Philippi WV was one of my favorite reenactments I was in, back in the day. Fighting on the covered bridge, late night fighting and the whole town's welcoming us was something that I'll never forget.
There was a town we had a reenactment in not only was the town involved but they let us dig trenches in their park because it was Petersburg but the town also decorated and had a dance on their main street. Was a good time!
My wife and I were married on the hill above the bridge in Philippi back in 1974 and we lived around Philippi for about 3 years. This video brings back some good memories.
Thanks for posting this. When the gasoline fire mostly destroyed the bridge (except for thankfully the original arches) in 1989, musket slugs were said to be found in the wood. The bridge itself is somewhat of a hybrid of old and new, in that the roadway itself rests on steel girders and those concrete piers. The wood arches and covering is no longer load bearing and hasn't been in probably 60 years. There are still a few of these Lemuel Chenoweth designed and built bridges around West Virginia, including a nice example at Barrackville. That bridge was not burned during the Jones-Imboden Raid due to the cooperation by locals who were Southern sympathizers. During the November 1985 flood water was about halfway up on the sides of the Phillipi Bridge! Finally, the college is pronounced ALL-dur-son BRAW-dus. Their nickname is the A-B Battlers.
My Great Grandfather was a corporal in the 6th West Virginia Infantry. Their job was to guard the B&O railroad, mostly the bridges and tunnels. He saw a lot of action. He was not at Philippi, but I have crossed that bridge a few times.
Just spent the last couple days in Philippi for the Blue and Grey days. The re-enactment was something I will always remember. The participants enthusiastically helped us relive history and Philippi is a friendly little town. The night time skirmish was the best. Seeing musket and cannon fire in the dark is fantastic.
Had no idea this was the first set-to. Fascinating history, well told and exciting and scary at the same time. Kudos to the gentleman cavalry man who overcame his grievous wounds to do so well for others with his developments of prosthetics.
Be awesome if you could cover the Battle of Rowlesburg, Wv. Other wise known as Cannon Hill. It was a small engagement. The legend goes a man with the last name Poling and a pair of oxen drug a single cannon up "Cannon Hill" and the support from the cannon helped turn the Confederates away. A large part of the townsfolk fought on the side of the Union as well. The article I could find said it was the only union victory in the region at that time.
VA politics in 1861 were very unique. The majority of the free population eligible to vote lived in the western counties of VA and were not slave holders. The slave holding voters in VA were a minority but had most of the political power in VA. The April 4 vote to secede failed due to the majority of delegates being from the western counties. The April 17 vote to secede passed only after many western county delegates were kicked out. Keep in mind that at the time of the battle, VA had not "officially" seceded (the results of the April 17 convention, as they impacted the constitution of the Commonwealth, had to be put to a referendum to take place in October). Of course the referendum was botched as the VA government in Richmond did not have control of the western counties that now make up WV and any votes against secession from this area were ignored. The WV campaign of 1861 is more of a VA civil war with roots in failed VA politics going back many years rather than a state v. state civil war and really should be presented this way.
Kind of a mirror of today the liberals in eastern northern Va and Richmond ignore the rest of the state. Too bad more of western Va can’t secede to either WVa NC or TN today.
I grew up in and have a Mountain Home in this area, it's easily where the South ends and the North begins. Drive 30 minutes South you see Flags, back the other way North an hour you don't see or hear anything Southern. South Harrison County and Lewis County.
I've been told that the first casualty of the Civil War was a young soldier from Preston County,WV who was killed east of Grafton by Confederate troops.
The wheeling capital building has a great tour of the building where west Virginia became a state. There women that wear period clothes there that 6:06 will take anyone that walks inl on a tour of the building. Lots of civil war stuff in there
So much bad history in this video. The 1st WV Infantry was mostly from Ohio and Penn., led by Benj. Kelley from Massachusetts. He hadn't lived in Wheeling for about 15 years and was living in Philadelphia. Most of WV's delegates at the Richmond convention may have voted against the secession ordinance, but most of them went back to Richmond and signed it when the war started. Grafton was heavily populated by Irish railroad workers, they were not native Virginians who resisted Virginia's secession. At least half of Porterfield's men were from WV, many from Pocahontas county as well as Barbour, Braxton, Webster and Taylor.
