Battle of New Market
Battle of New Market
The Battle of New Market happened on May 15, 1864, in Shenandoah County, Virginia. It was part of the Civil War’s Valley Campaigns of 1864. A Confederate army of about 4,100 men under General John C. Breckinridge attacked a larger Union force of around 6,300 led by Major General Franz Sigel. The Confederates won the battle and slowed Union plans to capture Staunton.
A notable moment was the use of cadets from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) as an organized fighting unit. The cadets, many around 18 years old and some as young as 15, fought with Breckinridge’s troops. The field where they fought came to be known as the Field of Lost Shoes after cadets lost their shoes in the mud.
Casualties and aftermath: The Union suffered about 841 casualties (killed, wounded, or missing), while the Confederates had about 520. Sigel’s forces retreated to Mount Jackson. The Confederate victory helped Breckinridge restock and continue operations in the valley, and Union command soon replaced Sigel with General David Hunter.
Memorials and preservation: The battle is remembered at the Virginia Military Institute with the annual New Market Day ceremony, including a roll call of cadets who died. The battlefield is preserved as the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park, with additional preservation efforts by the Civil War Trust. The event has been depicted in films and books, such as Field of Lost Shoes.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:32 (CET).