Chapter 1 : Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War Shenandoah Valley. Shenandoah Valley during the Civil War. Contributed by Paul Christopher Anderson. The Shenandoah Valley in western Virginia stretches about miles north to south between the Allegheny Mountains on the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains on the east. This is a mirthful, but historically supported overview of the nascent days and lives in this area in the 18th century. Robert Mitchell in studied appraisements in the earliest land records in this region and concluded all the counties in the Shenandoah Valley each had some basic ethnic break-down of Scot-Irish and German, except for our area which was added to by Tidewater English and enslaved Africans, because of the presence of Lord Thomas Fairfax and the unusually fertile farmland and other resources. A laboratory in Eden. And so, they come by ship. Who were the four? You are being stolen from the Promised Land. And the hope you that cast forward in your mind is: You live in the Palatinate. And a French Catholic king is burning your barns saying: You gotta be Catholic. My background is English and German. Sergeant York, a little further south. Every morning we see trucks going over the mountain from Berkeley Springs. We have friends who do it. And, you know, this cowboy carpenter. They were master carpenters. And they hunt with bow. I hunt with bow. You live in the backcountry. And you work on it for thirty years â to And he the nobleman-ed says: They had an attitude â well they always had an attitude â but Scotch-Irish: A lot of of places have three out of four. We all had a high school teacher that made us not like history. Maybe one or two. The whole point is group number four. Now we get the Washingtons. Group number four that made us special is what they called the Tidewater English: Two hundred cabins in the middle of the boonies with the threat of native American attack?!! You have to go monitor the situation. He was something like a father figure for George. They got to know the Fairfaxes by marriage, and young George, who was a lifelong learner but not formerly schooled very much. The whole point is Fairfax came here, and with him pulled a whole flock of these Anglican Tidewater plantation folks: So they come up here, and they make it, shall we say, interesting â General Gates, General Lee, and the Washingtons. Page 1
Chapter 2 : Valley Campaigns of - Wikipedia The Lower Shenandoah Valley in the Civil War: The Impact of War Upon the Civilian Population and Upon Civil Institutions [Edward H. Phillips] on blog.quintoapp.com *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Passionately preserved battlefields, museums small and large, colorful re-enactments and year-round special events honor those who fought and fell during that terrible conflict. In, when Belle Boyd was 17, she shot a Union soldier who cursed at her mother while he was searching the Boyd home for Confederate flags. Afterwards, Boyd became a notable spy for the Confederates. Armory and Arsenal held by John Brown and his men in Civil War sites like the Kernstown Battlefield abound in and around Winchester. This Virginia and National Historic Landmark was used as headquarters by Jackson during the winter of The house contains a large collection of Jackson memorabilia. Guided and self-guided tours, and interpretive ranger programs enhance this battlefield experience. Belle Grove is one of the outstanding historic mansions in the region. At its peak, the plantation property spanned 7, acres. This National Historic Landmark now serves as an educational center through the many interpretive programs it offers. Its priorities are to stimulate historical and preservation awareness among regional residents and visitors. Home to The Newtown History Center, one of many small museums in the Valley that do an exceptional job of preserving local history. The Virginia Museum of the Civil War, historic Bushong Farm, and a self-guided, acre battlefield tour transport you to the Battle of New Market, fought just outside the museum and farm on May 15, Museum exhibits include Civil War art, firearms, and artifacts from the battle. More than VMI cadets fought in this battle, many losing their shoes in the mud, an area now called the Field of Lost Shoes. A sensible place to start is the Civil War Orientation Center. Just outside Harrisonburg travelers can find The Heritage Museum. Other periods of local history are represented as well. Find more sites in and around Harrisonburg here. An iconic area in Civil War history. Lee and Stonewall Jackson are buried here. The origins of the th Infantry Regiment go back to the early s, when it was part of the Colonial Virginia Militia. Virtually all Virginia tourists have stopped to read interpretive signs at major and minor Civil War sites, put there by Civil War Trails. In the Valley, many of these plus informative signs can be seen along Routes 11 and, among others. Brown Travel Guide Get a copy of our travel guide, with all the best places the Shenandoah Valley has to offer. Page 2
