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Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
March 1862


March 1
Legislators in Richmond proposed bills that would recover stolen funds from a bank in Weston and by proposing a road between Pocahontas and Braxton counties.

"Hessians and Virginia traitors" (Union troops under Capt. Latham) raided in Pendleton County, destroying property and taking horses.

The 12th Massachusetts Volunteers marched into Charles Town and sang "John Brown's Body."

March 2
Union General Frederick W. Lander died at Paw Paw in Morgan County.

March 3
Troops under Union General Nathaniel Banks occupied Martinsburg.

The regular March term of the Mason County Court was held in Point Pleasant.

Virginia legislators proposed a bill to shift Kanawha River travel maintenance funds to aid military efforts near the James River canal.

March 4
Citizens at a Union meeting in Bethany passed a series of resolutions, including support for gradual elimination of slavery.

The 31st Virginia and part of the 44th left Camp Allegheny for Franklin, Pendleton County, but the Union troops had left.

March 5
Union troops under General Alpheus Williams clashed with Confederates at Bunker Hill.

Union troops sent on an expedition to Pendleton County returned with about 20 prisoners.

March 6
A squad of Union cavalry captured five Confederate pickets near Bunker Hill.

The Jefferson County community of Smithfield was occupied by Union troops.

Legislators in Richmond proposed a bill confiscating the lands of citizens loyal to the United States.

March 7
A Randolph County man was put in jail in Wheeling under indictment for treason.

March 8
A member of Baylor's Cavalry, a carriage and a number of valuable horses were captured near Charles Town.

Dr. Jonathan Morris, surgeon for the 9th (West) Virginia Infantry, who was captured at Guyandotte and imprisoned in Richmond, arrived in Gallipolis on his return to Ironton, Ohio.

March 9

March 10
Confederate Lt. Col. White, captured at Leesburg, was brought to Harpers Ferry and put in the engine fire house where other prisoners were kept; and 30 more contraband arrived.

Gov. Letcher of Virginia issued a proclamation calling the militia of various counties to rendezvous at appointed locations forthwith.

March 11

March 12
Western Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church convened at Parkersburg.

March 13
Western Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church continued at Parkersburg.

A sham engagement among troops of the Connecticut Cavalry on Wheeling Island resulted in several injuries.

March 14
The Border Rangers of the 8th Virginia Cavalry engaged in a skirmish near Beckley in Raleigh County with Union scouts.

Western Virginia Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church concluded at Parkersburg.

March 15
An election was held in Point Pleasant for the town's corporation officers.

Peter G. Van Winkle and William E. Stevenson spoke in support of the new constitution for West Virginia at a meeting in Parkersburg.

March 16

March 17
Citizens of Upshur County met to consider their action in regard to the adoption of the Constitution, recently adopted by the convention at Wheeling, for the new State of West Virginia.

March 18
For the first time, the Virginia House of Delegates conducted itself without requiring representatives for the northwestern counties.

March 19
John J. Coleman of Monroe County resigned from his position in the Virginia House of Delegates in Richmond.

Three Wheeling men who had joined the Shriver Grays were arrested and indicted for treason.

March 20
General John Fremont assumed command of the Mountain District in western Virginia.

March 21
A man named Swindler escaped from the Atheneum in Wheeling.

March 22
At a meeting in Braxton County, Union citizens passed resolutions approving the governor's policy regarding the war.

Gen. John C. Fremont was given the duty, as part of his command of the Mountain Department, of protecting the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.

March 23
The Union Church of the 11th (West) Virginia Infantry held a communion service at the Masonic Hall in Point Pleasant.

Yankees took possession of Moorefield.

March 24
Citizens of Putnam County were outraged by the return to the area of a prominent secessionist.

March 25

March 26
Robert Turner, a member of the Virginia Legislature from Gilmer county for many years, was taken to the Atheneum in Wheeling as a prisoner.

March 27
The United States took possession of the Winchester and Potomac Railroad and required the B&O Railroad to repair it.

March 28

March 29
General John Fremont assigned General Benjamin Kelley to command of an army in western Virginia.

A large body of citizens gathered at the Wood County Courthouse in Parkersburg.

Jefferson Davis extended martial law to Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Monroe, Mercer, Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas, and Randolph counties.

George Deering escaped from the Atheneum in Wheeling.

March 30
Two rebel prisoners, George Dusky and Josiah Parsons, escaped from the hospital in Wheeling.

March 31
Col. Milton J. Ferguson, 167th Regiment Virginia Militia, was informed that President Jefferson Davis would not consent to his return to captivity in Wheeling.

Undated Events, March 1862


Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood

West Virginia Archives and History