The first battle for Richmond: the relocation of the Confederate capital

Abstract

In 1861, the Confederacy elected to move its capital from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond, Virginia. Montgomery had many inadequacies, weakening its potential as permanent capital. Shortly after joining the new nation, Virginia invited the government to move the capital from Alabama to the Old Dominion, and the Confederacy eventually passed a bill permitting the removal to Richmond. The move not only allowed the fledgling government to better protect Virginia within the seat of war, but it also partly served as a reward for the state's alliance with the Confederacy. Indicating boldness to potential allies and allowing better communication between the president and his generals, Richmond also provided a base in which the Rebels could easily attack Washington D.C. The narrative of the capital's removal adds another layer to historians' understanding of Confederate history by highlighting the discontent the Lower South held towards the decision to move the capital to an Upper South state.