In May of 1864 Union Genral Franz Sigel led 6,200 Federal troops south up the Shenandoah Valley. Moving to stop him was Confederate General and former Vice President John C. Breckinridge with a small 4,000 man army reinforced by the Corps of Cadets of the Virginia Military Institute. The two forces met on May 15 outside New Market, Virginia. The battle was going against Breckenridge when he reluctently committed the VMI cadets, whose charge collapsed the Union line, ending Sigel’s invasion and his military career.

Thanks to the generousity of George Collins (VMI Class of 1911), much of the battlefield is preserved today in the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park.

54th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment monument
Battle of New Market A28 Virginia historical marker
Baptism of Fire
Battle of New Market wayside marker
Battle of New Market Circle Tour markers
Battle of New Market monument
Bloody Cedars wayside marker
The Bushong Farm
Died on the Field of Honor
Goodbye Lieutenant I Am Killed wayside marker
Heroism in Defeat wayside marker
This Rustic Pile