Every once in a while, you have these odd circumstances that cause a last-second change of plans, leading you to discover something interesting that you would never have seen otherwise. As I noted, the Hampton Inn was full, so we stayed at the Marriott Courtyard. The Courtyard does not offer the continental breakfast of the Hampton, and no offense to the in-hotel restaurant, but I'd rather eat at a local place than a hotel restaurant.

I saw an IHOP on the drive in, and sure enough, I got a craving for pancakes. The plan was to get up early, get pancakes, and then head up to New Market, tour the battlefield, and then head to Luray Caverns. That's the plan.

The reality was that we read too far into the night and got up late. Well, we jettisoned the idea of IHOP and pancakes, and simply headed northward up I-81 to New Market. The interesting part comes later. Bear with me.

New Market Battlefield

The battlefield is off I-81 at exit 264. Indeed, I-81 cuts through the battlefield, which evidently had more appeal in the mid 1960s as a fast highway than preserved battlefield. Signs show the way, and minutes after exiting the interstate, we pulled into the parking lot. Note that there are three battlefield attractions here: the actual battlefield, the Hall of Valor museum run by Virginia Military Institute, and another museum, the New Market Battlefield Military Museum on the same road and virtually next door to the VMI site. We had planned to visit all three.

Sadly, the New Market Battlefield Military Museum, which you pass on the way to the VMI site, was closed the day we arrived, September 13. Perhaps it had something to do with 9/11, perhaps not. In any case, we passed by.

The centerpiece of VMI's effort is the Hall of Valor, a museum that first opened in 1970 on 160 acres of battlefield land donated by George R. Collins, a 1911 graduate of VMI. This included the Bushong Farm, a central spot in the battle, and in 1967, the temporary visitor center for the park.

You might ask why VMI is so interested in this one battle. Well, if Gettysburg had Pickett's Charge, New Market had the VMI Cadets' Charge across the "Field of Lost Shoes." Tactically, this charge worked out better for the South.

The $8 admission ticket gets you into the Hall, allows you to walk around the battlefield (remember, this is a private facility and thus, private property), and into the theater for two movies: one on the VMI cadets and one on Stonewall Jackson's Valley Campaigns. We didn't see the latter, but we did catch the former.

Overview of the Battle

Union Gen. Sigel advanced down the Valley in May 1864 with about 9000 troops, to be faced by Confederate Gen. Breckinridge and 5000 troops. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Breckinridge sent word to VMI that any cadets it could spare would be appreciated. 257 cadets responded and marched for several days to join Breckinridge. Breckinridge had no intention of putting them in the front line, and kept them in reserve.

However, Sigel did not attack, believing there to be more Confederates than there really was. So, Breckinridge advanced and pushed through New Market, with more troops to the west of the town than east. At some point, the Confederate line developed gaps, and Breckinridge tossed in the VMI cadets to fill the hole. As the Confederate line advanced, the VMI cadets advanced along with it, though remaining in the second line.

The Bushong Farm was in their way, and two of the four VMI companies went to the left, and two to the right, meeting at the other end and reforming. As the Confederates advanced and hit the Union line, the Union troops crumbled and began to run away. In the pursuit, the Confederates hit the second Union line, but were repulsed, especially recoiling from accurate artillery fire. Sigel brought up his reserve and counterattacked. The Confederate line was thin in the center, and the only reserve left was the VMI unit. Breckinridge reluctantly put it in the firing line. There was nothing left.

The cadets helped repulse the charge in the center. On the right, the Federal's flank was about to be turned by the Confederate counterattack. As the Union withdrew, the cadets joined the rest of the line in a wild charge over a field so muddy, it sucked the shoes off of many a soldier, thus becoming the "Field of Lost Shoes."

The Union force retreated, but both sides were exhausted by the 9-hour battle. In the end, 57 cadets were casualties: 5 died in combat, 5 died later of wounds, and the rest wounded.

More Battle of New Market: 1864

Introduction
The Museum
The Battlefield Tour
The Battle in Detail
The Town of New Market

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