Part of a series of articles titled The War Consumed Everything.
Article
War Comes to the Valley
Library of Congress
"The war consumed everything and the simple everyday task of feeding one's family became troublesome, as food shortages were commonplace and the few supplies that can be found demanded a higher price."
Julia Chase
Although most Shenandoah Valley residents favored remaining in the Union, once Abraham Lincoln called for troops against the seceded Southern states, people opted to support their state. Virginia's westernmost counties stayed in the Union to form a new state, while most of the Shenandoah Valley went with the rest of Virginia to the Confederacy. The Valley's strategic geography made it a major theater of the Civil War, witnessing hundreds of skirmishes and engagements, including twenty battles.
Timeline
Civil War battles, movements, and other actions in the Shenandoah Valley
January 1, 1862
Confederate Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson begins winter campaign in Winchester, Virginia.
January 3-5, 1862
Skirmishes at Bath and Hancock
January 10, 1862
Confederates reach Romney (present day West Virginia).
January 23-30, 1862
Jackson's Army returns to Winchester.
February 7, 1862
Federal forces reoccupy Romney.
February 24-26, 1862
US Maj. Gen. Nathaniel P. Banks Army cross the Potomac River into Virginia.
March 11,1862
Jackson evacuates Winchester.
March 12, 1862
Banks occupies Winchester.
March 18
Skirmish at Middletown
March 23
First Battle of Kernstown; first battle of Jackson's 1862 Valley Campaign
Forces Engaged: 12,300 total (US 8,500; CS 3,800)
Estimated Casualties: 1,308 total (US 590; CS 718)
Result: Federal Victory
April 30
Confederate Gen. Richard S. Ewell's division crosses the Blue Ridge at Swift Run Gap into the Shenandoah Valley.
May 3
Jackson's army departs the Valley via Brown's Gap.
May 4
Jackson returns his army to the Valley by rail, from Mechum's River Station via Rockfish Gap to Staunton.
May 8
Forces Engaged: 12,500 total (US 6,500; CS 3,000)
Result: Confederate Victory
May 23
Forces Engaged: 4,063 total (US 1,063; CS 3,000)
Estimated Casualties: 960 total (US 904; CS 56)
Result: Confederate Victory
May 25
Forces Engaged: 22,500 total (US 6,500; CS 16,000)
Estimated Casualties: 2,419 total (US 2,019; CS 400)
Result: Confederate Victory
May 29-30
Jackson demonstrates against Harper's Ferry.
May 31
Jackson's army marches through Winchester.
June 6
Skirmish near Harrisonburg, Brig. Gen. Turner Ashby killed in action.
June 8
Forces Engaged: 17,300 total (US 11,500; CS 5,800)
Estimated Casualties: 951 total (US 664; CS 287)
Result: Confederate Victory
June 9
Forces Engaged: 9,500 total (US 3,500; CS 6,000)
Estimated Casualties: 1,818 total (US 1,002; CS 816)
Result: Confederate Victory
June 17
Jackson leaves the Valley for Richmond, Virginia.
September 11
Part of the Maryland Campaign that included the Battle of Antietam
Jackson with three divisions crosses the Potomac back into Virginia from Williamsport, Maryland. Brig. Gen. Julius White's Federal garrison at Martinsburg retreats to Harper's Ferry.
September 12-15
Siege of Harper's Ferry
Forces Engaged: 36,900 total (US 14,000; CS 22,900)
Estimated Casualties: 12,922 total (US 12,636; CS 286)
Result: Confederate Victory, Federal surrender
September 19-20
Battle of Sheperdstown
Forces Engaged: (US 2,000)
Estimated Casualties: 654 total (US 363; CS 291)
Result: Confederate Victory
January 1
President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation. US Gen. Robert Milroy occupies Winchester.
June 13-15
Second Battle of Winchester; part of Confederate advance during the Gettysburg Campaign
Forces Engaged: 19,500 total (US 7,000; CS 12,500)
Estimated Casualties: 4,709 total (US 4,443; CS 266)
Result: Confederate Victory
Federals leave Winchester.
June 15
Ewell's Second Corps crosses the Potomac River northward at Williamsport, Md. and Shepherdstown, W.V.
June 24
Hill's Third Corps crosses the Potomac River at Boteler's Ford (Shepherdstown, W.V.).
June 25
Longstreet's First Corps crosses the Potomac River at Williamsport, Md.
July 14
Army of Northern Virginia enters Martinsburg, W.V.
July 23
Battle of Manassas Gap (Wapping Heights), part of Confederate retreat from Gettysburg
Forces engaged: 14,000 (US 8,000; CS 6,000)
Casualties: 440 (US 243; CS 147)
Result: Indecisive
April 30
Federal army under Gen. Franz Sigel advances south from Martinsburg, W.V.
May 1
Sigel occupies Winchester.
May 11
Sigel's army encamps at Cedar Creek just south of Middletown.
