Why did Richmond, Virginia become the capital of the Confederacy?

Question

The capital city of the Confederate States of America was moved from Montgomery to Richmond in 1861. I have just always wondered why?

Answer 1

"The Confederacy's move from Montgomery, the first capital city, in May 1861 was appropriate for a conservative revolution, for Richmond had long been a bastion of Whigs 'who knew each other by the instincts of gentlemen'. They so dominated antebellum politics that the city's few Democrats were called 'the Spartan band'."

"Richmond's population was 62 percent white, over a fifth of which was foreign born, chiefly Irish Catholics, and Germans".

"Richmond rivaled Baltimore as a milling center, with annual sales of $3 million form its twelve flour and meal mills, including the Gallego, largest in the world. Joseph R. Anderson's 'Tredegar Iron Works', the second largest foundry in the United States, was half of a substantial industry that employed one-fifth of the labor force and included dozens of firms with total sales of over $2 million. Only New Orleans was a larger slave mart. To this business and industrial complex, which was already diversifying, the war added powder mills, armories, laboratories, government offices, and huge troop encampments."

"Richmond, Virginia's largest port, was a transportation hub. There were overnight steamship connections to Washington and Baltimore down the James River. Ocean and coasting vessels crowded Rocketts, the city's harbor. Five railroads terminated there, bringing passengers and freight from all directions."

"Richmond was the social center for Virginia east of the mountains and for much of the Mid-Atlantic seaboard. Entertainment included elegant receptions at the presidential mansion."

"The influx of politicians, clerks, office seekers, soldiers, and camp followers from all over the Confederacy, along with Southern refugees from the North, tripled or quadrupled the 1860 population."

If you add to all this the history of Virginia as being the largest and wealthiest colony of the original 13 colonies, in addition to its prime location vis-a-vis the Union's capital, it seems almost unbelievable that anyone could have considered any other place other than Richmond as the Confederacy's capital

Answer 2

It bears mention that the state of Virginia was not originally in the Confederacy. As you probably already know, when the seven states first seceded (in March of 1861), they chose Montgomery, Alabama for their capital.

When Lincoln called for troops to crush the rebellion, four more states seceded and joined the Confederacy, Virginia among them. This was a month later, in April... five days after the beginning of hostilities which is usually linked to the start of the American Civil War.

Among the resources that Virgina had, one of the paramount ones was the Tedegar Iron Works. This arsenal turned out the iron plating the covered the South's ironclad battleships as well as most of the heavy machinery used in the war.

One might say that many Southerners felt that as long as they had those iron works, they stood a good chance of fighting and winning a war. And also that the safest place in the whole South would be the place physically closest to the armoury.

The Tedegar Iron Works was located in Richmond, Virginia. The capital was moved there almost immediately.

Further evidence of the stock which the South placed in the city lies in its end. Rather than establishing a new capital, the South surrendered completely six days after the North captured Richmond.

Answer 3

RE:
Why did Richmond, Virginia become the capital of the Confederacy?
The capital city of the Confederate States of America was moved from Montgomery to Richmond in 1861. I have just always wondered why?

Answer 4

First Capital Of Confederacy

Answer 5

richmond virginia capital confederacy

Answer 6

One of the reasons was that Viriginia was the birhtplace of many of the founding fathers of the United States,. i.e. Washington, Madison, Jefferson, Mason, Henry, etc.
This was down to symbolically link the Confederacy to the founders of the United States and their democratic ideals.

Answer 7

They were going to move it to French Lick, but got laughed out of town. They considered Miami Beach, but it wasn't there yet. They turned down Washington, DC as just a cow pasture in the northern tip of Virginia where nobody'd want to be anyway. New York City was booked solid. In their vast brilliance, they could see that Richmond was destined to be a big and famous city, and was immune to attack by the North. Brilliant choice, was it not?