Chapter 3 : GMT Games - Death Valley: Battles for the Shenandoah [Map of the lower Shenandoah Valley, Virginia] Shows the Shenandoah Valley from the Potomac to the north to Front Royal and Strasburg to the south, including roads, drainage, railroads, and names of residents. Relief shown by shading. When, after months of stalling, the delegates finally voted to secede on April 17,, most Shenandoah Valley residentsâ opposed to secession until that pointâ became caught up in the fever for war and enthusiastically supported the new Confederate States of America. Martinsburg, however, stubbornly remained Unionist, largely because the U. On May 23, the date set aside for a statewide referendum on secession, residents staged a public protest of secession and the Confederate presence. Tensions became so heated that the Confederate commander, Colonel Thomas J. Jackson, dispatched additional troops to Martinsburg from Harpers Ferry to quell any violence. In the meantime, Martinsburg residents voted three-to-one against secession that dayâ the only locale in the Shenandoah Valley to oppose secession during the referendum. In addition to the tracks, the Confederates destroyed the round house, various railroad buildings, fifty-six locomotives, and at least cars. Thirteen locomotives were spared by Jackson and seized for use by the Confederacy. She was cleared of any wrongdoing, but the incident may have inspired her to begin a long and legendary career in espionage. Numerous skirmishes and two battles were fought in the area, and its buildings served as makeshift hospitals at various times for both armies. The first battle, fought on June 14,, was part of the Gettysburg Campaign. The second battle, fought on July 25,, was part of Confederate general Jubal A. Less than two months later, on September 18, Martinsburg changed hands for the last time as Union general Philip H. Thirty-two of the "no" votes come from trans-allegheny delegates, who are more firmly Unionist than representatives from other parts of the state. Berkeley County and the town of Martinsburg are the only locales in the Shenandoah Valley to vote against secession. Jackson sends troops to Martinsburg from Harpers Ferry to quiet Unionist protesters. June 20, - Confederate troops under Colonel Thomas J. Jackson enter Martinsburg and begin destroying railroad line, locomotives, and associated buildings. July 4, - Confederate sympathizer Belle Boyd, a Martinsburg resident, is arrested for shooting and killing a Union soldier whom she claims insulted her mother. A Union inquiry into the incident finds that her actions were justified and she is cleared of any wrongdoing. Martinsburg will remain in Confederate hands until March 2, March 3, - Union forces under General Nathaniel P. As a result, Union soldiers evacuate Martinsburg. September 18, - Following the Battle of Antietam in Maryland and the subsequent Confederate retreat south, Martinsburg is transformed into a makeshift hospital for use by the Army of Northern Virginia. January 1, - Abraham Lincoln issues the Emancipation Proclamation, declaring free all slaves in Confederate-controlled regions and authorizing the enlistment of black men in the Union army. June 14, - The First Battle of Martinsburg is fought. July 15, - Approximately 4, Union soldiers, captured during the Gettysburg Campaign, are marched through Martinsburg by the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia. July 23, â July 2, - Union forces occupy Martinsburg. The town remains in Union hands until July 2, July 3, - Confederate troops under General John B. Confederate forces under General John C. Breckinridge win a victory and seize Martinsburg. August 8, - Union forces under General William W. August 18, - Union cavalry are driven from Martinsburg and Confederates occupy the city. August 21, - Martinsburg changes hands between Union and Confederate forces three times in a single day. Confederates begin and end the day in control of the city. September 1, - Union forces under General William W. September 18, - Confederate forces under General John B. Gordon occupy Martinsburg but later that day are driven out by Union general Philip H. Martinsburg remains in Union hands for the remainder of the Civil War. Page 3
