The state of West Virginia was formed in 1863 in the midst of
the Civil War, America's most traumatic conflict. Persons
seeking to learn about their ancestor's involvement in this
struggle can find a wealth of information at the West Virginia
State Archives Library. This guide may serve as a starting point
for researching your Civil War ancestor. The first step is to
determine whether your ancestor fought for the Union or the
Confederacy. This is particularly difficult in West Virginia
because of the deep divisions in the region. The phrase "brother
against brother" is particularly fitting in describing the
conflict in West Virginia. Although early estimates noted that
Union soldiers from the region outnumbered Confederates by more
than three to one, more recent and detailed studies have
concluded that there were nearly equal numbers of Union and
Confederate soldiers. When researching a Union soldier in the
regular regiments you can utilize either the West Virginia
Adjutant General's records or the National A