A Union Army camp during the Civil War
A Union Army camp during the Civil WarLibrary of Congress · LC-DIG-cwpb-02637
The Civil War, 1861 to 1865

West Virginia in the Civil War

West Virginia was raised entirely for the Union. Of the 29 regiments recorded in West Virginia, 29 served the United States, and none the Confederacy.

On the ground

Battles and engagements fought in West Virginia

Aubrey maps 410 documented Civil War engagements fought on West Virginia’s soil between 1861 and 1865, from decisive battles to the raids and skirmishes that filled the years between. The surviving records account for more than 2,000 Union casualties across them.

Every point below is placed from the source record, with the date, the units engaged, and the casualties reported exactly as the compiled histories give them.

1862 · Confederate victory
Princeton Court House

By early May 1862 Union forces in today's West Virginia were positioned to breach the Alleghenies and debouch into Virginia's Great Valley at two points more than 100 miles apart. Brig. Gen. Robert H. Milroy's column, its axis of march the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, advanced from Cheat Mountain and occupied in succession Camp Allegheny, Monteray, McDowell, and Shenandoah Mountain. Retreating before the oncoming Federals, Confederate Brig. Gen. Edward Johnson pulled back to Westview, six miles west of Staunton. Union soldiers of Brig. Gen. Jacob D. Cox's District of Kanawha threatened the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad. The Federals by mid-May, although ousted from Pearisburg, held Mercer County and braced for a lunge at the railroad. Confederate Brig. Gen. Humphery Marshall arrived from Abingdon, Virginia, with the Army of East Kentucky. Boldly seizing the initiative, Marshall bested Cox's two brigades during three days of fighting, May 15-17, in Mercer County centering on Princeton Courthouse. Breaking contact with the Confederates on the night of the 17-18, Cox withdrew 20 miles to Camp Flat Top. Col. George Crook, commanding Cox's 3rd brigade, marched via the James and Kanawha Turnpike and occupied Lewisburg, where on May 23 he defeated Brig. Gen. Henry Heth's brigade. Upon learning that Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's army had routed Maj. Gen. N.P. Banks' division at Winchester (March 25) and driven it across the Potomac, Crook evacuated Lewisburg and pulled back to Meadow Bluff.

1861 · Union victory
Rich Mountain

Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan assumed command of Union forces in western Virginia in June 1861. On June 27, he moved his divisions from Clarksburg south against Lt. Col. John Pegram's Confederates, reaching the vicinity of Rich Mountain on July 9. Meanwhile, Brig. Gen. T.A. Morris's Union brigade marched from Philippi to confront Brig. Gen. R.S. Garnett's command at Laurel Hill. On July 11, Brig. Gen. William S. Rosecrans led a reinforced brigade by a mountain path to seize the Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike in Pegram's rear. A sharp two-hour fight ensued in which the Confederates were split in two. Half escaped to Beverly, but Pegram and the others surrendered on July 13. Hearing of Pegram's defeat, Garnett abandoned Laurel Hill. The Federals pursued, and, during fighting at Corrick's Ford on July 13, Garnett was killed. On July 22, McClellan was ordered to Washington, and Rosecrans assumed command of Union forces in western Virginia. Union victory at Rich Mountain was instrumental in propelling McClellan to command of the Army of the Potomac.

1861 · Union victory
Hoke's Run

On July 2, Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson's division crossed the Potomac River near Williamsport and marched on the main road to Martinsburg. Near Hoke's Run, Abercrombie's and Thomas's brigades encountered regiments of T.J. Jackson's brigade, driving them back slowly. Jackson's orders were to delay the Federal advance only, which he did, withdrawing before Patterson's larger force. On July 3, Patterson occupied Martinsburg but made no further aggressive moves until July 15, when he marched to Bunker Hill. Instead of moving on Winchester, however, Patterson turned east to Charles Town and then withdrew to Harpers Ferry. This retrograde movement took pressure off Confederate forces in the Shenandoah Valley and allowed Johnston's army to march to support Brig. Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard at Manassas. Patterson's inactivity contributed to the Union defeat at First Manassas.

