This new "loyal" government of Virginia, led by Governor Francis Pierpont of Fairmont, immediately started working to fix the governmental chaos caused by Virginia leaving the Union. First, Governor Pierpont asked President Lincoln for military help since Confederate troops were pressing further into Western Virginia.

Union General McClellan won several key victories that helped restore order and showed support for Pierpont's government. This new legislature then set about to get government services working again, organize soldiers to fight for the Union, and choose new representatives to send to the U.S. Congress for Virginia. All of these moves--with Lincoln's approval--gave the new government a sense of legitimacy.