November 6: Abraham Lincoln elected as the 16 President, gaining only 39.8% of the popular vote.
November 24: A meeting was held in Harrison County to oppose the Ordinance of Secession passed 4 days earlier by South Carolina.
December 20: A South Carolina Convention voted 169-0 to dissolve the state’s ties with the United States.
1 January 1861: An anti-secession meeting held at the Wood County courthouse.
Speeches were made by General J. J. Jackson, J. M. Stephenson, A. I. Boreman and J. J. Jackson, Jr. General Jackson was chairman of the committee submitting a preamble and resolutions that were adopted with but one dissenting vote. Committeemen came out against secession…The Parkersburg Resolutions, as they were called, set forth that the proposed call for a Virginia legislative convention to consider the state’s stand upon the revolutionary movement of South Carolina was but a Southern ruse.”
January 7: Virginia’s Governor John Letcher called a special session of the Virginia General Assembly to consider secession.
January 14: The General Assembly called a state convention to be held in February for Virginians to vote on the issue of secession.
February 13: Virginia Secession Convention convenes.
March 4: Abraham Lincoln is sworn in as the 16th President of the United States. The spectators include armed troops and sharpshooters.
April 12: Confederate troops fired on Union-held Fort Sumter in the harbor of Charleston, South Carolina, beginning the Civil War.
April 14: President Lincoln issues a call for 75,000 troops.
April 17: The Virginia State Convention voted to secede and approved a secession referendum for May 23. Western delegates fled home, as they believed their lives were in danger.
April 18: US Armory at Harpers Ferry is abandoned and burned by the garrison.
April 21: Anti-secession meeting in held in Monongalia County to show support for the Union.
April 22: Clarksburg meeting. 1000 to 1200 people assembled at the Court House. A vote was held to send delegates to the Wheeling Convention.
April 27: Colonel Thomas J. Jackson is assigned to command Virginia troops at Harpers Ferry.
May 6: Fairmont Union Rally
May 10: The first company of Virginia (Federal) Infantry mustered into federal service in Wheeling.
May 11: A pro Union demonstration is held in Wheeling.
May 13: Major General George B. McClellan assumes command of the Department of Ohio, which now includes a portion of western Virginia.
May 13-15: The First Wheeling Convention.
Four-hundred thirty-six elected delegates from 17 Virginia counties met in Wheeling at Washington Hall. Several delegates had attended the General Assembly at Richmond.
John S. Carlile of Harrison County insisted that the convention had the authority to take action on separation. Delegates formed a Committee on Credentials and a Committee on State and Federal Relations.
Calling for the state of “New Virginia,” Carlile argued that Virginia must consent to the separation before it seceded from the Union. He felt that this was the only way to comply with Section Three of Article Four of the U.S. Constitution, which outlines the procedure by which one state is created from another.
The Committee on State and Federal Relations recommended that a new state not be formed at this time and advised waiting for the results of the May 23 referendum.
May 14: Colonel Jackson directs the seizure of a train at Harpers Ferry.
May 14: Colonel George Porterfield arrived in Grafton. He is sent to recruit and take charge of Confederate troops. After he does not find any Confederates in this pro-Union town he goes to Fetterman and finds Captain W. P. Thompson with his Company of Marion Guards.
May 17: Daniel Shriver recruits a company of Confederates in Wheeling that are known as the Shriver Grays. They move to Harpers Ferry to join the Confederate Army. They become Company G 27th Virginia Infantry.
May 22: Daniel Knight Company A 25th Virginia Infantry kills Thornsberry Baily Brown Company B 2nd (West) Virginia (Federal) Infantry at Fetterman.
May 23: The 1st Virginia (Federal) Volunteer Infantry Regiment is complete and Colonel Benjamin F. Kelley is commissioned the commander.
May 23: Virginia voted to leave the Union 125,950 for and 20,373 against to Ordinance of Secession. An overwhelming majority of Virginians voted for secession, but the majority of those in the northwestern counties voted against it.
May 25: Railroad trestles between Mannington and Farmington burned by Confederates under the command of Lieutenant Colonel William J. Willey half brother of Waitman T. Willey
May 26 General George B. McClellan orders Colonel Kelley to move on Grafton to protect the B&O Railroad
May 27 Colonel Kelley and his 1st Virginia (Federal) Infantry along with troops that would become the 2nd West Virginia Infantry departed Wheeling at sun raise.
May 27 Colonel Steedman and the 14th Ohio Infantry arrive in Parkersburg.
May 30 Colonel Kelley moves Union troops into Grafton
June 3: Battle of Philippi – a two pronged attack involving the following Union troops:
6 Companies 1st Virginia (US) Infantry - Colonel
Benjamin F. Kelley
9 Companies, 9th Indiana Infantry - Colonel Milroy
6 Companies, 16th Ohio Infantry - Colonel Irvine
8 Companies, 7th Indiana Infantry - Colonel Dumont
5 Companies Infantry, 14th Ohio Infantry - Colonel Steedman
6 Companies Infantry, 6th Indiana Infantry - Colonel Crittenden
2 Field Artillery Pieces
At dawn they attacked about 750 Confederate troops under Colonel Porterfield.
June 6: Brigadier General Henry Wise CSA, ex-governor of Virginia is ordered to command Confederate troops in the Kanawha Valley.
June 8: Brigadier General Robert S. Garnett is assigned to command Confederate troops in Northwestern Virginia after the fiasco at Philippi.
