Another Ride into History

To the north runs the Potomac River and to the South the James.  To the east, the Blue Ridge Mountains and to the west, a section of the Appalachians known as The Ridge.  In between lay the fertile and historic Shenandoah Valley.   The valley includes eastern West Virginia and western Virginia.

This month, the longest continually held battle reenactment takes place in the Shenandoah Valley.   The 149^th anniversary of the Battle of New Market will occur on the original battleground, a National Historic Park.  The Battle of New Market in May of 1864 was one of the few defeats suffered by the Union forces under Gen. U.S. Grant.   Grant took note of the strategic importance of the Shenandoah and moved men and equipment into the valley under the command of the relatively unknown Gen. Franz Sigel.  The valley, Grant planned, would serve as a staging point for a drive to Richmond, the Confederate capital.  One town stood out in Grant’s mind as the key to the Shenandoah: Staunton, Virginia.

By 1864 the Southern forces under Gen. Robert E. Lee were in dire straits.  A series of crushing defeats since Gettysburg in the summer of 1863 had left Lee’s forces demoralized and depleted.  Lee’s adjutant in the Shenandoah was Gen. John C. Breckinridge.  Lee’s charge for Breckinridge was to keep the Yankees away from Richmond.  The Union forces in the Shenandoah must be contained.   In early May Breckinridge’s scouts reported that Union forces were moving through the valley in force.  The Confederate general was ill-prepared, he hadn’t the munitions nor the men to fend off the Yankees.  What he did have, 84 miles away, was the Virginia Military Institute.

Founded in 1839 with the motto “Faithful to Virginia,” VMI is the oldest state-supported military college in the U.S.  The VMI cadets made their bones at New Market but it wasn't their only engagement, the institution was called on to fight in nearly 15 battles during the Civil War.  VMI officers were regarded as the finest in the Confederacy.  When Breckinridge called, the young men of VMI responded, marching the 84 miles to the New Market battlefield.  It was originally planned to hold the 257 VMI men in reserve.  When the Union forces began to break the rebel lines Breckinridge called on the young troops: "Put the boys in and may God forgive me for the order.”

The men from VMI charged into the fray, stabilized the line, and pushed the Yankees back.  Stunned, the reserve Union lines fell into disarray.  The Federals with drew.  Breckinridge held the Shenandoah.  Ten cadets were killed in action and were later buried on the VMI campus.  The Union army never reached Staunton.

A bike ride of this uniquely American history is a breathtaking trip through some of the East Coast's most scenic lands.  From the campus of VMI in Lexington to the town of Staunton it is roughly 45 miles and the entire route can be ridden on VA HWY 252.  The ghosts of the Shenandoah can be felt behind each tree and every fence post. 

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