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Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
December 1863


December 1
Union citizens of Morgan County met at Zion Church.

A temperance meeting was held at the Fourth Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Wheeling.

December 2
Senator Peter G. Van Winkle and Congressman Jacob B. Blair were in Wheeling.

Gen. Kelley ordered that issues of subsistence stores be made to suffering people in the Kanawha Valley.

December 3
State Senate

December 4
State Senate

December 5
An adjourned meeting of Ohio County citizens was held at the Court House in Wheeling.

December 6
General Benjamin Kelley reviewed the First Separate Brigade of cavalry at New Creek.

December 7
The Tucker County Court, meeting at St. George, was broken up by a rumor that Confederate forces were approaching.

December 8
General William W. Averell led a Union force from New Creek, while Colonel Elijah Scammon advanced from the Kanawha Valley.

December 9
A Union party destroyed the Columbian Iron-Works.

December 10
Morgan County Circuit Court was held in Bath (Berkeley Springs).

A number of officers and men of the 12th West Virginia who were assigned to recruiting duty in the state arrived in Wheeling on the evening train.

A soldiers' relief meeting was held at the Ohio County Courthouse in Wheeling.

Union cavalry returned to Charleston from a scout into Wayne, Logan, and Boone counties.

December 11
Skirmishes were fought at Big Sewell, Marlin's Bottom and Meadow Bluff.

December 12
Skirmishes were fought at Lewisburg, Greenbrier River and Gatewood's.

December 13
A skirmish was fought at Hurricane Bridge, Putnam County.

December 14
Skirmishes were fought at Meadow Bluff and along Blue Sulphur Road.

December 15

December 16
A deserter from the 3rd West Virginia Infantry who had escaped from the Atheneum was brought to Wheeling.

December 17
A case relating to a slave sale was heard in Ohio County Circuit Court in Wheeling.

Thirty-three prisoners confined at the Atheneum were sent to Camp Chase prison in Columbus, Ohio.

December 18

December 19
Union men of Hancock County met to nominate township officers.

Union officers at Bulltown met and passed resolutions in memory of Joseph Pierpont, nephew of Governor Francis H. Pierpont.

A meeting of the Union citizens of Grant Township in Harrison County was held.

December 20
Union pickets along the road between Raleigh Courthouse and Fayetteville were attacked by Confederates.

December 21
Union citizens of Webster Township, Richietown, met at La Belle Hall in Wheeling.

A Union soldier guilty of desertion was branded at the Atheneum.

Union deserters imprisoned at the Atheneum were formed into a chain gang to transport government stores.

Major General Edward Ord stopped at the McLure House in Wheeling.

December 22
The Upshur County Board of Supervisors met at the courthouse in Buckhannon to certify election results for county and township officers.

December 23
A meeting of the citizens of Centre Township was held at the 5th Ward schoolhouse.

December 24

December 25

December 26
Thirty Confederate prisoners confined at the Atheneum were sent to Camp Chase.

The voters of Washington Township in Marshall County met to nominate candidates for township offices.

December 27
General William Averell's command departed from Beverly.

December 28
Nominations for township officials were made at a Ritchie Township meeting held at the schoolhouse.

A special meeting of the Fourth Ward Union Club in Wheeling was held to select candidates for election.

General William Averell's command arrived in Webster, Taylor County.

December 29
A mass meeting of the citizens of Hancock County was held at the courthouse.

December 30
Confederates soldiers surrounded the home of Senator James Carskadon in Hampshire County, but he escaped.

Citizens of Clay Township in Ohio County convened at the courthouse.

December 31
Seventy-six Confederate prisoners, captured during Averell's raid, were sent to Camp Chase.

Undated Events, December 1863


Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood

West Virginia Archives and History