Philippi honors Civil War legacy with Blue and Gray Reunion

Yahoo

2 days ago

PHILIPPI, W.Va. (WBOY) — The 2025 Blue and Gray Reunion in Philippi concluded on Sunday with a staged reenactment of the Battle of Philippi, the first organized land engagement of the American Civil War.
The event capped off a weekend filled with historical reflection, community celebration and cultural enrichment. Throughout the weekend, the town welcomed visitors with Civil War encampments, living history demonstrations and guided historical tours, offering a glimpse into the life and experiences of soldiers and civilians during the 1860s.
During the reunion period reenactors, dressed in authentic military and civilian attire, brought the era to life with portrayals and battlefield demonstrations.
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'This is what started it all, so you know, once this was over, the battle was on and of course it got worse after that. You know, there wasn't a lot of injuries and stuff, people killed here but it was an important battle because it was indeed the first land battle of the Civil War,' a resident of Philippi and an impersonator of President Abraham Lincoln Carl Swick said. 'Our covered bridge was used to access the supplies to get to, you know, the North to the South.'
Held annually, the Blue and Gray Reunion commemorates the Battle of Philippi, which occurred on June 3, 1861. Sometimes referred to as the 'Philippi Races' due to the hasty retreat of Confederate forces, the battle marked a significant early Union victory and helped solidify Federal control over western Virginia.
'The importance of being able to retell these events, and the stories, and the people who are in them, when you have a point of reference from where things started and where they've gone it helps you understand some of the reasons behind things, why things are the way they are,' a living history story teller of the life of James Robison who was a surgeon for the 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry Chad Benson said. 'History teaches us where we've come from and a lot of times where we are headed. So, if you know what we intend to do, you have a good idea of what we're going to do, or what we should change.'
The battle, though small in scale, reinforced Union morale and contributed to the eventual formation of the state of West Virginia in 1863. Spectators gathered in town to witness a recreation of the Union forces' pre-dawn surprise attack on Confederate troops, which was an operation led by Colonel Benjamin Kelley and Colonel Ebenezer Dumont.
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