June 11: The Second Wheeling Convention is held. One hundred and five delegates from thirty-eight counties attended.
June 11: Colonel Lew Wallace and the 11th Indiana occupy Romney.
June 12: Delegates selected Arthur I. Boreman as convention president.
June 13: The convention moved to the U.S. Custom House. For the Committee on Business, Carlile presented “A Declaration of the Rights of the People of Virginia,” declaring the Richmond government illegal.
June 14: Confederate troops evacuate Harpers Ferry.
June 19: Delegates created the Restored Government of Virginia and adopted the “Declaration of Rights of the People of Virginia.”
June 19: Skirmish at New Creek
June 20: Convention delegates signed the “Declaration of Rights of the People of Virginia” and elected Francis H. Pierpont Governor of the Restored Government of Virginia.
June 20: Skirmish at Righter
June 30: Erastus B. Tyler with his 7
th Ohio Infantry marched from Clarksburg to Weston. At Weston they seized $27,000 that was in the Exchange Bank. The funds were Virginia state funds to pay the workers building the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. This money was sent to Wheeling to support the Restored Government of Virginia.
July 1: The General Assembly of the Restored Government of Virginia convened at the U.S. Custom House.
July 2: Engagement at Falling Waters (Hoke’s Run).
July 3: Martinsburg is occupied by Brigadier General Robert Patterson with Federal troops.
July 4: Skirmish at Harpers Ferry
July 6-7: Skirmish at Middle Fork Bridge
July 7-12: Battle of Laurel Hill (Belington)
July 7: Skirmish at Glenville
July 10: Skirmish on Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike in front of Rich Mountain.
July 11: Battle of Rich Mountain.
Brigadier General William Rosecrans moved a brigade across rugged mountain terrain and attacked 310 Confederates at the top of Rich Mountain. During this time General George B. McClellan, the overall commanders, with about 3,000 men sat paralyzed in front of Camp Garnett. Likewise on the Confederate side Lieutenant Colonel John Pegram, with about 1000 men, stayed at Camp Garnett not taking action until it was too late.
July 12: Lieutenant Colonel John Pegram with forces from Rich Mountain surrender.
July 12: Beverly is occupied by Union forces.
July 12: Confederate forces retreat for Laurel Hill.
July 12: Brigadier General Jacob Cox moves Union forces into the Kanawha Valley to confront Confederate forces under BG Wise.
July 13: Action at Corrick’s Ford. Brigadier General Robert S. Garnett killed. He is the first General Officer to fall in the Civil War.
July 14: Brigadier General Henry Roots Jackson ordered to command Confederate forces in Western Virginia after the death of General Garnett.
July 14: Battle of Barboursville
July 15: Skirmish at Bunker Hill
July 15: Confederate forces evacuate Harpers Ferry.
July 17: Battle of Scary Creek.
July 22: While at his Headquarters, in Beverly, General McClellan is ordered to Washington to assume command of the Federal Army after the fiasco at Manassas.
July 22: Brigadier General William S. Rosecrans assumes command of the Department of Ohio.
July 24: General Wise retreats up the Kanawha Valley to Gauley Bridge.
August 11: Brigadier General John B. Floyd, an ex-governor of Virginia assumes command of the Confederate forces in the Kanawha Valley.
August 20: Skirmish at Hawk’s Nest
August 20-2 1: The Committee of the Division of the State proposed a 39-county state known as “Kanawha.” The convention adjourned August 21.
August 23: Skirmish at Springfield
August 26: Skirmish at Blue’s House
August 26: Engagement at Cross Lanes.
September 1: Skirmish at Blue Creek
September 1: Skirmish at Boone Court House
September 1: Skirmish at Burlington
September 2: Skirmish at Hawk’s Nest
September 2: Skirmish at Worthington
September 9: Skirmish at Shepherdstown
September 10: Battle at Carnifex Ferry
September 11 Actions at Cheat Mountain Pass, Cheat Mountain Summit, and Elk Water.
September 12 Skirmish at Petersburg
September 16: Action at Princeton
September 19: Department of Western Virginia established.
September 23: Confederates occupy Romney.
September 25: General Wise relieved of command in western Virginia.
September 25: Action at Chapmansville.
October 3: Battle at Greenbrier River (Bartow).
October 11: General Rosecrans assumes command of the Department of Western Virginia.
October 11: Skirmish at Harpers Ferry
October 13: Skirmish at Cotton Hill
October 16: Skirmish at Bolivar Heights
October 19 to November 16: Operations in the Kanawha Valley
October 24: Thirty-eight percent of voters in affected counties ratified an ordinance for the formation of the new state and selected delegates for the constitutional convention.
October 26: Battle of Romney. General Kelley drives out Confederate troops and captures a large amount of supplies and ordnance.
November 10: Engagement at Guyandotte.
November 13: Skirmish at Romney
November 14: Skirmish at McCoy’s Mill
November 19: Skirmish at Wirt Court House
November 26: At the U.S. Custom House, in Wheeling, the first constitutional convention assembled with 61 delegates present.
December 3: The name “Kanawha” was withdrawn from consideration and “ West Virginia” was chosen as the name for the new state.
December 12: Skirmish at Greenbrier River
December 13: Battle of Camp Alleghany. Confederate forces under Colonel Ed Johnson defeat Union forces under Brigadier General Robert Milroy. After that battle the nickname Alleghany Johnson sticks.