West Virginia's Independence Hall |
On May 13, 1862, the legislature had approved forming a new state, and they sent an application to Washington to be admitted to the Union on December 31, 1862. Lincoln approved it on the condition that they add the gradual abolition of slavery into their constitution. The convention met again and did this, so on April 20, 1863, Lincoln issued the proclamation admitting the new state at the end of 60 days. This happened on June 20th.
In my new Civil War novel from the Appalachian Roots series, Uprooted by War, Aaron Carter, Luke's friend at Andersonville Prison comes from West Virginia. Here is when they first meet:
The young man answered, “I’m Aaron Carter from West
Virginia. I guess we’re both mountain boys.”
“How long have you been here, Aaron?”
“Just a week. I’ve been staying out in the open, so I’m
glad to have some shelter. I don’t see how they keep packing guys in here. It’s
inhuman.”
“It is, but we can’t do anything right now but try to
make the best of it.”
“Are we going to make it?” Aaron’s voice shook.
“I plan to. If we stick together, we’ll have a better
chance. The man you helped carry out turned out to be a good friend. I’m
devastated by his needless death. He helped make this dreadful place more
bearable. I’ll sorely miss him, and I hated finding him like I did.” Luke shook
his head in disbelief.
“I could use a friend, and I agree it would make things
better.”
“You sound educated.”
“I’d been going to the University of Virginia in
Charlottesville until the war broke out. When Virginia went with the
Confederacy, I went back to West Virginia and joined the Union. Of course, we
weren’t a separate state at that point.”
(All my profits go to a scholarship fund for missionary children.)
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