American Civil War: Virginia Saltworks Campaign
List of Battles in Virginia Battlefields
History Pictures
Although most historians don't reflect the "Saltworks Campaign," it did exist. The Union Army
had engaged in a series of fierce battles, with its goal to capture and destroy the Saltworks at Saltville, Virginia. Also,
two future U.S. presidents fought in the Saltworks Campaign: Rutherford B. Hayes and William McKinley.
"The Salt Capitol of the Confederacy"
Saltville was extremely important to the Confederacy during the Civil War. Since salt
was the primary method of preserving food, and Saltville was the South's only significant source of salt, the Confederacy
wanted to hold Saltville and the Union wanted to capture it.
Before the war the Saltworks had operated as many as 3 salt furnaces and between 75 and
150 salt kettles. During the war, every southern state from Mississippi eastward had salt furnaces or a contractor
in Saltville to supply their citizens with salt. The production of salt grew from 15,000 bushels to 4,000,000 bushels of salt
during the year of 1864.
Two Civil War battles were fought in Saltville -- the first was fought on October 2, 1864, and resulted in the defeat
a Union army of 5,200 men. The second battle on December 20, 1864, resulted in the destruction of the Saltworks by the Union
army.
Sources: Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, The Museum of the Middle Appalachians, National
Park Service.
Advance to:
Recommended Reading: The Shenandoah Valley Civil War Battles
List of Civil War Battles in Virginia Saltworks Battle of Saltville First Battle of Cloyd's Mountain
Battle of Cove Mountain Battle of Marion destruction Saltworks Second Battle of Saltville History
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