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In the spring of 1864, the fertile Shenendoah Valley
once again became a battleground. As part of General Ultsses S. Grant's grand strategy to grind down the Confederacy
with relentless multifront offensives, he was determined to take control of this vital region away from his hard-pressed
foe. Mastery of the Shenandoah Valley was critical to Grant's plans not only because the Valley was a rich breadbasket
for the South. But it also provided Confederaqte General Robert E. Lee's Army with an invasion route into the States
of Pennsylvania and Maryland. Also, the Valley lay on the flank of a Union advance on Richmond. An advance into
the Shenandoah would force Lee to further stretch his already thinned out forces to defend it.
The first Union attempt, led by the bumbling General
Fran Sigel, was turned back by Confederate General John Breckenridge's patchwork Rebel Army at New Market on Mat 15, 1864.
Breckenridge's departure to reinforce Lee, however, left the Valley open to Union depredations. On May 19, David
Hunter ordered the burning of farms and other property. The new, scorched-earth tactica compelled Lee to send in Jubal
Early's Corps to chase the Yankees out.
| Confederate 10 Pound Parrot Cannon |
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| WBritain 17669 |
General Early defeated General Huntern at Lynchburg on June 18, 1864, then invaded
Maryland. He defeated General Lew Wallace at Monocacy and advanced on Washington, turning back before the guns of Fort
Stevens.
| Confederate Infantry Advancing |
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| WBritain 17630 |
Shaken, on August 1, the Federals put Grant's personal choice, General Philip
H. Sheridan, in command of the Army of Shenandoah, with the orders "drive Early out of the Vally." In September
and October, Sheridan and Early clashed at Winchester, Fishers Hill and Lastly Ceder Creek on October 19, 1864.
| General William Tecunsch Sherman |
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| WBritain 00274 |
The Battle of Ceder Creek on October 19, 1864, placed the Valley in Federal Control.
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