THE ROAD to BATTLE in the Spring of 1864, As a Part of His Coordinated

Town of New Market, looking south from the crossroads at the center of town, circa 1860. Courtesy New Market Area Library. THE ROAD TO BATTLE HE ATTLE OF EW ARKET AY In the Spring of 1864, as a part of his coordinated offensive T B N M (M 15, 1864) against Gen. Robert E. Lee’s army, Breckinridge attacked Sigel’s numerically superior force, driving them out of town Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant ordered Gen. Franz Sigel to move south through and onto the hills to the north. Attacks by Federal cavalry and infantry failed. At a the Shenandoah Valley along the Valley Pike and destroy the railroad and canal crucial point, a Federal battery was withdrawn from the line to replenish its complex at Lynchburg. At New Market on May 15, Sigel was blocked by a ammunition, leaving a gap that Breckinridge was quick to exploit. He makeshift Confederate force commanded ordered his entire force forward, including Union Gen. Franz Sigel by Gen. John C. Breckinridge. Confederate Gen. the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) John C. Breckinridge “Lions of the Hour” by Keith Rocco, courtesy Tradition Studios Cadet Battalion, causing Sigel’s line to break. Threatened by Confederate cavalry on his left flank and rear, Sigel ordered a general withdrawal, burning the North Fork Bridge behind him as he retreated north to Cedar Creek. “This morning [at] New As so often before, Union forces Market, my command had been defeated and thrown met the enemy, under back in their “Valley of General Sigel, Humiliation,” but events would advancing up the Valley, take a dramatic turn weeks later and defeated him with with the Union victory at heavy loss.” Piedmont and the subsequent - John C. Breckinridge burning of VMI. B ATTLE BEGINS: “WRAPPED IN BATTLE SMOKE” As the Federals withdrew, the Confederates followed, their progress slowed by the houses and barns in The most famous part of the Battle of New Market, the charge their path. The fighting here was sharp but of the VMI Cadets, took place on the western part of the brief, although then-24-year-old resident battlefield, and historical accounts often focus on that action. Lydie Clinedinst (the future “Mother Crim”), But the battle covered a much greater area, stretching two miles who watched from her home, would later from west to east and six miles north to south, with the fighting describe “the hand-to-hand fight down in the sprawling across the landscape, along the Valley Turnpike, and old churchyard.” through the town in a riotous scene full of smoke and fire. The Federals, including the 123rd Ohio, VMI Cadet John S. Wise described the beginning off the battle. established a second defensive line that ran “In a picturesque little Lutheran churchyard, Lydie Clinedinst across the Rice Property, Target Property under the very shadow of the village spire #4. The Confederates facing them included artillery (including and among the white tombstones, a six-gun VMI guns) that were positioned on Target Property #3. battery was posted in rear of the infantry lines of the enemy. Firing over the heads of At 2pm, Confederate commander John C. Breckinridge ordered their own troops, that battery opened upon his line forward, and the Confederates overwhelmed the Union us the moment we came in sight.” position along the Rice property, Target Property #4. The 62nd Virginia assaulted the main line, while the 22nd Virginia and Confederate artillery returned fire. “The 23rd Virginia hit further east. Southern counter-battery fire John S. Wise town [was] now wrapped in battle smoke forced the Union artillery in the turnpike to limber up and and swarming with troops hurrying to their position,” Wise withdraw, including one damaged gun that sent “fire roll[ing] recalled. “We had their range beautifully. Every shell hit some from under that broken steel axle as it was dragged over the obstruction, and exploded in the streets or on the hillsides.” The stones of the pike.” The Federals were pushed back again, setting shellfire struck Target Properties #1, #2 and #3; see maps. the stage for the climax of the battle. In town, Jessie Rupert witnessed the effects of the shelling. “[The Confederates] poured in upon us such a storm of shot and “…Cannon balls and shells rolled and exploded in every shell so thick that the very air seemed alive with bullets.” direction...the air was filled with dust and smoke, and curses and rd A Union soldier in the 123 Ohio, describing the attack at the Rice Property shrieks.” Rupert and her husband hid their infant son under their floorboards for protection. The Valley Turnpike would continue to be the scene of critical fighting during the rest of the battle, including a disastrous THE FIGHTING ALONG THE TURNPIKE Federal cavalry charge and the stand Union commander Gen. Franz Sigel arrived on the battlefield of the 54th Pennsylvania in the around 11am and established temporary headquarters at the Rice “Bloody Cedars.” And when the House, on Target Property #4. final Confederate attack (which Much of his command was still featured the famed charge of the strung out on the Valley Pike, en VMI Cadets across the Bushong route to the battlefield, leaving his Farm) took place later in the day, the action continued to span east force on the field outnumbered. across the turnpike. (The Bushong As the battle began, the initial Farm stretched much farther east than the modern site, beyond the Union defensive line, which in- modern Interstate; parts of the larger cluded the 1st West Virginia and Union Maj. Horace Kellogg historic farm are included in Target commanded the 123rd Ohio. He 123rd Ohio and cannon under Property #5.) And at the end of the was seriously wounded during the battle. Confederate Col. George S. Patton Capt. Alonzo Snow, ran along and battle, when the Union defenses commanded the 22nd Virginia, forward of the River Road, which played a critical role in the collapsed, it was along the turnpike that the Federal army fought Confederate victory. including Target Property #3. desperately to keep from being destroyed. When the Confederates moved forward, they badly outflanked TheThe stories stories of of the the fighting fighting in in town town and and along along the the Valley Valley Turnpike Turnpike the Federals, who fell back under the pressure. As the duringduring the the Battle Battle of of New New Market Market have have long long been been overlooked, overlooked, largely Confederates began to push north through town, the 62nd duelargely to the due bisection to the bisection of the battlefield of the battlefield by modern by -modernday Interstate-day 81. Virginia, 22nd Virginia, and 23rd Virginia moved along and ThisInterstate preservation 81. This effort preservation is a major effortstep in is bringinga major stethosep in events, bringing and near the turnpike, with portions of the VMI Corps of Cadets on thethose memories events, ofand those the memorieswho took partof those in them, who livedthe attention through theythem, their left. This action included Target Properties #1 and #2. deserve.the attention they deserve. .

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