An Encyclopedia of Early Civil War Virginia
Beginning in late April 1861, unionists in western Virginia agitated for the creation of a state government that would remain loyal to the United States. Their efforts culminated in the election of 47-year-old attorney Francis Harrison Pierpont (1814-1899) as governor of the Reorganized State of Virginia on June 20, 1861. The nascent state government, centered…
The story is one we are familiar with. Shortly after arriving at Cumberland, Maryland on the Potomac River and Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in June 1861, Col. Lewis “Lew” Wallace and his Eleventh Indiana Infantry Regiment marched all night to route a smaller Confederate force at what is today Romney, West Virginia in a bloodless…
Previously, we chronicled the events leading up to the action at Philippi, from April 17 to June 3, 1861. Here, we turn to the 42 days between the secessionist retreat from Philippi and the Federal occupation of the Cheat Mountain summit, a period marked by steady reinforcements on both sides, intermittent clashes as the armies…
Continue reading ➞ Timeline of Events in Northwest Virginia, June 4 – July 16, 1861
In late June 1861, Union troops guarding the B&O Railroad clashed with Confederate cavalry near Bowman’s Place in Tucker County as they attempted to disrupt elections for Virginia’s Restored Government. The brief but deadly skirmish, tied to control of the Cheat River corridor, revealed how quickly political conflict in northwestern Virginia could turn violent. More…
Continue reading ➞ Powder and Politics: The Skirmish at Bowman’s Place
On June 27, 1861, a Confederate foraging expedition descended on the unionist town of Buckhannon, scattering civilians and briefly seizing vital supplies along the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike. Though a small clash, the raid and the rumors it sparked pushed George B. McClellan to launch his campaign against Robert S. Garnett, setting the stage for the fight…
Continue reading ➞ Divided Ground: Buckhannon’s Unionists Face a Confederate Incursion
In June 1861, as Union forces secured the B&O Railroad after the rout at Philippi, a nighttime raid on a secessionist militia at Righter’s House erupted into violence and fiery retribution. The clash at Coon Run reveals how the fight for strategic ground in northwestern Virginia quickly devolved into a bitter war between neighbors. Following…
Continue reading ➞ Irregular War in Northwestern Virginia: Captain Cable’s Raid on Righter’s House
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
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
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
Spirit of '61 