May 15
Battle of New Market; first battle of the Lynchburg Campaign
Forces Engaged: 10,365 total (US 6,275; CS 4,090)
Estimated Casualties: 1,380 total (US 840; CS 540)
Result: Confederate Victory
May 16
Sigel returns to Cedar Creek
May 19
Sigel is relieved of command and posted to Harper's Ferry.
May 21
David Hunter takes command of Federal army at Cedar Creek.
May 26
Hunter advances southward.
June 2
Hunter's army reaches Harrisonburg, Va.
June 5-6
Forces Engaged: 14,000 total (US 8,500; CS 5,500)
Estimated Casualties: 2,375 total (US 875; CS 1500)
Result: Federal Victory
June 6
Hunter enters Staunton, Va.
June 11
Hunter burns the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va.
June 13
Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early's Second Corps is ordered to the Shenandoah Valley.
June 17
Early arrives in Lynchburg, Va.
June 17-18
Forces Engaged: 30,643 total (US 16,643; CS 14,000)
Estimated Casualties: 900 total (US 700; CS 200)
Result: Confederate Victory
July 2
Part of Jubal Early's advance during the 1864 Maryland Campaign (raid and operations against B&O Railroad)
Early's Army of the Valley reaches Winchester, Va.
July 9
Result: Confederate Victory
July 18
Result: Confederate Victory
July 22
Federal troops reoccupy Winchester.
July 24
Forces Engaged: 23,000 total (US 10,000; CS 13,000)
Estimated Casualties: 1,800 total (US 1,200; CS 600)
Result: Confederate Victory (last in the Valley)
July 30
Confederate cavalry under John McCausland burns Chambersburg, Pa.
July 14
Early crosses the Potomac back into the Valley at White's Ferry, Va.
August 7
Start of Sheridan's 1864 Valley Campaign
Maj. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan arrives in Harper's Ferry, W.V., assuming command of the Middle Military Division and the Army of the Shenandoah.
August 15
Early's army is reenforced by Kershaw's infantry and Fitzhugh Lee's cavalry divisions.
September 16
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant meets with Sheridan at his Charles Town, W.V., headquarters. Kerhsaw's Division begins returning to Lee's army.
September 19
Third Battle of Winchester (Opequon)
Forces Engaged: 54,440 total (US 39,240; CS 15,200)
Estimated Casualties: 8,630 total (US 5,018; CS 3,612)
Result: Federal Victory.
September 22
Forces Engaged: 38,944 total (US 29,444; CS 9,500)
Estimated Casualites: 1,763 total (US 528; CS 1,235)
Result: Federal Victory
September 23
Skirmish at Front Royal, Federal cavalry execute six of Mosby's Rangers.
September 24
Kershaw's Division rejoins Early's army.
September 27
The systematic destruction of the Valley begins under Sheridan's command. Lee urges Early to defeat Sheridan in the Valley.
October 3
Lt. John R. Meigs is killed by Confederate scouts near Dayton. Sheridan orders the burning of Dayton, Va. and surrounding homes in retaliation.
October 4
Sheridan rescinds the order to burn Dayton.
October 9
Battle of Tom's Brook (Woodstock Races)
Forces Engaged: 9,800 total (US 6,300; CS 3,500)
Estimated Casualties: 407 total (US 57; CS 350)
Result: Federal Victory
"The Burning" is completed after 13 days.
October 10
Sheridan's army encamps along Cedar Creek.
October 13
The Sixth Corps marches to Ashby's Gap en route to Alexandria but is recalled by Sheridan.
Forces Engaged: 8,400 total (US 1,900; CS 6,500)
Estimated Casualties: 370 total (US 220; CS 150)
October 14
The Sixth Corps returns to right of Federal line along Cedar Creek.
October 15
Sheridan leaves for Washington, D.C. to attend a war strategy meeting.The Eighth and Nineteenth Corps begin entrenching.
October 16
Early has decoy message wigwagged from Signal Knob in view of the Federal army. Sheridan receives word of the decoded message in Front Royal and wires the news to Halleck.
October 17
Gen. John B. Gordon, Gen. Clement A. Evans, Maj. Robert W. Hunter, and Maj. Jedidiah Hotchkiss climb Massanutten Mountain and observes Sheridan's army from Signal Knob. Rosser attacks Custer's pickets.
Sheridan arrives in Washington at 8 a.m., meets with Stanton and Halleck, and takes a noon train to Martinsburg, W.V.
October 18
At a headquarters conference, Early accepts attack plan proposed by Gordon and Hotchkiss. Gen. Gordon, Gen. Stephen D Ramseur, and Maj. Hotchkiss reconnoiter trail around Massanutten Mountain. Pioneers from Rodes' (Ramseur's) Division improve trail.
Sheridan rides from Martinsburg to Winchester.
October 19
Battle of Cedar Creek (Belle Grove)
Forces Engaged: 46,091 (US 32,000; CS 14,091)
Estimated Casualties: 8,575 total (US 5,665; CS 2,910)
Result: Federal Victory
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Last updated: August 20, 2023