I grew up in Southern Harrison County, It'd be interesting to see the Rosters as to who served where, Cool how the Counties you mentioned line up pretty much where that line seems to really be b/t North and South. I've seen and read about Confederate Irregulars from Barbour, Upshur , Webster and surrounding counties. Couple signs on Route 20 in spots.
I was always under the impression the Rebels were caught by surprise because the Federals faked them out by boarding trains in Grafton bound for Harper's Ferry. At some point the train stopped. The Federals launched their two pronged attack marching on foot to Philippi in the rain & dark catching the Rebels with their guard down.
it's commonly known to attack in foul-assed, sucking it weather, innately a man just seems to shut down a bit and isn't as vigilant. Remember there were Mexican War Veterans with experience involved.
The statement " brother aginst brother " as evident than in Virginia/West Virginia. The idea is the succession of West Virginia goes all the way up to Abraham Lincon . Lincon knew it was pivotal for the control of the railroad. Men were heavily recruited by both sides in West Virginia . Even though the succession took place many felt it was a treasonous act aginst the state of Virginia . The push for the succession was more of an national effort and would not have been politically possible otherwise.
Philippi WV was one of my favorite reenactments I was in, back in the day. Fighting on the covered bridge, late night fighting and the whole town's welcoming us was something that I'll never forget.
There was a town we had a reenactment in not only was the town involved but they let us dig trenches in their park because it was Petersburg but the town also decorated and had a dance on their main street. Was a good time!
Really enjoying this virtual trip to all of these sites that most of us haven't had the chance to visit!
My wife and I were married on the hill above the bridge in Philippi back in 1974 and we lived around Philippi for about 3 years. This video brings back some good memories.
Visited this site several times! One of over 615 Civil War Battlefields or sites Ive photographed....very cool!
The bridge is beautiful!
Love what you guys do, thanks for all the content!!!!!!!
Thanks for posting this. When the gasoline fire mostly destroyed the bridge (except for thankfully the original arches) in 1989, musket slugs were said to be found in the wood. The bridge itself is somewhat of a hybrid of old and new, in that the roadway itself rests on steel girders and those concrete piers. The wood arches and covering is no longer load bearing and hasn't been in probably 60 years. There are still a few of these Lemuel Chenoweth designed and built bridges around West Virginia, including a nice example at Barrackville. That bridge was not burned during the Jones-Imboden Raid due to the cooperation by locals who were Southern sympathizers. During the November 1985 flood water was about halfway up on the sides of the Phillipi Bridge! Finally, the college is pronounced ALL-dur-son BRAW-dus. Their nickname is the A-B Battlers.
This is great and so informative!
My Great Grandfather was a corporal in the 6th West Virginia Infantry. Their job was to guard the B&O railroad, mostly the bridges and tunnels. He saw a lot of action. He was not at Philippi, but I have crossed that bridge a few times.
Just spent the last couple days in Philippi for the Blue and Grey days. The re-enactment was something I will always remember. The participants enthusiastically helped us relive history and Philippi is a friendly little town. The night time skirmish was the best. Seeing musket and cannon fire in the dark is fantastic.
Really appreciate this content... love learning about more obscure engagements!
Another great one. I learned about an engagement with which I was unfamiliar. Keep 'em comin' yuns!
Me and my dad just visited there about two months ago. Awesome place.
Had no idea this was the first set-to. Fascinating history, well told and exciting and scary at the same time. Kudos to the gentleman cavalry man who overcame his grievous wounds to do so well for others with his developments of prosthetics.
Thank you for the video. We visited the bridge yesterday.
Be awesome if you could cover the Battle of Rowlesburg, Wv. Other wise known as Cannon Hill.
