1. In 1863, Confederate troops under the command of General Albert Jenkins clashed with Union troops in the historic town of Beverly, West Virginia. Despite being outnumbered three to one, the Confederate forces held their ground until nightfall before retreating. This battle marked the beginning of the Jones-Imboden Raid, a Confederate campaign aimed at disrupting Union communications and supplies in West Virginia.
2. On June 5, 1917, the West Virginia legislature passed the Women's Suffrage Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in all state and federal elections. This made West Virginia the 34th state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women nationwide the right to vote.
3. In 1944, the famous actor and West Virginia native Don Knotts entered military service as part of the U.S. Army's entertainment division. Knotts would go on to become a decorated veteran, earning the World War II Victory Medal and the Philippine Liberation Medal.
4. On June 5, 1968, West Virginia held its primary election for the U.S. presidential race. Senator Robert F. Kennedy, who was running for the Democratic nomination, won a decisive victory over his rivals in the state. Tragically, Kennedy would be assassinated just days later in California.
5. In 2010, the West Virginia coal mining disaster occurred, resulting in the deaths of 29 miners. The disaster, which occurred at the Upper Big Branch mine in Raleigh County, was attributed to a buildup of methane gas and coal dust, as well as violations of federal safety regulations. It remains one of the deadliest coal mining accidents in U.S. history.
5 Fun Facts About June 5 In West Virginia History
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