Chapter 4 : Shenandoah Valley Campaigns - HISTORY Valley Campaign. In the years preceding the war Jackson had made his home in Lexington, VA and developed a deep connection to the Shenandoah Valley and the mountains surrounding it. Eight full battles are included. Stonewall Jackson engaged and defeated the Union forces pursuing him. Greatly outnumbered and at times facing three Union armies, Jackson defeated them all within ten weeks, at one point completely freeing the Shenandoah Valley of Union forces. There was no resistance from the Confederates under General Thomas Stonewall Jackson, a hero of Bull Run, then in his first independent command. But Jackson was ordered to keep the Union troops in the Valley from joining forces with those threatening Richmond. After receiving reports that only a rear guard remained south of Winchester, he attacked. Winchester, May 25, After Kernstown General Banks led a newly reinforced and newly named army of the Department of the Shenandoah in pursuit of Jackson. During that time Jackson defeated a Union force threatening his left flank at McDowell and joined forces with the two Confederate brigades defending the mountain passes there. Jackson then turned on Banks. Uniting with another Confederate division under General Richard Ewell, Jackson outflanked Banks at Front Royal and threatened to cut his supply line, starting a race for Winchester. Banks reached the town first and set up a defense south of the town. He had to buy time for the Union supply train to escape. A rain-swollen Shenandoah River separated the Union forces. Jackson engaged both on successive days to end the Valley Campaign. Grant devised a plan to attack the Confederacy on multiple fronts simultaneously. The Confederates were able to scrape together men by including county reservists and the cadets from Virginia Military Institute. Lee could space no reinforcements. After the lead Union forces occupied New Market, Breckinridge attacked. Tasked with tying up as many Union troops as possible, Early turned to attack upon learning that he faced only one Union corps. Even though Sheridan commanded a superior force, he remained on the defensive, behavior Early mistook for timidity. Early wrote that it was the only place in the Valley to make a stand. Sheridan saw that a frontal attack was not practical, but was determined to finish what he started at Winchester and push the Confederates out of the valley. Early, reinforced with a division under General Joseph Kershaw, tentatively pursued. After studying the Union positions, a plan was devised for a surprise attack on the exposed Union left flank. Outnumbered by 3 to 1, the Confederates launched what initially looked to be one of the most successful attacks of the war. Under GMT, the rules system has remained stable, but has shown remarkable flexibility to allow each game to smoothly incorporate additional rules to reflect the historical battles. The series relies on interactive chit-pull mechanics to simulate the oftentimes-chaotic nature of the 19th Century battlefield at the regimental level. They range from division level contests on half sized maps to two map battles between armies. Experienced players will be able to play many of the scenarios in one sitting. The rules compare the development of the cavalry, and the changes in infantry and artillery organization and tactics in and Page 4
Chapter 5 : CIVIL WAR SITES IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY OF VIRGINIA Memories of the Civil War are rife throughout the Shenandoah Valley. There are even eight counties in the Valley that have been Congressionally designated as a National Heritage Area - the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District-an effort led by the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (), which works with partners to preserve and advance interest [ ]. Etymology[ edit ] The word Shenandoah is of unknown Native American origin. It has been described as being derived from the Anglicization of Native American terms, resulting in words such as Gerando, Gerundo, Genantua, Shendo and Sherando. The meaning of these words is of some question. The most popular, romanticized belief is that the name comes from a Native American expression for "Beautiful Daughter of the Stars". Opechancanough liked the interior country so much that he sent his son Sheewa-a-nee from the Tidewater with a large party to colonize the valley. Sheewa-a-nee drove Sherando back to his former territory near the Great Lakes. According to tradition, another branch of Iroquoians, the Senedo, lived in present-day Shenandoah County. They were exterminated by "Southern Indians" Catawba or Cherokee before the arrival of white settlers. Throughout the war, Chief Skenandoa of the Oneida, an Iroquois nation based in New York, persuaded many of the tribe to side with the colonials against the British. Four Iroquois nations became British allies, and caused many fatalities and damage in the frontier settlements west of Albany. Skenandoa led warriors against the British and Iroquois allies. According to Oneida oral tradition, during the harsh winter of â at Valley Forge, where the colonials suffered, Chief Skenando provided aid to the soldiers. The Oneida