Most of you have heard my theory which stated that part of the reason Lincoln was so anxious to grant W.Va.statehood,was to give more territory to the Union,and to place a little more distance between Confederate forces in the west and the capitol.Here is the other part of it,when General in Chief of the United States Army General Winfield Scott ordered his chief engineer Joseph G.Totten to make a survey of the available boatbuilding facilities on the Mississippi and the Ohio rivers,he came up with the following:on the Ohio river,the following facilities existed:Pittsburg Pa.;Cincinnatti Oh;Madison and New Albany In;Mound City Il;AND Wheeling W.Va.It is my contention that Lincoln, in addition,to his expressed concern for the loyal citizen of W.Virgina,was looking out for his shipyards. Any ideas? |