On May 15, 1864, Union Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel’s advance south through the Shenandoah Valley met a hastily assembled Confederate force commanded by Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge at New Market.
Breckinridge seized the initiative and attacked, eventually breaking the Union position and forcing Sigel’s army to retreat north. Among the Confederate ranks were 257 cadets from the Virginia Military Institute, whose participation became the battle’s most remembered story.
Follow the movements that brought the armies together at New Market, shaped the fighting across the battlefield, and sent Sigel’s army retreating north.
Opening Positions: Mid-morning
Attack and Counterattack: 2pm - 3pm
Final Stages: 3pm - 4pm
Advancing on River Road: 1pm - 2pm
