, shedding light on the early conflicts, innovations, and key figures that shaped the war's opening chapters. Following the bombardment and surrender of Fort Sumter on April…
Continue reading ➞ Civil War “Firsts” in Virginia and West Virginia
Angus W. McDonald, Sr. (1799–1864) Colonel Angus William McDonald, Sr. (1799–1864) was born in Winchester, Virginia, on February 14, 1799. He was taken in by his grandmother at the family home of Glengarry after the death of his parents at a young age. As a teenager, he attended the United States Military Academy at West…
Continue reading ➞ The Forgotten Colonel: Angus McDonald’s Role in the Civil War
In the tense opening days of the Civil War, a single gunshot would mark the first true casualty of battle—but whose name deserves that grim distinction? Between riots, duels, and chaotic skirmishes, the first soldier killed in action is a title claimed by many, but only one truly fits the definition. Because of its proximity…
Continue reading ➞ Who Was the First Civil War Soldier Killed in Action in Virginia?
Photographic Portrait of Daniel Ruggles. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Daniel Ruggles (1810–1897), born in Barre, Massachusetts, became one of the few New Englanders to achieve the rank of general officer in the Confederate Army. After graduating 34th in his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1833, he embarked…
Continue reading ➞ Daniel Ruggles: A New England General in the Confederate Ranks
John Q. Marr’s fatal encounter with Union cavalry in Fairfax Court House on June 1, 1861, marked a bloody opening salvo of the Civil War, yet the debate over his legacy—and the monument that once bore his name—continues over a century later. For over a century, a granite monument stood near the old Fairfax County…
Continue reading ➞ What Happened to Fairfax County’s John Q. Marr Monument?
Determining precisely when Virginia joined the Confederacy is a complex issue. President Abraham Lincoln’s administration maintained that the Union was "indivisible" and that secession was illegal. According to this view, a state could not leave the Union under any circumstances. Therefore, those taking up arms against the federal government were considered rebels or insurrectionists, while…
Portrait of John C. Higginbotham of Buchkannon. West Virginia & Regional History Center, Morgantown, WV Soon after Virginia voted to secede, John Carleton Higginbotham (1842-1864), an 18-year-old student at Lynchburg College, returned home to fight for the Confederacy. His father, William Thomas Higginbotham (1821-1892), was a prominent landowner in Upshur County and owned nearly 10…
Continue reading ➞ “No Meat Hurt”: Letter from John C. Higginbotham
Spirit of '61 