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New book on Belle Boyd

New book on Belle Boyd

A new book on Confederate spy Belle Boyd has recently been released. Belle Boyd: The Rebel Spy is the first serious non-fiction account of her life in 34 years. Belle Boyd was from Martinsburg, Virginia (West Virginia) and considered the most notorious and...

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Help Save 4 Battlefields in West Virginia and Virginia

The Civil War Trust now has the opportunity to save 243 acres at four battlefields in Virginia and West Virginia. We are saving a vital tract at the heart of the Cedar Creek battlefield in Virginia, as well as additional acres at another Virginia battlefield, New...

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French honored by Hagerstown Civil War Round Table

The Hagerstown Civil War Round Table presented Steven C. French with its 2016 Henry Kyd Douglas Award. French, a former middle-school teacher, is the author of “Imboden’s Brigade in the Gettysburg Campaign” (2008), which was recognized with three prestigious awards;...

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West Virginia History: An Open Access Reader

West Virginia History: An Open Access Reader

West Virginia History: An Open Access Reader West Virginia University Libraries Kevin Barksdale (Marshall University) and Ken Fones-Wolf (West Virginia University) assembled this collection of essays, mostly from the journal they edit, West...

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3 days ago

West Virginia in the Civil War

Join us for our upcoming symposium! ... See MoreSee Less

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West Virginia in the Civil War

Located opposite the mouth of Meadow River, 12 miles south of Summersville, this 156-acre park encompasses the Carnifex Ferry Civil War battlefield. Here, on September 10, 1861, Union forces led by Gen. William S. Rosecrans defeated Gen. John B. Floyd’s Confederate troops, who were camped on a farm owned by Henry Patteson. The state legislature, noting interest in the annual reunion of Carnifex Ferry battle veterans, passed a bill on March 14, 1931, to create the Carnifex Ferry Battlefield Park Commission. In 1935, the legislature appropriated funds to buy the Patteson farm. Read more at e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/972 ... See MoreSee Less

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West Virginia in the Civil War

Two interesting events related to slavery and African Americans took place on this date during the Civil War. First, on March 13, 1862, the U.S. government issued orders forbidding Union forces to return fugitive slaves to their owners in the South. This action basically annulled the 1850 Fugitive Slave Act and was a precursor to President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, which was announced in September 1862 and enacted on January 1, 1863. Secondly, on March 13, 1865, the Confederate States of America, close to defeat and desperate for soldiers, approved the use of African Americans as Confederate troops. By then it was too late for the Confederacy, though, and the South fielded no units containing black soldiers. In fact, there is no credible evidence that any African Americans fought for the Confederacy at any point during the Civil War. Those often described as "soldiers" were in fact camp servants or slaves who were forced to accompany their white owners on campaign with Confederate armies. (Those who wish to know more about so-called "black Confederates" should check out historian Kevin Levin's Civil War Memory page. He's got a new book on the myth of black Confederates coming out later this year.) Images: African American slaves in Georgia before the Civil War. ... See MoreSee Less

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On April 6th, the Civil War Symposium! ... See MoreSee Less

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West Virginia in the Civil War

West Virginia’s first state flag was authorized by the legislature on January 28, 1864, and individual flags were presented to each of the state’s military regiments before the end of the Civil War. Although the details of the flag had not been designated by the legislature, all the regimental flags were similar. They were made of dark blue silk with a golden fringe. One side featured the state seal. The other side featured the national coat of arms, an eagle with a shield protecting its breast, arrows in its right talons and an olive branch in its left. The details of the flag were apparently not standardized until the early 20th century. Read more at e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/566 ... See MoreSee Less

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West Virginia in the Civil War

Following the Civil War, Virginia sued West Virginia in the U.S. Supreme Court in the case known as Virginia v. West Virginia, seeking to reclaim Berkeley and Jefferson counties. In Virginia v. West Virginia, the Supreme Court on March 6, 1871, rejected (6-3) Virginia’s claims. It held that the statutes of the Reorganized Government regarding Berkeley and Jefferson effectively created an agreement between the two states that the counties would become part of West Virginia ‘‘whenever’’ voters assented. Congress had validly approved, too. The application for statehood had been carefully considered, and Congress had made admission contingent on voter approval of the constitutional change regarding slavery. An inference therefore arose that Congress ‘‘intended to consent to the admission of the State with the contingent boundaries provided for in its constitution and in the statute of Virginia . . . and in so doing [Congress] necessarily consented to the agreement of those States on that subject.’’ Read more at e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/874 ... See MoreSee Less

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February flew by... Did you see Emerging Civil War's articles to celebrate Black History Month? We've got them all ready for you to explore here: http://bit.ly/ECWBlackHistory19 ... See MoreSee Less

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West Virginia in the Civil War

1 month ago

West Virginia in the Civil War

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