Virginia seceded from the Union on April 17, 1861, in response to the escalating tensions surrounding the Civil War. The state's secession came after the attack on Fort Sumter and President Abraham Lincoln's call for troops to suppress the rebellion of Southern states. Virginia had been a divided state, with strong Unionist sentiments in the western part of the state and pro-Confederate sentiments in the eastern and southern regions. Despite its initial reluctance, the state ultimately voted to secede, and it joined the Confederacy.

The decision to secede was particularly significant because Virginia was one of the most populous and economically important states in the South. After its secession, the state became a key battleground during the Civil War, with many important battles, including the Battle of Bull Run and the Siege of Petersburg, taking place there. In 1863, the western part of Virginia, which had opposed secession, split off and became the state of West Virginia, which remained loyal to the Union.