Strasburg, Virginia
Fisher’s Hill Battlefield
The Gibraltar of the Valley · September 21–22, 1864
Walk the heights where Philip Sheridan used maneuver and surprise to turn Jubal Early’s seemingly formidable position and open the upper Shenandoah Valley to Union forces.
Crook’s Union soldiers attack down Fisher’s Hill as Confederate cavalry occupies the foreground · Sketch by J. E. Taylor
The battle at a glance
A Strong Position Turned by Surprise
Three days after Third Winchester, Jubal Early made his stand across a four-mile front between Little North Mountain and Massanutten Mountain.
Early’s weakened army could not fully hold the line. While the VI and XIX Corps pressed the Confederate front, George Crook’s VIII Corps moved unseen around the western flank. Its late-afternoon attack broke the Confederate left and forced a rapid retreat south.
- Result
- Union victory
- Forces engaged
- About 38,900
- Estimated casualties
- 1,763 total
Plan your visit
Choose Where to Begin
Begin with local orientation in Strasburg, walk the preserved ground at Ramseur’s Hill, or use the free driving-tour guide to connect the battlefield’s principal sites.
Strasburg Visitor and Information Center
33229 Old Valley Pike
Strasburg, VA 22657
Start with local and regional orientation, the Strasburg Museum at Hupp’s Hill, visitor information, a gift shop, picnic tables, and three short trail options.
Hours: 10 a.m.–4 p.m. daily · Phone: 540-465-5884 · Public restrooms
Ramseur’s Hill Battlefield Park
1864 Battlefield Road
Strasburg, VA 22657
Walk the preserved ground held by Stephen D. Ramseur’s Confederate division during the Union attacks. The interpreted route crosses hilly, sometimes rough terrain.
Hours: Dawn to dusk · One-mile walking route · Free admission
Battle of Fisher’s Hill Driving Tour
Four battlefield stops
Allow at least 35 minutes
Follow a free route across the battlefield and connect the Confederate position, the Union approach, Crook’s flank attack, and the retreat toward Strasburg and Woodstock.
Driving time excludes stops · Includes a one-mile battlefield walk · Download before arriving
Before you go: Visitor-center hours and services can change seasonally. Ramseur’s Hill is open dawn to dusk; wear sturdy shoes and allow extra time for uneven ground.
The history
The Battle of Fisher’s Hill
September 21–22, 1864
- Union strength
- 29,444
- Confederate strength
- 9,500
- Union casualties
- 528
- Confederate casualties
- 1,235
After the Confederate defeat at the Third Battle of Winchester, Jubal Early withdrew south of Strasburg to Fisher’s Hill—a naturally strong position long called the “Gibraltar of the Valley.”
The heights narrowed the Valley to about four miles between Little North Mountain and Massanutten Mountain. Yet Early’s army, weakened by casualties and detachments, was too small to hold the entire front securely.
Philip Sheridan rejected a costly direct assault. Instead, George Crook proposed moving the VIII Corps out of sight along the western edge of the battlefield, climbing Little North Mountain, and striking the exposed Confederate left. The VI and XIX Corps would keep Early’s attention fixed on the front.
On the afternoon of September 22, Crook’s concealed columns burst from the wooded slopes. Confederate cavalry under Lunsford Lomax gave way, Ramseur’s infantry was struck in flank, and pressure from the Federal front turned the withdrawal into a general collapse. Early’s army retreated south through the night.
The victory opened the upper Valley to Sheridan. Federal forces soon began “The Burning,” a campaign intended to deny the Confederacy the Valley’s agricultural resources.
How the battle unfolded
Maneuver, Surprise, and Collapse
Follow the action chronologically through the terrain that shaped Sheridan’s plan and Early’s defeat.
- September 20
Early Takes Position
After Third Winchester, Early’s army occupies Fisher’s Hill with its right near Massanutten Mountain and its left extending toward Little North Mountain.
- September 21
The Federals Close In
Elements of the VI Corps seize Flint Hill north of Tumbling Run, while the Federal army probes and demonstrates against the Confederate front.
- Morning–2 p.m.
Crook Moves Unseen
Screened by darkness, woods, and the western ridges, Crook’s VIII Corps marches toward Little North Mountain and climbs into position beyond Early’s left.
- About 4 p.m.
The Flank Attack Begins
Crook’s two divisions surge from the wooded slopes. Lomax’s cavalry fails to stop the advance, exposing Ramseur’s infantry to attack from the side.
- Late afternoon
The Line Collapses
The VI and XIX Corps press forward as Crook rolls up the Confederate position from west to east. Early orders a retreat through the Valley.
- Nightfall
Early Retreats South
Union troops pursue the battered Confederate army toward Woodstock, leaving Fisher’s Hill in Federal hands and opening the upper Valley.
Across the Fisher’s Hill battlefield
Preservation in action
Protecting the Gibraltar of the Valley
The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation and its partners have preserved 970 acres at Fisher’s Hill, protecting key portions of the Confederate position, Crook’s approach, battlefield views, and public access.
Preserved ground interprets the Confederate line and the Federal attacks that broke it.
Open fields, wooded slopes, ridges, and mountain gaps still reveal why maneuver decided the battle.
Ready to explore
Plan Your Visit to Fisher’s Hill Battlefield
Begin in Strasburg, walk Ramseur’s Hill, or follow the free driving tour across the battlefield.