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Virginia Tech

Rockbridge County unionism and the secession crisis

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Unionist sentiment was prevalent in Rockbridge County, Virginia for much of the secession crisis. This thesis traces the political development of Unionism in Rockbridge, examines the economic factors that influenced many county residents to maintain allegiance to the federal Union, and shows how this allegiance manifested itself. My study also reveals that Unionism in Rockbridge eroded gradually during the secession crisis. Many Unionists ultimately favored allying Virginia with the Confederacy because they recognized both the threat Abraham Lincoln posed to their liberty and the possible ramifications of isolating their state from the rest of the slave states.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Arts
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
History
Department dc:contributor.department
History
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
1993

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Leahy, Christopher J.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-06232009-063203
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/43425

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Leahy, Christopher J.. Rockbridge County unionism and the secession crisis. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 1993. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/43425