Confederate government of West Virginia

On June 20, 1863, the U.S. government created a new state from 50 western counties of Virginia to be named "West Virginia". This was done on behalf of a Unionist government in Wheeling, Virginia, approved by Congress and President Lincoln, though it was done with a low participation of the citizens within the new state.^[1] There remained a large number of counties and citizens who still considered themselves as part of Virginia and the Confederacy which, in turn, considered the new state as part of Virginia and the Confederacy. In 1861 the 50 counties contained a population of 355,544 whites, 2,782 freemen, 18,371 slaves, 79,515 voters and 67,721 men of military age (16–40 years old).^[2] West Virginia was the 6th most contested state during the war, with 632 battles, engagements, actions and skirmishes.^[3]

Although considered a loyal Union state by the Federal government, half of its soldiers were enlisted in the Confederate army; it was the only border state which did not give most of its soldiers to the Union.^[4] While the Union army held much of the territory of the new state, large sections remained in the hands of guerrillas and bushwhackers. The Union army remained in West Virginia until 1869, and dealt with civil unrest through 1868.^[5]