The Civil War in Bedford County, Virginia: The Role of One Small County in the Nation’s Bloodiest War

Bedford County, Virginia played a central role in many important aspects of the Civil War. The county provided some of the first troops to Virginia following secession and fielded numerous units in many of the most important battles of the Civil War. Liberty (as Bedford was known then) also served as a major hospital town, effectively making the county seat a major Confederate military outpost. The women of Bedford County helped to ensure that sick or wounded soldiers were fed and taken care of in the numerous hospitals in the city. The importance of Liberty, therefore placed the town in the destruction path of General David Hunter and caused the town to be destroyed as a major part of Hunter’s Raid of Virginia. The impact of Bedford County on the Civil War is far greater than the small county gets credit for. Additionally, the sacrifices of the men and women who lived in Bedford County during the war can still be felt today.