New Market, Virginia
New Market
Battlefield
Site of the Battle of New Market · May 15, 1864
Walk preserved ground, follow the Confederate advance, and discover the people whose lives converged here during the Civil War.
“They Were Ready For Us” by Keith Rocco
The battle in brief
A Valley Town Caught in Battle
On May 15, 1864, Confederate forces commanded by Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge confronted Union troops under Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel at New Market. The Confederate victory halted the Union advance through the Valley and became especially remembered for the participation of 257 Virginia Military Institute cadets.
Today, visitors can follow the battle from the historic town onto preserved battlefield ground.
- Date
- May 15, 1864
- Result
- Confederate victory
- Commanders
- Franz Sigel · John C. Breckinridge
Plan your visit
Choose where to begin
Begin downtown, orient yourself at the battlefield museum, or start exploring immediately with the free New Market audio tour.
Strayer House Visitor Center
9386 S Congress Street
New Market, VA 22844
Begin in the historic town, get oriented, and understand how New Market connects to the battlefield and the wider Valley. Jackson’s Corner Cafe offers coffee, breakfast, and lunch.
Hours: Mon–Fri 8–4 · Sat 8–3 · Sun 11–3
New Market Battlefield Visitor Center & Museum
9500 George Collins Parkway
New Market, VA 22844
Explore the museum, then follow interpreted trails from Manor’s Hill across the preserved battlefield.
Hours: Mon–Sat 10–4 · Trails dawn to dusk
New Market Audio Tour
Free mobile tour
Begin wherever you are
Use stories, directions, photographs, and maps to explore the town and battlefield at your own pace.
Access: Open in a browser; no admission required
75–90 minutes · Museum orientation and a short walk from Manor’s Hill.
3 hours · Museum, River Road, Wharton’s Advance Trail, and audio-tour stops.
Explore the battlefield
Find your way through New Market
Use the interactive map to locate visitor centers, preserved ground, trails, and places connected to the battle.
The history
The Battle of New Market
May 15, 1864
On May 15, 1864, Union Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel advanced south toward Staunton, while Confederate Maj. Gen. John C. Breckinridge advanced from the south toward the town of New Market. Fighting opened with a morning artillery duel across rain-soaked fields. Near noon, Breckinridge ordered a general advance through New Market toward Bushong Farm, but heavy Federal fire stalled the attack and opened a gap in the Confederate center.
With no substantial reserve left, Breckinridge committed 257 VMI cadets. They advanced under artillery fire, helped close the line, and joined the renewed attack. New Market remains the only time in American history when the entire student body of a college fought in battle as an organized unit.
Disorganized Union infantry attacks and an ill-fated cavalry charge were repulsed with heavy losses. Shortly after 3 p.m., Breckinridge resumed his advance. Crossing the muddy field near the Bushong orchard, several VMI cadets lost their shoes, giving rise to the name “Field of Lost Shoes.” As the Confederate line closed in, Sigel’s infantry broke and his batteries withdrew, abandoning five cannons, including one captured by the cadets. Battery B of the 5th U.S. Artillery and other Union guns held the Confederates at bay while Sigel’s army withdrew. Union artillerymen then burned the bridge over the Shenandoah River, ending the Confederate pursuit.
Campaign context
The road to New Market
Two maps place the battle within the wider campaign before the story moves onto the battlefield itself.
Grant’s Plans for Virginia and West Virginia
New Market formed one part of the coordinated Union offensives designed to pressure the Confederacy across Virginia in the spring of 1864.
The Road to New Market
Sigel moved south through the Valley while Breckinridge marched north from Staunton. Their routes met at New Market on May 15.
The battle in maps
How the fighting unfolded
Follow the action chronologically from the opening cavalry encounter through the Union retreat.
View full mapMay 13, 1864
Cavalry Action
Two days before the main battle, mounted forces clashed east of New Market near Smith’s Creek and New Market Gap.
View full mapMid-morning · May 15
Opening Positions
Sigel deployed north of town while Breckinridge formed his smaller Confederate force on the hills to the south.
View full map1–2 p.m. · May 15
Advancing on River Road
The armies closed around New Market as Confederate infantry advanced and fighting widened toward River Road.
View full map2–3 p.m. · May 15
Attack and Counterattack
Union counterattacks struck the Confederate line before Breckinridge’s forces renewed their advance toward Bushong’s Hill.
View full map3–4 p.m. · May 15
Final Stages
The Confederate line pushed across the Bushong Farm and forced Sigel’s army to retreat north from the battlefield.
at New Market Battlefield
Preservation in action
Protecting the ground that tells the story
Preservation makes it possible to stand where history happened. At New Market, protected land connects visitors with the terrain, routes, farms, and views that shaped the battle.
Protect vulnerable landAcquire and safeguard important battlefield parcels.
Restore the landscapeCare for historic views, fields, trails, and battlefield features.
Share the storyCreate exhibits, markers, maps, and programs for the public.
Ready to explore
Plan your visit to New Market Battlefield
Choose a starting point, review directions, or open the self-guided audio tour.