May 30, 1861
To the Union Men of Western Virginia.
Headquarters, Department of the Ohio, May 26, 1861.
To the Union Men of Western Virginia:
Virginians! The General Government has long enough endured the machinations of a few factious rebels in your midst. Armed traitors have in vain endeavored to deter you from expressing your loyalty at the polls. Having failed in this infamous attempt to deprive you of the exercise of your dearest rights, they now seek to inaugurate a reign of terror, and thus force you to yield to their schemes and submit to the yoke of the traitorous conspiracy dignified by the name of the Southern Confederacy. They are destroying the property of citizens of your State and ruining your magnificent railways. The General Government has heretofore carefully abstained from sending troops across the Ohio, or even from posting them along its banks, although frequently urged to do so by many of your prominent citizens. It determined to await the result of the late election, desirous that no one might be able to say that the slightest effort had been made from this side to influence the free expression of your opinions, although the many agencies brought to bear upon you by the rebels were well known. You have now shown under the most adverse circumstances that the great mass of the people of Western Virginia are true and loyal to that benificent [sic] government under which we and our fathers have lived so long. As soon as the result of the election was known the traitors commenced their work of destruction. The General Government cannot close its ears to the demand you have made for assistance. I have ordered troops to cross the Ohio river. They come as your friends and brothers, as enemies only to the armed rebels who are preying upon you. Your homes, your families, and your property are safe under our protection. All your rights shall be religiously respected, notwithstanding all that has been said by the traitors to induce you to believe that our advent among you will be signalized by interference with your slaves. Understand one thing clearly. Not only will we abstain from all such interference, but we will on the contrary with an iron hand crush any attempt at insurrection on their part, now that we are in your midst. I call upon you to fly to arms and support the general government, sever the connection that binds you to traitors, proclaim to the world that the faith and loyalty so long boasted by the Old Dominion are still preserved in Western Virginia, and that you remain true to the stars and stripes.
Geo. B. McClellan,
Maj. General, U. S. A., commanding department of the Ohio.
Head Quarters of the Department of the Ohio.
May 26th 1861.
Soldiers you are ordered to cross the frontier and enter the soil of Virginia. Your mission is to restore peace and confidence:to protect the majesty of the law and rescue our brethern [sic] from the grasp of armed traitors. You are to act in concert with Virginia troops and to support their advance. I place under the safeguard of your honor the persons and property of the Virginians. I know that you will respect their feelings and all their rights and preserve the strictest discipline. Remember that each one of you hold in his keeping the honor of Ohio and of the Union! If you are called upon to overcome armed opposition I know that your courage is equal to the task, but remember that your only foes are armed traitors, and show mercy even to them when they are in your power, for many of them are misguided. When under your protection the loyal men of Western Virginia will be enabled to organize and arm, they can protect themselves and you can return to your homes with the satisfaction of having preserved a proud and gallant people from dishonor.
Geo. B. McClellan,
Major General U. S. A., Commanding the Dep't of the Ohio.
[The above proclamations have been in type in our office for two days, and have been withheld from the public at the request of those having charge of the matter.]
Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: May 1861