1861 · Union victory
Cheat Mountain

Gen. Robert E. Lee directed his first offensive of the war against Brig. Gen. Joseph Reynolds's entrenchments on the summit of Cheat Mountain and in the Tygart Valley. The Confederate attacks were uncoordinated, however, and the Federal defense was so stubborn that Col. Albert Rust (leading the attacks) was convinced that he confronted an overwhelming force. He actually faced only about 300 determined Federals. Lee called off the attack and, after maneuvering in the vicinity, withdrew to Valley Head on September 17. In October, Lee renewed operations against Laurel Mountain with the troops of Floyd and Loring, but the operation was called off because of poor communication and lack of supplies. Lee was recalled to Richmond on October 30 after achieving little in western Virginia.

1862 · Confederate victory
Harpers Ferry

Learning that the garrison at Harpers Ferry had not retreated after his incursion into Maryland, Lee decided to surround the force and capture it. He divided his army into four columns, three of which converged upon and invested Harpers Ferry. On September 15, after Confederate artillery was placed on the heights overlooking the town, Union commander Col. Miles surrendered the garrison of more than 12,000. Miles was mortally wounded by a last salvo fired from a battery on Loudoun Heights. Jackson took possession of Harpers Ferry, then led most of his soldiers to join with Lee at Sharpsburg. After paroling the prisoners at Harpers Ferry, A.P. Hill's division arrived in time to save Lee's army from near-defeat at Sharpsburg.

1862 · Confederate victory
Shepherdstown

On September 19, a detachment of Porter's V Corps pushed across the river at Boteler's Ford, attacked the Confederate rearguard commanded by Brig. Gen. William Pendleton, and captured four guns. Early on the 20th, Porter pushed elements of two divisions across the Potomac to establish a bridgehead. Hill's division counterattacked while many of the Federals were crossing and nearly annihilated the 118th Pennsylvania (the "Corn Exchange" Regiment), inflicting 269 casualties. This rearguard action discouraged Federal pursuit. On November 7, President Lincoln relieved McClellan of command because of his failure to follow up Lee's retreating army. Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside rose to command the Union army.

Federally recognized battlefieldDocumented engagement409 of 410 placed on the map
EngagementYear ▲TypeResultUnion losses
Skirmish, Frankfort, Patterson's Creek1861Skirmish-1 killed, 1 wounded
Greenbrier River1861BattleInconclusive victory80 total
Engagement, Greenbrier River, Cheat Mountain1861Battle-8 killed, 35 wounded
Skirmish, Beller's Mills, near Harper's Ferry1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Elkwater1861Skirmish--
Engagement, Carnifax Ferry, Gauley River1861Battle-17 killed, 141 wounded
Skirmish, Elkwater1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Burlington1861Skirmish--
Action, Bunker Hill1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Petersburg1861SkirmishConfederate victory-
Skirmish, Petersburg1861SkirmishConfederate victory-
Skirmish, Little Cacapon River1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Cherry Run1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Greenbrier River1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Harper's Ferry1861SkirmishConfederate victory-
Expedition to Romney1861Skirmish--
Occupation of Beckley1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Belington1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Hawk's Nest1861Skirmish-3 wounded
Skirmish, Red House1861Skirmish-1 killed
Skirmish near Romney1861Skirmish--
Operations on Cheat Mountain1861SkirmishUnion victory-
Skirmish, Blake's Farm, Cotton Hill1861Skirmish-2 killed, 1 wounded, 6 missing/captured
Skirmish, Gauley Bridge1861Skirmish-2 killed, 16 wounded
Skirmish, Romney1861Skirmish--
Philippi1861BattleUnion victory30 total
Skirmish, Gauley Bridge1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Springfield1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Grafton1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Cassville1861Skirmish--
Skirmish near Piggot's Mill, Big Run1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Coal River1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Barboursville1861Skirmish-1 killed, 1 wounded
Action, Kanawha Gap1861SkirmishUnion victory-
Skirmish, Worthington, Marion County1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Guyandotte1861Skirmish-7 killed, 20 wounded
Skirmish, Rich Mountain1861SkirmishUnion victory-
Skirmish, Belington1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Glenville1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Elkwater1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Blue Creek1861Skirmish--
Occupation of Grafton1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Cross Lanes, near Summerville1861Skirmish-5 killed, 40 wounded, 200 missing/captured
Skirmishes, New River1861Battle--
Action, Romney1861Skirmish--
Skirmishes, Laurel Hill and Belington1861Battle-2 killed, 6 wounded
Skirmish, Fayetteville1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Gauley Bridge1861Skirmish--
Kessler's Cross Lanes1861BattleConfederate victory285 total
Affair, New Creek1861Skirmish--
Rich Mountain1861BattleUnion victory346 total
Carnifex Ferry1861BattleUnion victory250 total
Skirmish, Laurel Creek, Fayette County1861Skirmish-1 killed, 2 wounded
Expedition to Huntersville1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Harper's Ferry1861SkirmishConfederate victory2 killed, 2 wounded
Engagement, Camp Garnett, Rich Mountain1861Battle-12 killed, 59 wounded
Skirmish, Gauley Bridge1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Gauley Bridge or Cotton Hill1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Gauley Bridge, New River1861Skirmish--
Skirmish, Camp Garnett, Rich Mountain1861Skirmish--

