Battle of New Market

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Battle of New Market

The Battle of New Market was a battle

Battle

Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, wherein each group will seek to defeat the others within the scope of a military campaign, and are well defined in duration, area and force commitment....
fought on May 15, 1864, in Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia is an United States U.S. state on the East Coast of the United States of the Southern United States. The state is known as the "Old Dominion" and sometimes as "Mother of Presidents", because it is the birthplace of Lists of United States Presidents by place of birth#By state....
during Valley Campaigns of 1864

Valley Campaigns of 1864

The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864....
in the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War , also known as the War Between the States and several Naming the American Civil War, was a civil war in the United States....
. Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute

Virginia Military Institute

The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest State university system military academy and one of six Senior Military College in the United States....
(VMI) fought alongside the Confederate Army and forced Union

Union Army

The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S....
General Franz Sigel

Franz Sigel

Franz Sigel was a German military officer and immigrant to the United States who was a teacher, newspaperman, politician, and served as a Union Army Major general in the American Civil War....
and his army out of the Shenandoah Valley

Shenandoah Valley

The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bound to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River and to the south by the James River ....
.

he spring of 1864, Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant , was an United States general and the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States ....
set in motion a grand strategy designed to press the Confederacy

Confederate States of America

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Encyclopedia

The Battle of New Market was a battle

Battle

Virginia

Valley Campaigns of 1864

The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864....
in the American Civil War

American Civil War

Virginia Military Institute

Union Army

The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S....
General Franz Sigel

Franz Sigel

Shenandoah Valley

Background

In the spring of 1864, Lieutenant General

Lieutenant General

Ulysses S. Grant

Confederate States of America

The Confederate States of America formed as the government set up from 1861 to 1865 by eleven Southern United States U.S. state of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S....
into submission. "My primary mission," reasoned Grant, "is to ... bring pressure to bear on the Confederacy so no longer could it take advantage of interior lines." Control of the strategically important and agriculturally

Agriculture

Agriculture refers to the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of civilization, with the animal husbandry of domestication animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more Population density and Social stratification societies....
rich Shenandoah Valley

Shenandoah Valley

Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee , was a career United States United States Army officer , an engineer, and among the most celebrated generals in American history....
's Army of Northern Virginia

Army of Northern Virginia

The Army of Northern Virginia was the primary military force of the Confederate States of America in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War of the American Civil War....
in the eastern part of the state, Grant ordered Major General

Major General

Major General or Major-General is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of Sergeant Major General. A Major General is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of Lieutenant General and senior to the ranks of Brigadier and Brigadier General....
Franz Sigel

Franz Sigel

Flank

Flank may refer to:* Flank, the side of either a horse or a military unit* Flanking maneuver in military tactics* Digital signal#Waveforms in digital systems, when a signal goes high or low it forms an waveform "edge"....
, starting the Valley Campaigns of 1864

Valley Campaigns of 1864

The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864....
.

Receiving word that the Union

Union Army

The Union Army was the army that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S....
Army had entered the Valley, Confederate General John C. Breckinridge

John C. Breckinridge

John Cabell Breckinridge was a lawyer, United States House of Representatives, United States Senate from Kentucky, the 14th Vice President of the United States, Democratic Party candidate for President of the United States in United States presidential election, 1860, a Confederate States Army General officer in the American Civil War, and...
pulled together all available forces to repulse the latest threat. The VMI Cadet Corps, over half of whom were first year students, or "Rats", were called to join Breckinridge and his army of 4,500 veterans. The cadets, under the direction of VMI Commandant of Cadets Lt. Col. Scott Ship, marched in four days to meet up with General Breckinridge's Confederate force. The cadets were intended to be a reserve

Military reserve force

A military reserve force is a military organization composed of citizens of a country who combine a military role or career with a civilian career....
and employed in battle only under the most dire circumstances. The two armies met at New Market

New Market, Virginia

New Market is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,637 at the 2000 census. New Market is home to the New Market Rebels of the Valley Baseball League, and the New Market Shockers of the Rockingham County Baseball League....
on May 15, 1864. "I shall advance on him", the aggressive Breckinridge declared. "We can attack and whip them here and we will do it!" As the general rode by the cadets he shouted, "Gentlemen, I trust I will not need your services today; but if I do, I know you will do your duty."

Battle

In drenching rain, Union artillery located in town fired upon the Confederate line as it began its advance from the south. After brushing aside Union skirmisher

Skirmisher

Skirmishers are infantry or cavalry soldiers stationed ahead or alongside of a larger body of friendly troops. They are usually placed in a skirmish line to either harass enemy troops or to protect their own troops from similar attacks by the enemy....
s located west of town, the rebel infantry line came within rifle

Rifle

A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls....
range of Federals positioned along a ridge

Ridge

A ridge is a geological feature that features a continuous elevational crest for some distance. Ridges are usually termed hills or mountains as well, depending on size....
north of the farm

Farm

A farm is an area of land, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibers and, increasingly, fuel....
owned by Jacob and Sara Bushong.

