Wythe County
Wythe County

Author: Karen Lynn Jones Hall

Publisher: Arcadia Publishing

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 132

ISBN-13: 9780738516622

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Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia lies the historically rich Wythe County. The area was originally settled due to the proximity of the New River, one of few rivers in the world that flows north. The county is named after George Wythe, signer of the Declaration of Independence. In 1863, the Civil War Battle of Wytheville brought federal troops into the heart of the county, hoping to interrupt the flow of necessary salt from the mines at nearby Saltville. During the 1800s, Wythe County was known for its mineral waters and as a mountain resort for wealthy residents of hot, humid areas who came for the summer to vacation. Having flourished throughout the 20th century, the county still retains its rural charm. Wythe County captures many charming scenes of country life, Virginia's train and travel industry, numerous long-forgotten vistas, some of Wythe County's finest citizens, and the area's most notable landmarks.

Southwest Virginia's Railroad
Southwest Virginia's Railroad

Author: Kenneth W. Noe

Publisher: University of Alabama Press

Published: 2003-09-02

Total Pages: 232

ISBN-13: 0817350640

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A close study of one region of Appalachia that experienced economic vitality and strong sectionalism before the Civil War This book examines the construction of the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad through southwest Virginia in the 1850s, before the Civil War began. The building and operation of the railroad reoriented the economy of the region toward staple crops and slave labor. Thus, during the secession crisis, southwest Virginia broke with northwestern Virginia and embraced the Confederacy. Ironically, however, it was the railroad that brought waves of Union raiders to the area during the war

Arming the Confederacy
Arming the Confederacy

Author: Robert C. Whisonant

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2015-02-21

Total Pages: 211

ISBN-13: 3319145088

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This is a fresh look at the American Civil War from the standpoint of the natural resources necessary to keep the armies in the field. This story of the links between minerals, topography, and the war in western Virginia now comes to light in a way that enhances our understanding of America’s greatest trial. Five mineral products – niter, lead, salt, iron, and coal – were absolutely essential to wage war in the 1860s. For the armies of the South, those resources were concentrated in the remote Appalachian highlands of southwestern Virginia. From the beginning of the war, the Union knew that the key to victory was the destruction or occupation of the mines, furnaces, and forges located there, as well as the railroad that moved the resources to where they were desperately needed. To achieve this, Federal forces repeatedly advanced into the treacherous mountainous terrain to fight some of the most savage battles of the War.