Sources · Official Records & compiled regimental histories · American Battlefield Protection Program · Aubrey Historical Database

29
Regiments raised
47,304
Men in the records
29
Union
1
Pinned to a town

Civil War regiments were raised locally: each was recruited from the eligible men of one or more nearby counties, organized at a rendezvous camp, and sent to the front. In West Virginia, 1 of the 29 regiments below are pinned to the specific town where they formed; the rest are recorded honestly at the state level. The largest single unit raised in West Virginia was the 6 West Virginia Infantry, with 3,836 men in the records.

To search these regiments by a family surname and read the individual men who served, with their rank, company, and side, explore any location in West Virginia.

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Union regiments raised in West Virginia

29 recorded, largest first. Raising town shown where documented.

  • 6 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 3,836 men
  • 1 West Virginia Cavalry · Raised in West Virginia · 2,875 men
  • 10 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 2,757 men
  • 6 W. Va. Cav. · Raised in West Virginia · 2,671 men
  • 7 West Virginia Cavalry · Raised in West Virginia · 2,547 men
  • 1 West Virginia L. Art'y. · Raised in West Virginia · 2,452 men
  • 7 W. Va. Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 2,421 men
  • 3 West Virginia Cavalry · Raised in West Virginia · 2,181 men
  • 5 W. Va. Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 2,165 men
  • 11 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 2,076 men
  • 2 West Virginia Cav. · Raised in West Virginia · 2,009 men
  • 1 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 1,809 men
  • 15 W. Va. Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 1,798 men
  • 5 West Virginia Cavalry · Raised in West Virginia · 1,784 men
  • 12 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 1,712 men
  • 4 West Virginia Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 1,685 men
  • 9 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 1,643 men
  • 13 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 1,641 men
  • 14 West Virginia Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 1,522 men
  • 4 West Virginia Cav. (6 Months, 1863-4) · Raised in West Virginia · 1,496 men
  • 17 West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 1,363 men
  • 1 West Virginia Vet. Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 1,336 men
  • 2 West Virginia Vet. Inf. · Raised at Western Virginia · 1,101 menFought at: Battle of Antietam, Sharpsburg
  • Indpt. Exempts, West Virginia Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 197 men
  • Indpt. Co. B, West Virginia Infantry · Raised in West Virginia · 149 men
  • 2 W. Va. Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 41 men
  • 3 W. Va. Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 34 men
  • 8 W. Va. Inf. · Raised in West Virginia · 2 men
  • Independent Co. of Scouts for Raleigh County, West Va. · Raised in West Virginia · 1 men

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