Cadet John Howard saw a badly wounded Confederate officer

Officer (armed forces)

An officer is a member of an Armed forces who holds a position of authority.Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereignty power and, as such, hold a Letters patent charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position....
lying on his side waving his sword

Sword

A sword is a long, edged piece of metal, used as a cutting, thrusting, and clubbing weapon in many civilizations throughout the world. The word sword comes from the Old English language wikt:sweord, cognate to Old High German swert, Middle Dutch swaert, Old Norse sver? Old Frisian and Old Saxon swerd and Dutch langua...
to inspire the gray line forward. "Another shell

Shell (projectile)

A shell is a payload-carrying projectile, which, as opposed to Round shot, contains an explosive or other filling, though modern usage includes large solid projectiles previously termed shot ....
exploded and he was cut down for a second time ... What effect that waving sword had on anyone else, I do not know, but I know there was no giving back as we passed forward through the storm."

"The bursting of shells about us was incessant," recalled cadet Gideon Davenport, "One of these passing directly through our colors ... about thus time we passed a group of wounded soldiers who cheered us, but a shell, intended for us, burst in their midst, and they fell silent. Suddenly there was a crack in our front—a gap appeared in our ranks, and First Sergeant Cabell, Privates Wheelwright, Crockett, and Jones fell dead, and others were wounded. The opening was immediately closed, and the line went forward in the best of order. Nothing could have been finer done." Still in the reserve line, the cadets had to part as they marched around the Bushong farmhouse

FarmHouse

FarmHouse Fraternity International, Inc. is an all-male international social fraternities and sororities founded at the University of Missouri?Columbia on April 15th, 1905....
; companies A and B to the right, companies C and D to the left.

The front rank of the Confederate line paused at the split rail fence separating Jacob Bushong's orchard

Orchard

An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs maintained for food agriculture. Orchards comprise fruit tree or nut -producing trees grown for commercial production....
and wheat

Wheat

Wheat , is a worldwide cultivated Poaceae from the Levant region of the Middle East. Globally, after maize, wheat is the second most-produced food among the cereal just above rice....
field. Receiving massed fire from the Federal musket

Musket

A musket is a Muzzle -loaded, smoothbore long gun, which is intended to be fired from the shoulder.Usually, the musket is thought to be the weapon that replaced the arquebus, and was in turn replaced by the rifle....
s and artillery

Artillery

Artillery is a military Combat Arms which employs any apparatus, machine, an assortment of tools or instruments, a system or systems used as weapons for the discharge of large projectiles in combat as a major contribution of fire power within the overall military capability of an armed force....
, the right flank of the 51st Virginia Infantry regiment, the 30th Virginia, and the left flank of the 62nd Virginia melted away. Noting the confusion in the Confederate line, Sigel ordered an attack. Breckenridge knew he must quickly fill the 350-foot gap in the center of his line or abandon the field. One of his staff suggested sending in the untried cadets. "I will not do it," Breckinridge replied. "General, you have no choice," responded the desperate officer. "Put the boys in," Breckinridge ordered, "and may God forgive me for the order ..."

Col. Ship, aged 24, and his 257 VMI cadets, aged 15 to 21, stepped into the gap along the fence just as the 34th Massachusetts started its attack. Ship was knocked unconscious and feared mortally wounded by an artillery explosion shortly after moving the cadets into the gap and ordering the cadets to "fix bayonets," and command fell to Captain

Captain (Land)

The army rank of Captain is an officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and Marine ....
Henry Wise. Along the orchard fence line, cadet John Howard recalled, "It was an ordinary rail fence

Fence

A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent Transport across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage ....
, about four feet high but as I surmounted to topmost rail it felt at least ten feet up in the air and the subject of hostile aim. But in clearing this obstruction I was leaving all thought of individuality behind," The cadets met the Union charge and turned it back. Col. Ship awoke to see the entire Confederate line sweep forward over the rain-soaked and recently plowed wheatfield. This field would later be dubbed the "Field of Lost Shoes" by the cadets because of the many pieces of footwear

Footwear

Footwear consists of garments worn on the foot, for protective clothing against the environment, and adornment. Socks and other hosiery are worn between the feet and the footwear, except for Sandal s and flip flops ....
that were pulled off the cadet's feet by the suction of the mud as the Corps charged forward.

