Civil War in West(ern) Virginia and Statehood Vocabulary PDF

1. Tidewater (proper n.) The easternmost portion of Virginia which includes rivers that drain into the Chesapeake Bay. 2. Piedmont (proper n.) An elevated central section of Virginia east of the Allegheny Mountains and west of the Chesapeake watershed. 3. Allegheny Divide (proper n.) Th...

1. Tidewater (proper n.) The easternmost portion of Virginia which includes rivers that drain into the Chesapeake Bay. 2. Piedmont (proper n.) An elevated central section of Virginia east of the Allegheny Mountains and west of the Chesapeake watershed. 3. Allegheny Divide (proper n.) The separating line between Virginia's agricultural Piedmont region and its more mountainous western counties, lying roughly along the modern-day border separating West Virginia and Virginia. Most of Virginia's slaves resided east of the Divide when Virginia seceded in April 1861. 4. Old Dominion (proper n.) Another name for the State of Virginia, referring to status the colony of Virginia as the oldest part of the British Empire's overseas territories. 5. Commonwealth (n.) Another name for a state. A commonwealth is an affirmation that no monarchy is acceptable as a federal form of government to the state. Virginia, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Kentucky (formerly part of Virginia) are commonwealths. 6. Secession (n.) The formal process by which a state leaves a union. Secession was not considered legal my most northern scholars during the Antebellum period, but pro-slavery southerners had held that since the states had volunteered to join the Union they had they also had the right to later leave on their own volition as well. 7. Virginia Order of Secession (proper n.) The formal act of the Virginia legislature of April 17, 1861 declaring the State of Virginia no longer a part of the United States. Resulting directly from President Lincoln's demand for 75,000 federal troops to force seceded states to return to the Union, the Virginia Order of Secession itself led pro-Union western leaders to seek readmission to the Union, even at the cost of secession of the western counties from the state. 8. First Wheeling Convention (proper n.) May 13-15, 1861 meeting of 27 western counties born of the Clarksburg Convention to decide how best to restore the state of Virginia to the Union. Decided only to await the upcoming Virginia plebiscite of May 23. 9. Second Wheeling Convention (proper n.) Held in the aftermath of the May 23 plebiscite, which authorized the secession of Virginia from the Union, Second Wheeling was held from June 11 to August 21, 1861 and established the Restored Government of Virginia for the purpose of creating a new, United State. 39 counties attended. 10. Restored Government of Virginia (proper n.) Created on June 19, 1861, the Restored Government of Virginia claimed to represent all counties of Virginia, so as to meet the constitutional standard necessary to form a new state from the Old Dominion's westernmost counties. Waitman T. Willey and John S. Carlile were elected to Congress, while Francis H. Pierpont was elected governor. 11. Plebiscite (n.) a formal vote or referendum, usually on a matter of general concern or involving an alteration of the form of government. 12. Petition (v.) any official written request for action from a people to their government. 13. John S. Carlile (proper n.) A pro-slavery, pro-Union western Virginia legislator and later US senator from the Restored State of Virginia, Carlile was among the first and most vocal of new state proponents, but when Congress sought to dictate conditions of statehood (which limited slavery in the new state) Carlile became an equally fierce opponent to West Virginia's ratification. 14. Clarksburg Convention (proper n.) An ad hoc meeting called by John S. Carlile at Clarksburg, VA on April 22, 1861, to discuss western county response to the pending Virginia Order of Secession issued on April 17. The meeting adjourned, agreeing to reconvene at Wheeling, allowing time for more counties to send delegates to a more general meeting. 15. Francis H. Pierpont (proper n.) Former Virginia legislator and Restored Virginia governor presiding over the 2^nd^ Wheeling Convention and the statehood petition movement. 16. Waitman T. Willey (proper n.) Former Virginia legislator and Restored Virginia senator, who worked diligently to see WV's statehood petition through Congress. He authored the compromise over slavery that bears his name and permitted the state to gain federal approval. 17. Willey Amendment (proper n.) Alteration to West Virginia's statehood petition named for Waitman T. Willey. The Willey Amendment provided that free blacks could emigrate to the new state, and slaves already living within the state under the age of 21 would be free based upon their current age. Slaves under the age of 10 would be emancipated upon their 21^st^ birthday, while those between 10 and 21 would be freed at age 25. 18. James Hanger (proper n.) A Virginia private wounded at the Battle of Philippi, and the first amputee of the war. Founder of one of the world's largest and first prosthetics companies. 19. Robert S. Garnett (proper n.) Confederate general who was the first general officer of either side to be killed in action. 20. George B. McClellan (proper n.) Commander of the Army of the Potomac, and overrated Union general fired twice by Lincoln, once following Seven Days, and again after Antietam. 21. George A. Porterfield (proper n.) Confederate colonel defeated at Philippi. 22. Robert E. Lee (proper n.) Confederate commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, and the Confederacy's most celebrated general. 23. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (proper n.) Robert E. Lee's most competent general, known for his stubborn defense and fast, long marches. 24. Battle of Philippi (or Philippi Races) (proper n.) First land battle of the Civil War. 25. Battle of Rich Mountain (proper n.) McClellan's second western Virginia victory, which secured the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and provided cover for the Wheeling Conventions. 26. Battle of Cheat Mountain (proper n.) Robert E. Lee's disastrous attempt to regain western Virginia, which resulted in his recall to Richmond. 27. Battle of Corrick's Ford (proper n.) Follow-on action to the Battle of Rich Mountain, which was the site of the death of Confederate General Robert S. Garnett. 28. Battle of Kessler's Cross Lanes (proper n.) Called the Battle of Knives and Forks, Union Colonel Tyler is surprised at breakfast by Confederate cavalry. 29. Battle of Scary Creek (proper n.) Battle near St. Albans, VA in which Confederate General Henry A. Wise delayed Union General Jacob Cox and Colonel John W. Lowe. Wise retreated the following day, a move that was highly criticized. 30. Battle of Harpers Ferry (proper n.) Opening gambit of Lee's Maryland Campaign, which saw the largest surrender of American troops in a single battle. 31. Battle of Antietam (proper n.) Deadliest single-day battle in American history, September 17, 1862. Culmination of Lee's invasion of the North, it resulted in a draw with over 23,000 casualties. 32. Artillery (n.) The branch of an army responsible for supporting the infantry with cannons and other large ordinance. 33. Infantry (n.) The branch of an army primarily comprised of foot soldiers and with whom most fighting occurs. 34. Cavalry (n.) The branch of an army that uses horses (today trucks or tanks) to move swiftly around the battlefield to scout enemy positions, break infantry lines, or capture artillery positions. 35. Union (proper n.) Collection of states that remained loyal to the US during the Civil War, aka "Yankees," or "Yanks." 36. Confederacy (proper n.) Collection of eleven states that seceded from the Union prior to the US Civil War and fought against Union forces throughout, aka "Rebels."