New Market Battlefield, VA (6-23-09)
The following series of photos sets you in the footsteps of the cadets as they marched into battle that day...
Battle Statistics
United States of America
Commanding Officer: Major General Franz Sigel
Strength: 6,275
Casualties: 841 or 13.4%
Confederate States
Commanding Officer: Major General John C. Breckenridge
Strength: 4,087
Casualties: 531 or 13.0%
11:00 AM, May 15, 1864
The battle was joined near the site of the current visitors center. Here, Confederate soldiers began their attack against the Union lines to the north...
New Market Battlefield Site Map
The Confederate objective was the center of the Union lines atop Bushong's Hill (just out of the shot to the left). The VMI cadets advanced across this field towards the Bushong Farm...
12:30 PM, May 15, 1864
The town of New Market lies about a mile east of the battlefield and was cleared of Union forces by this time. The Union troops fell back to a stronger position atop Bushong's Hill...
The advancing infantry (cadet's included) were supported by a four gun battery marked by the cannon in this photo...
Bushong Farm
The advancing cadet's began to come under small arms fire as they approached the Bushong Farm. Here the cadets split briefly with each half passing the home to the right and left side before reforming on the opposite side...
Bushong Farm
The Bushong Farm was established in 1791 by Henry Bushong. It was later inhereted by his son, Jacob. By the time of the Civil War the farm encompassed 260 acres and included the main house and barn, the original farmhouse, a summer kitchen, an ice house, meat & loom house, blacksmith shop, wheelwright shop, and a hen house (all of which have been restored)...
Bushong Farm
The main house, built in 1825 by Jacob & Sarah Bushong. The cadets had to divide their ranks to pass the house while the nervous residents waited out the battle in the cellar...
Bushong Farm
Some of the Bushong Farmstead buildings. from left to right are the original 1818 farmhouse, the oven, the summer kitchen, and the ice house...
Located just to the north of the farmstead is this orchard where, in 1864, the VMI cadet's reformed their lines under withering Union fire from the nearby hill. The cadets were urged to move forward to the relative safety of a rail fence at the far side of the orchard...
As the cadets crossed the orchard they began to take casualties. One of the first was their commanding officer, Col. Scott Shipp, who fell wounded...
Along the fence at the north end of the orchard the cadets came into full view of the Union lines atop Bushong's Hill, seen here...
The eastern portion of the battlefield is accessible by a short tunnel under I-81. A nice path leads out to the impressive Pennsylvania monument seen here in the far distance to the left of center. The monument marks the position of the 54th Pennsylvania which found itself cutoff from the main Union line the afternoon of the 15th...
A zoomed shot of the Pennsylvania monument. Due to the lateness of the hour we simply didn't have the time to tour this portion of the field.
"The Field of Lost Shoes"
This unimposing wheat field had been soaked by three days of heavy rain before the battle so when hundreds of soldiers began to cross it on May 15, 1864 the field quickly turned into a muddy quagmire. Still under heavy fire from the hill ahead, the cadets had little time to retrieve lost footwear and many continued the attack barefoot...
I'm a wildflower buff as well as a history buff and I spotted this slightly rough-looking beauty crossing the "Field of Lost Shoes." As soon as I I.D. it I'll let you know...
As the cadets crested the hill the retreating Union forces left a battery of their cannon unprotected and the cannoneers were forced to abandon one to the oncoming Confederates. The VMI cadets were more than happy to relieve the Union of one of their guns...
A close-up of a replica of the Union cannon captured by the victorious VMI cadets during the battle...
The Union line extended from this point, where the cadets overran the Union artillery battery, to the top of the rise pictured here. At the time the cadets reached this point, however, the Confederate battle line had pushed the Union troops back at all points...
A look at the battle ground from the perspective of the Union defenders. The entire route of the VMI cadet advance can be seen from here...from where they first set foot on the battlefield near the visitors center in the center-right distance, to the Bushong Farm left of center, to the infamous Field of Lost Shoes in the foreground...
The VMI Cadet Corps lost 10 men during, and as a result of, the battle. The headstones of the brave men are displayed in front of the visitors center.
One of the major causes for a battle taking place at New Market is pictured here...the gap in Massanutten Mountain that gives quick access to the eastern half of the Shenandoah Valley. Without control of this gap the Union forces faced a 40-mile detour to reach the far side...
The Union west flank rested against this steep cliff overlooking the Shenandoah River. The park maintains a couple of nice overlooks which treats visitors to amazing views of the now peaceful Shenandoah Valley...