At the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861, Pendleton County voted to uphold Virginia's Ordinance of Secession, despite strong Union sympathies from many of its residents. Localized fighting occurred between northern and southern regiments throughout the war, but the only major battle to impact the Franklin area occurred in May 1862. Following the First Battle of Kernstown, Confederate Major General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson initiated his Valley Campaign to draw attention of the Union Army away from its Peninsula Campaign nearing the Confederate capitol at Richmond. On May 8, 1862, Jackson clashed with Union regiments from West Virginia and Ohio under the command of Brigadier General Robert H. Milroy at the Battle of McDowell (some 30 miles from Franklin). After a day of fighting, the Union forces withdrew from the battle and began retreating towards Franklin, pursued by Jackson for nearly a week. The armies clashed briefly at McCoy's Mill (three miles south of Franklin, now a National Historic Site), but Jackson withdrew and returned to the Shenandoah Valley to continue his campaign.