It was a small engagement. The legend goes a man with the last name Poling and a pair of oxen drug a single cannon up "Cannon Hill" and the support from the cannon helped turn the Confederates away. A large part of the townsfolk fought on the side of the Union as well. The article I could find said it was the only union victory in the region at that time.
VA politics in 1861 were very unique. The majority of the free population eligible to vote lived in the western counties of VA and were not slave holders. The slave holding voters in VA were a minority but had most of the political power in VA. The April 4 vote to secede failed due to the majority of delegates being from the western counties. The April 17 vote to secede passed only after many western county delegates were kicked out. Keep in mind that at the time of the battle, VA had not "officially" seceded (the results of the April 17 convention, as they impacted the constitution of the Commonwealth, had to be put to a referendum to take place in October). Of course the referendum was botched as the VA government in Richmond did not have control of the western counties that now make up WV and any votes against secession from this area were ignored. The WV campaign of 1861 is more of a VA civil war with roots in failed VA politics going back many years rather than a state v. state civil war and really should be presented this way.
Kind of a mirror of today the liberals in eastern northern Va and Richmond ignore the rest of the state. Too bad more of western Va can’t secede to either WVa NC or TN today.
I grew up in and have a Mountain Home in this area, it's easily where the South ends and the North begins. Drive 30 minutes South you see Flags, back the other way North an hour you don't see or hear anything Southern. South Harrison County and Lewis County.
Man I wish you guys did this earlier, it would have been a great source
Amazing content!!!!
Great job. Very informative
I've been told that the first casualty of the Civil War was a young soldier from Preston County,WV who was killed east of Grafton by Confederate troops.
My wife's ancestors didn't build the original covered bridge, but brought down logs for its construction.
My family is from Philippi
The wheeling capital building has a great tour of the building where west Virginia became a state. There women that wear period clothes there that 6:06 will take anyone that walks inl on a tour of the building. Lots of civil war stuff in there
He's right about the rain.
My dad help rebuild the phillipi bridge my mom has a original piece of wood that was burnt which was the original wood for the bridge
So much bad history in this video. The 1st WV Infantry was mostly from Ohio and Penn., led by Benj. Kelley from Massachusetts. He hadn't lived in Wheeling for about 15 years and was living in Philadelphia. Most of WV's delegates at the Richmond convention may have voted against the secession ordinance, but most of them went back to Richmond and signed it when the war started. Grafton was heavily populated by Irish railroad workers, they were not native Virginians who resisted Virginia's secession. At least half of Porterfield's men were from WV, many from Pocahontas county as well as Barbour, Braxton, Webster and Taylor.
I grew up in Southern Harrison County, It'd be interesting to see the Rosters as to who served where, Cool how the Counties you mentioned line up pretty much where that line seems to really be b/t North and South. I've seen and read about Confederate Irregulars from Barbour, Upshur , Webster and surrounding counties. Couple signs on Route 20 in spots.
I was always under the impression the Rebels were caught by surprise because the Federals faked them out by boarding trains in Grafton bound for Harper's Ferry. At some point the train stopped. The Federals launched their two pronged attack marching on foot to Philippi in the rain & dark catching the Rebels with their guard down.
it's commonly known to attack in foul-assed, sucking it weather, innately a man just seems to shut down a bit and isn't as vigilant. Remember there were Mexican War Veterans with experience involved.
I have a leg built by the Hanger Clinic.
What, it's covered! They didn't show that in Ultimate General Civil War!
It's been rebuilt several times.
Western Virginia (modern WV) didn't have 55 counties in 1861
to be exact it had 50, so really man, relax.
The statement " brother aginst brother " as evident than in Virginia/West Virginia. The idea is the succession of West Virginia goes all the way up to Abraham Lincon . Lincon knew it was pivotal for the control of the railroad. Men were heavily recruited by both sides in West Virginia . Even though the succession took place many felt it was a treasonous act aginst the state of Virginia . The push for the succession was more of an national effort and would not have been politically possible otherwise.
How many African Americans were enslaved in Virginia in 1861?
550,000
too much Jabber. Not enough history.
You don't have a clue.
@@dougmarkham6791 I recognize your last name!