I see, but West Virginia it's a independent state and separated from Virginia. Enemy - yes, but not oppressors. Probably just an attempt at generalization.
Printable View
On May 13, 1862 the state legislature of the reorganized government approved the formation of the new state. An application for admission to the Union was made to Congress, introduced by Senator Waitman Willey of the Restored Government of Virginia. On December 31, 1862, an enabling act was approved by President Abraham Lincoln admitting West Virginia, on the condition that a provision for the gradual abolition of slavery be inserted in its constitution. While many felt that West Virginia's admission as a state was both illegal and unconstitutional, Lincoln issued his Opinion on the Admission of West Virginia finding that "the body which consents to the admission of West Virginia is the Legislature of Virginia", and that its admission was therefore both constitutional and expedient.
The convention was reconvened on February 12, 1863, and the abolition demand of the federal enabling act was met. The revised constitution was adopted on March 26, 1863 and on April 20, 1863, President Lincoln issued a proclamation admitting the state 60 days later on June 20, 1863. Meanwhile, officers for the new state were chosen, while Gov. Pierpont moved his pro-Union Virginia capital to Union-occupied Alexandria, where he asserted and exercised jurisdiction over all of the remaining Virginia counties within the federal lines.
^ Meaning they were not independent because they went from USA (as part of Virginia) -> Confederacy -> Under Union rule -> Union.
OK, that's maybe logicaly. True, Virginia announced its withdrawal from the United States before West Virginia left the state? Secession from the U.S. state of Virginia allowed West Virginia to use it as a basis for their actions. And I meant independent, that is, after the civil war and during it, this state was separated and remained so. I guess I'm just wrong, but I still think it's unfair to consider this mountainous region an aggressor to the state of Virginia.
1. Yes. Virginia (with West Virginia as still part of it) seceded from the Union. The delegates of Western Virginia then created West Virginia because the secession papers were deemed illegal. (This was all brought up in a Supreme Court battle during reconstruction and was deemed legal).
2. The state of West Virginia was never a separate/independent entity. They were always part of some larger government, be it USA or CSA.
3. Again his point being that because they were USA, they were the oppressors. All USA states were called Northern aggressors under tyrant rule by the states of the CSA.
I made a mistake with the use of the term. Yes, I am fully aware that West Virginia has never existed as an independent country, but I wanted to say that it has become a full-fledged state within the Union. In my mind just stuck so sorry to have created such nonsense.