West Virginia was formed from the Allegany counties of Virginia over the question of slavery.  The Virginia government in Richmond had declared Virginia a slave state and part of the Confederacy.  Several of the western most counties were Union loyalist and after much argument with Richmond decided to succeed from Virginia and form its own state.  Thus becoming the only state formed out of another state over the question of slavery. West Virginia became a state on June 20, 1863 by proclamation of President Lincoln.     The first organized land battle of the Civil War took place in Phillipi on June 3, 1861. A Union victory, it was the…