Meanwhile Sigel's infantry

Infantry

Infantry are soldiers who are primarily trained for the role of fighting on foot. A soldier in the infantry is known as an infantryman. Infantry units have more physically demanding training than other branches of armies, and place a greater emphasis on fitness, physical strength and aggression....
lurched forward awkwardly and ineffectively, then fell back across the blood-drenched mud. Anticipating the results of his failed charge, Sigel began to withdraw his artillery. Only a few yards separated the armies when the Federal line broke and the Confederates swept through. The VMI cadets led the charge, capturing a cannon

Cannon

A cannon is any tubular piece of artillery, that uses gunpowder or other usually explosive-based propellants to launch a projectile over a distance....
and many men from the 34th Massachusetts. Cadet O. P. Evans climbed atop the gun

GUN

Gun is a Revisionist Western-themed video game developed by Neversoft. It was published by Activision for the Xbox, Xbox 360, Nintendo GameCube, Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 2....
and victoriously waved the Institute Flag. General Breckinridge rode by, doffed his hat, and shouted "Well done!"

General Sigel staged a rapid retreat

Withdrawal (military)

A withdrawal is a type of military operation, generally meaning retreating forces back while maintaining contact with the enemy. A withdrawal may be undertaken as part of a general retreat, to consolidate forces, to occupy ground that is more easily defended, or to lead the enemy into an ambush....
northward to Strasburg

Strasburg, Virginia

Strasburg is a town in Shenandoah County, Virginia, Virginia, United States, that was founded in 1761 by Peter Stover. It is the largest community, population-wise, in the county and known for its pottery, antiques, and civil war history....
, leaving the field and the Valley to General Breckinridge's army and the exuberant VMI cadets.

VMI Casualties

The battle was not without its cost to the VMI Cadet Corps. Ten cadets were killed outright or died later of wounds:

Cadet	Hometown	Rank and Company	note
Samuel Francis Atwill ‘66	Atwillton, Virginia Montross, Virginia Montross is a town in Westmoreland County, Virginia, Virginia, United States. The population was 315 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Westmoreland County, Virginia....	Cadet Corporal Corporal Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO.... Company A	Died 66 days after the battle
William Henry Cabell ‘65	Richmond, Virginia Richmond, Virginia Richmond is the Capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. Like all Virginia municipalities incorporated as cities, it is an independent city and not part of any county....	Cadet First Sergeant First Sergeant First Sergeant is the name of a military rank used in some countries.... Company D	Killed in action
Charles Gay Crockett ‘67	Virginia	Cadet Private Company D	Killed in action
Alva Curtis Hartsfield ‘66	Wake County, North Carolina Wake County, North Carolina Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2007, the population was 832,970, making it the second most populated county in the state after Mecklenburg County, North Carolina....	Cadet Private Company D	Died 42 days after the battle
Luther Cary Haynes ‘67	Virginia	Cadet Private Company B	Died one month after the battle
Thomas Garland Jefferson ‘67 (a descendant of Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson was the List of Presidents of the United States President of the United States , the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence , and one of the most influential Founding Fathers of the United States for his promotion of the ideals of republicanism in the United States.... )	Amelia County, Virginia Amelia County, Virginia Amelia County is a county located in the U.S. state — officially, "Commonwealth " — of Virginia. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 11,400....	Cadet Private Company B	Died 3 days after the battle
Henry Jenner Jones ‘67	King William County, Virginia King William County, Virginia King William County is a county located on the about 35 miles northeast of Richmond, Virginia in the U.S. state of Virginia. As of 2000, the population was 13,146....	Cadet Private Company D	Killed in action
William Hugh McDowell ‘67 (The Ghost Cadet by Elaine Marie Alphin Elaine M. Alphin Elaine Marie Alphin is the award-winning author of more than thirty books for children and young adults. Although she specializes in fiction, she has published many non-fiction titles, including biographies of Davy Crockett, Louis Pasteur, Dwight Eisenhower, and John Paul Jones, which she co-wrote with her husband Arthur Alphin .... )	Beattie's Ford, North Carolina Iredell County, North Carolina Iredell County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 122,660. Its county seat is Statesville, North Carolina....	Cadet Private Company B	Killed in action
Jaqueline Beverly Stanard ‘67	Orange, Virginia	Cadet Private Company B	Killed in action
Joseph Christopher Wheelwright ‘67	Westmoreland County, Virginia Westmoreland County, Virginia Westmoreland County is a county located in the Northern Neck of the Commonwealth of Virginia, a U.S. state in the United States. As of the United States Census, 2000, the population was 16,718....	Cadet Private Company C	Died 18 days after the battle

The New Market Day ceremony is an annual observance held at VMI in front of the monument "Virginia Mourning Her Dead", a memorial to the New Market Corps. The names of all of the cadets in the Corps of 1864 are inscribed on the monument, and six of the ten cadets who died are buried at this site. The ceremony features the roll call of the names of the cadets who lost their lives at New Market, a custom that began in 1887. The name of each cadet who died is called, and a representative from the same company in today's Corps answers, "Died on the Field of Honor, Sir."

Battle of New Market

Background

Battle

VMI Casualties

See also

Further reading

External links