Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
Undated
February 1864

--The Cincinnati Gazette publishes the annual message of Arthur R. Boreman, Governor of the territory called West Virginia. Of the number of men that have been furnished by West, Virginia to the armies of Lincoln, the "Governor" says:

It may be seen from the Adjutant General's report that what is now the State of West Virginia has furnished 20,299 volunteers to the Government army during the present war of whom 19,146 were for three years, and 1,153 for six months service. If the time of the 1,153 six months men is so calculated that the State may get credit for them on a call for three years men, it will be seen that they are equal to 191 three years recruits; and thus calculated it will be found that up to the time of the last call of the President for three hundred thousand men, this State was in excess of all demands upon her of 5,028 three years men. This is a record, of which any citizen of the State should be proud, when it is considered that from the commencement of the war there has been actual hostilities in our midst; that we have been constantly threatened, and at times almost overrun, by the enemy.

The following extract contains the portion which is chiefly interesting to our State and Confederate authorities: Notwithstanding all this has been done by Government troops and State companies, some portions of the State are still infested with bands of marauders, who rob and plunder the people and carry off large quantities of their property beyond the lines. It is absolutely necessary to our peace, and to the continuance of civil organization in many of the counties, that these captures cease, and I intend if it be possible, that they shall cease. If the disloyal amongst us will not give information of the presence of these bands in the neighborhood, a sufficient number of them, not less than two for one, shall be a rested and imprisoned until the captured loyal person is returned.--The General Assembly of the State of Virginia passed a law authorizing the arrest of hostages, which is still in force here, and in every instance of the capture of a private citizen or civil officer by the rebels I have caused hostages to be arrested, and I shall continue to do so until the barbarous practice is broken up. The disloyal in our midst can prevent these captures in another way, and that is by making proper representations to their rebel leaders. It is known that they keep up correspondence with them. This is not denied by many. If they wish to remain in our midst in peace, they must secure that peace by preventing the forcible abduction of our loyal people. This they can do, for in nearly every case when hostages have been arrested it has secured the safe return of the captured party; and it seems to me that the same influence that can effect the release can prevent the capture.

Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: Undated: February 1864