delivered bushels of dry corn to the troops to help them survive. Polly Cooper, an Oneida woman, stayed some time with the troops to teach them how to cook the corn properly and care for the sick. General Washington gave her a shawl in thanks, which is displayed at Shako: Many Oneida believe that after the war, George Washington named the Shenandoah River and valley after his ally. Settlers did not immediately follow, but someone who heard the reports and later became the first permanent settler in the Valley was Adam Miller Mueller, who in staked out claims on the south fork of the Shenandoah River, near the line that now divides Rockingham County from Page County. Known native settlements within the Valley were few, but included the Shawnee occupying the region around Winchester, and Tuscarora around what is now Martinsburg, West Virginia. In the late s and s, Quakers and Mennonites began to move in from Pennsylvania. They were tolerated by the natives, while " Long Knives " English settlers from coastal Virginia colony were less welcomed. During these same decades, the valley route continued to be used by war parties of Seneca Iroquois and Lenape en route from New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey to attack the distant Catawba in the Carolinas, with whom they were at war. The Catawba in turn pursued the war parties northward, often overtaking them by the time they reached the Potomac. Several fierce battles were fought among the warring nations in the Valley region, as attested by the earliest European-American settlers. The Valley Turnpike Company improved the road by paving it with macadam prior to the Civil War and set up toll gates to collect fees to pay for the improvements. After the advent of motor vehicles, the road was refined and paved appropriately for their use. In the 20th century, the road was acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia, which incorporated it into the state highway system as U. For much of its length, the newer Interstate 81, constructed in the s, parallels the old Valley Pike. Along with the first German settlers, known as "Shenandoah Deitsch ", many Scotch-Irish immigrants came south in the s from Pennsylvania into the valley, via the Potomac River. The Scotch-Irish comprised the largest group of non-english immigrants from the British Isles before the Revolutionary War, and most migrated into the backcountry of the South. Governor Spotswood had arranged the Treaty of Albany with the Iroquois Six Nations in, whereby they had agreed not to come east of the Blue Ridge in their raiding parties on tribes farther to the South. In, the Iroquois began to object, claiming that they still legally owned the land to the west of the Blue Ridge; this led to a skirmish with Valley settlers in The Iroquois were on the verge of declaring war on the Virginia Colony as a result, when Governor Gooch paid them the sum of pounds sterling for any settled land in the Valley that was claimed by them. The following year at the Treaty of Lancaster, the Iroquois sold all their remaining claim to the Valley for pounds Page 5
in gold. Because of its strategic importance it was the scene of three major campaigns. The first was the Valley Campaign of, in which Confederate General Stonewall Jackson defended the valley against three numerically superior Union armies. The final two were the Valley Campaigns of First, in the summer of, Confederate General Jubal Early cleared the valley of its Union occupiers and then proceeded to raid Maryland, Pennsylvania, and D. Then during the autumn, Union General Philip Sheridan was sent to drive Early from the valley and once-and-for-all destroy its use to the Confederates by putting it to the torch using scorched-earth tactics. Chapter 6 : Winchester: Occupied Winchester â Shenandoah at War The Shenandoah Valley was known as the breadbasket of the Confederacy during the Civil War and was seen as a backdoor for Confederate raids on Maryland, Washington, and Pennsylvania. Because of its strategic importance it was the scene of three major campaigns. Chapter 7 : The Valley's Civil War History - Visit Shenandoah During the American Civil War (), Virginia's Shenandoah Valley saw a series of military clashes as Union and Confederate forces attempted to gain control of the area. Chapter 8 : Shenandoah Valley During the Civil War Shows the Shenandoah Valley from the Potomac to the north to Front Royal and Strasburg to the south, including roads, drainage, railroads, and names of residents. Relief shown by shading. Title derived from Stephenson's Civil War maps, Chapter 9 : Shenandoah at War The Valley Campaigns of were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October While some military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, they interacted in several ways, so this article considers all three together. Page 6