THE CIVIL WAR: A TRAGEDY WHICH SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED
A Tribute to Those On Both Sides Who Died For What They Believed IN
THE CIVIL WAR: A TRAGEDY WHICH SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED
A Tribute to Those On Both Sides Who Died For What They Believed IN
The hills of what was then Western Virginia, and after June 20, 1863, West Virginia, truly produced brothers who fought against brothers and neighbors who fought against neighbors. Men went south from all parts of the state to fight for their native Virginia. Others felt duty bound to fight for the Union. The battles of Droop Mountain and Cloyd's Mountain were both fought chiefly by Western Virginia troops. Sentiments of why Westen Virginia men fought for the South can be found in works by some of these men in their own hand. I hope to include at least one of these men's testimonies and I will give you the title of another's diary. It is hard for many to understand today, but, when Virginians of that era spoke of their "country," they were speaking about Virginia. It is because this loyalty to Virginia that men like Robert E. Lee could leave the U.S. Army to fight for their "native soil."
I could also give you many of the units that men from Western Virginia and many of the men's names, but this has already been done by others. If you will click on the link to "West Virginia in the Civil War," you will find a considerable amount of this information. At this moment, I do not know all that I will include in this page. Instead of rigid planning, I will let this page grow as I glean items from my already existing files and as new photos from my visits to the battlefields are processed. Since I keep a list of "Works Cited and Consulted" of historical publications, I will try to include a list of books pertaining to West Virginia in the Civil War. Some of these books are quite recent. This page will grow over time so please drop back every so often to check for growth.
Along with a company of home guards, the County of Mercer of Virginia raised ten companies that fought for the Confederate Cause all during the war. One of those who answered the call was David Johnson who was a leading citizen of Mercer County before and after the war. He played in a leading role as a member of the "Committee of Safety" in the struggle to settle the county seat at Princeton. In his book "A History of Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory," he states why he and others fought for the "Old Virginia.":
The Words of David Johnson: Why men from Western Virginia fought for the South
After the war, because of their loyality during the war to the South, most people in the border counties of West Virginia could not teach school or vote.
This battle has the distinction of being fought at the greatest elevation than any other battle of the war.
photo by Okey L. King
Photo by Okey l. King
The previous Summer and been cold and damp and the winter that these troops were on the mountain was terrible. All through this theater of action, men died of one sickness or another. Many died of the measles. If I remember correctly, some of the troops at this highest Confederate Camp were men from Georgia who were not accostumed to such conditions.
photo by Okey L. King
A double line small white crosses marks the graves of Union Soldiers many of whom were from Ohio. Lee launched a attack against the Federal troops at Cheat Summit, which is just west of Durbin, but the operation was botched when his subordinates failed out to carry out thier parts of the plan. Many of the men in the graves above died of desease.