New Market (VA110)
May 15, 1864
Description:
The Battle of New Market took place along the Valley Pike (modern US Route 11) around the town of New Market in southern Shenandoah County. Long and open, this area undulates over low rises and shallow swales, but the core fighting took place on the high ground west of the pike. Today, I-81 cuts through the battlefield, and some lands have been developed with the expansion of New Market. Other lands like the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park are protected for commemoration.
Portions of the landscape have been altered, but most essential features remain. The planned widening of I-81, if not designed by preservation advocates and transportation planners to avoid or minimize impacts, will destroy portions of the battlefield landscape.
Study Area (including Core Area)
5,929
Core Area
2,261
Historical Designation:
New Market Battlefield Park--National Register of Historic Places (1970)
New Market Historic District--National Register of Historic Places (1972)
Preservation Challenges:
Development Pressure
I-81 Expansion
Preservation Planning:
No preservation plan in place.
Significance:
Sigel’s defeat resulted in his relief of command and replacement by Gen. David Hunter. The Battle of New Market was one of the last major Confederate victories in the Shenandoah Valley and was the only instance in American history where a student body—the VMI Corps of Cadets—participated in a pitched battle. At the center of the Confederate line, the young cadets were steady under fire and exhibited impressive valor on the field.
Visitor Information:
Virginia Museum of the Civil War
New Market Battlefield State Historical Park
8895 Georg Collins Parkway, New Market, Virginia 22844
1-866-515-1864
Self-Guided Tours: A podcast tour of the Battle of New Market is available at civilwartraveler.com/audio
