Fetterman, West Virginia
Encyclopedia
Fetterman is a community or populated place located in Taylor County, West Virginia
. The elevation is 1024 feet (312.1 m). Fetterman appears on the Grafton U.S. Geological Survey Map. Taylor County is in the Eastern time zone
(GMT -5) and in postal zip code 26354. Fetterman was one of the early settlements in what became Taylor County, Virginia, (later West Virginia). It was located at the crossing of the Tygart Valley River
by the Northwestern Turnpike
.
, before Virginia
had completed the process of secession from the Union
, Virginia formed a state army and navy under the command of Virginia Major General Robert E. Lee
. Lee sent Colonel George A. Porterfield
to Grafton, Virginia
to organize and recruit new members for the secessionist forces for the state, with a view toward joining the Confederacy, to hold northwestern Virginia for Virginia and ultimately the Confederacy, and to hold and protect the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
, but to destroy bridges to impede Union forces if it could not be held. Porterfield found that sympathies at Grafton were largely with the Union and the Grafton Guards under Captain George R. Latham
were organized at Grafton. Porterfield moved to nearby Fetterman and began to gather a company from the area, the Letcher Guard or Letcher's Guard, and companies that supported the Confederacy from other locations in the region. Porterfield's men briefly held Grafton when the Grafton Guards went to Wheeling, Virginia
to be mustered into the Union Army
on May 25, 1861. A few days later, Porterfield learned that larger Union forces were moving toward Grafton and he withdrew to Philippi
in Barbour County
, about 30 miles (48.3 km) to the south of Grafton. At about dawn on June 3, 1861, the larger Union force surprised the Confederates under Porterfield's command who were mostly still asleep in their tents and routed them, although with only a few men wounded on both sides and about five prisoners taken by the Union force, in the Battle of Philippi
, soon called the Philippi Races due to the hasty retreat of the Confederate force.
Thornsbury Bailey Brown
of Taylor County, Virginia (now West Virginia) is generally considered the first Union soldier killed by a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War. Brown was a member of a Virginia militia company, the Grafton Guards, which supported the Union. He was killed by a member of a Virginia militia company which supported the Confederacy from the same general vicinity, the Letcher Guard, at the bridge at the intersection of the Northwestern Turnpike
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
at Fetterman, Virginia (now West Virginia) on May 22, 1861.
and is considered a populated location within the incorporated place of Grafton. Grafton is an incorporated place located in Taylor County, West Virginia at latitude 39.341 and longitude -80.019.
Taylor County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,089 people, 6,320 households, and 4,487 families residing in the county. The population density was 93 people per square mile . There were 7,125 housing units at an average density of 41 per square mile...
. The elevation is 1024 feet (312.1 m). Fetterman appears on the Grafton U.S. Geological Survey Map. Taylor County is in the Eastern time zone
Eastern Time Zone
The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
(GMT -5) and in postal zip code 26354. Fetterman was one of the early settlements in what became Taylor County, Virginia, (later West Virginia). It was located at the crossing of the Tygart Valley River
Tygart Valley River
The Tygart Valley River — also known as the Tygart River — is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, approximately long, in east-central West Virginia, USA...
by the Northwestern Turnpike
Northwestern Turnpike
The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia , important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1830s. In modern times, west of Winchester, Virginia, U.S...
.
American Civil War
In the early days of the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, before Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
had completed the process of secession from the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
, Virginia formed a state army and navy under the command of Virginia Major General Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
. Lee sent Colonel George A. Porterfield
George A. Porterfield
George Alexander Porterfield was a junior officer of United States forces in the Mexican-American War, colonel in the Confederate States Army during the first year of the American Civil War and longtime banker in Charles Town, West Virginia after the war...
to Grafton, Virginia
Grafton, West Virginia
Grafton is a city in, and county seat of, Taylor County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 5,489 at the 2000 census. The only two national cemeteries in West Virginia are located in Grafton. Mother's Day was founded in Grafton on May 10, 1908; the city is the home to the International Mother's...
to organize and recruit new members for the secessionist forces for the state, with a view toward joining the Confederacy, to hold northwestern Virginia for Virginia and ultimately the Confederacy, and to hold and protect the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
, but to destroy bridges to impede Union forces if it could not be held. Porterfield found that sympathies at Grafton were largely with the Union and the Grafton Guards under Captain George R. Latham
George R. Latham
George Robert Latham was a nineteenth century politician and lawyer from Virginia and West Virginia and colonel of Company B of the 2nd West Virginia Volunteer Infantry during the Civil War.-Biography:...
were organized at Grafton. Porterfield moved to nearby Fetterman and began to gather a company from the area, the Letcher Guard or Letcher's Guard, and companies that supported the Confederacy from other locations in the region. Porterfield's men briefly held Grafton when the Grafton Guards went to Wheeling, Virginia
Wheeling, West Virginia
Wheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to be mustered into the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
on May 25, 1861. A few days later, Porterfield learned that larger Union forces were moving toward Grafton and he withdrew to Philippi
Philippi, West Virginia
Philippi is a city in — and the county seat of — Barbour County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 2,870 at the 2000 census. In 1861, the city was the site of the Battle of Philippi, known as "The Philippi Races"...
in Barbour County
Barbour County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there are 15,557 people, 6,123 households, and 4,365 families residing in the county. The population density is 46 people per square mile . There are 7,348 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile...
, about 30 miles (48.3 km) to the south of Grafton. At about dawn on June 3, 1861, the larger Union force surprised the Confederates under Porterfield's command who were mostly still asleep in their tents and routed them, although with only a few men wounded on both sides and about five prisoners taken by the Union force, in the Battle of Philippi
Battle of Philippi
The Battle of Philippi was the final battle in the Wars of the Second Triumvirate between the forces of Mark Antony and Octavian and the forces of Julius Caesar's assassins Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus in 42 BC, at Philippi in Macedonia...
, soon called the Philippi Races due to the hasty retreat of the Confederate force.
Thornsbury Bailey Brown
Thornsbury Bailey Brown
Thornsbury Bailey Brown of Taylor County, Virginia is generally considered the first Union soldier killed by a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War...
of Taylor County, Virginia (now West Virginia) is generally considered the first Union soldier killed by a Confederate soldier during the American Civil War. Brown was a member of a Virginia militia company, the Grafton Guards, which supported the Union. He was killed by a member of a Virginia militia company which supported the Confederacy from the same general vicinity, the Letcher Guard, at the bridge at the intersection of the Northwestern Turnpike
Northwestern Turnpike
The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia , important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 1830s. In modern times, west of Winchester, Virginia, U.S...
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
at Fetterman, Virginia (now West Virginia) on May 22, 1861.
Later inclusion with Grafton
Fetterman has been absorbed by the expansion of Grafton, West VirginiaGrafton, West Virginia
Grafton is a city in, and county seat of, Taylor County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 5,489 at the 2000 census. The only two national cemeteries in West Virginia are located in Grafton. Mother's Day was founded in Grafton on May 10, 1908; the city is the home to the International Mother's...
and is considered a populated location within the incorporated place of Grafton. Grafton is an incorporated place located in Taylor County, West Virginia at latitude 39.341 and longitude -80.019.