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New Market (Page 1 of 4) |
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New Market (Page 1 of 4) |
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Date: May 15, 1864 Estimated Casualties: 1,380 total (US 840; CS 540) As a part of Union Lt. Gen. U.S. Grant's 1864 major offensive, Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel moved up the Shenandoah Valley** along the Valley Pike (Now I-81) with approximately 10,000 men. He had orders to destroy the railroad and canal complex at Lynchburg. The Shenandoah Valley was crucial because it provided essential crops and meat for the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and was an easy path for invasion by either the North or South. To meet the Union army, a smaller Confederate force of 4,500 commanded by Major General John C. Breckinridge marched north along the Valley Pike toward New Market. Breckinridge hoped to defeat Sigel without using the 257 Virginia Military Institute (VMI) cadets who had recently marched from Lexington and were now under his command. Arriving at New Market, Breckinridge found the Yankees dug in across the slopes of nearby Bushong's Farm. 
Map #2 New Market - Initial Troop Positions (The arrow & dotted line designate the area covered by map 4.) The Confederate general tried several times to lure Sigel into an attack, but the Northern commander did not move. Accordingly, on May 15, 1864, Breckinridge ordered a general assault against the Union high ground. During the assault, the Unionists counterattacked almost destroying the center of Breckinridge's line. This forced Breckinridge to call upon the VMI cadets to reinforce the 62nd Virginia Regiment of infantry. With the addition of the Cadets, the 62nd increased to approximately 800 troops. This force was sufficient to drive off the attackers and Southerners quickly countercharged. Charging around the Bushong farmhouse, and crossing the Bushong's orchard,"fatal orchard" where most of the Cadet casualties occurred, the cadets and regulars attacked through a wheatfield made so sodden by the rainstorm in progress that shoes were literally sucked from their feet. Thus the wheatfield became known as "The Field of Lost Shoes." 
Map #3 New Market - Afternoon Troop Positions (The arrow & dotted line designate the area covered by map 3.)  New Market - Afternoon Troop Positions The arrow shows where Cadet Jack Stanard was mortally wounded 
Map #4 New Market - Afternoon Troop Positions (The arrow & dotted line designate the area covered by map 4.) The Confederate charge continued to the top of Bushong's Hill, where the Southerners overran the Federals and drove them from the field. Threatened by the Confederate cavalry on his left and rear flanks, and Mosby's Rangers attacking his supply lines, Sigel withdrew his forces and retreated down the Valley to Strasburg . He was soon replaced by Union Maj. Gen. David Hunter. It was a hard-won victory for the Confederates: The cadets had captured a cannon but ten cadets were killed and 45 were wounded. Overall Southern casualties were 540, against 840 for the North. * -- The maps in this section were made by the author and, at best, provide a rough estimate of troop and battlefield locations. They are not drawn to scale. ** - Going "up" the Shenandoah valley means going south; conversly, going "down" the valley means going North. |