Protecting Civil War Battlefields in the Shenandoah Valley

Fisher's Hill Battlefield in Strasburg, Virginia.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation, Courtesy of Terry Heder

This past September was a big month at the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District: in addition to celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the heritage area was awarded a total of $435,000 in two grants from Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources (DHR). These funds will help the NHA in their efforts to preserve more than 250 acres of historic Civil War battlefields.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation CEO Keven Walker speaks at the SVBF 25th Anniversary celebration, September 2021.

SVBF

The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District (SVBF) is tasked with telling the story of pivotal Civil War events across eight counties in northwestern Virginia. During the Civil War, the region, which is comprised of pastoral landscapes and magnificent mountain vistas, was the site of many battles and tremendous upheaval . Crucial Civil War events that took place here include: Stonewall Jackson’s 1862 Valley Campaign, Robert E. Lee’s advance to the Confederate “high tide” at Gettysburg, and Philip Sheridan’s 1864 Shenandoah Campaign, which helped ensure Abraham Lincolns’ reelection.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Historic District was designated as a national heritage area by Congress in 1996. After a rigorous evaluation process this year, the Virginia Department of Historic Resources selected the heritage area’s management entity, the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation (SVBF), for two grants from the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund (VBPF). These awards will enable the SVBF to purchase easements on portions of two key battlefields.

The Piedmont Battlefield in Augusta County, Virginia

SVBF, Courtesy of Terry Heder

About half of the funds will be used for the preservation of 146 acres of the Piedmont Battlefield in Augusta County. The Battle of Piedmont took place on June 5, 1864, when Confederate Gen. William E. Jones positioned his quickly-gathered force to block Union Gen. David Hunter’s advance towards the vital Confederate rail and supply center of Staunton, Virginia. Jones took up an L-shaped defensive position on a ridgeline next to a bend in Middle River near the village of Piedmont. After repelling two Union assaults, Jones attempted to reorganize his men for a counterattack, but inadvertently created a gap in his line in the process.

Historic depiction of the Battle of Piedmont, fought on June 5, 1864.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation

Hunter quickly exploited this vulnerability and sent an entire brigade into the opening. Jones tried to rally his men, but was shot in the head and was killed instantly. The Confederate line collapsed, with the retreat becoming a rout. More than 1,000 Confederates were captured. For the first time in the war, Union forces had control of the Shenandoah Valley. Staunton, and other critical points to the south, were then open to the Union Army.

Historic illustration of the Battle of Fisher's Hill, which took place in September 1864.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation

The other half of the funds will allow for preservation of 106 acres of the Fishers Hill battlefield in Shenandoah County. The Battle of Fisher’s Hill took place on September 21-22, 1864. Following a crushing Union victory at Third Winchester on September 19, 1864, Confederate Gen. Jubal A. Early withdrew his army to the imposing defensive position of Fisher's Hill. Unfortunately for Early, after his losses at Third Winchester he lacked enough men to adequately defend the four-mile-long defensive line. Spread thin, Early’s vulnerable left flank was held only by a weak force of dismounted cavalry.

Hunter quickly exploited this vulnerability and sent an entire brigade into the opening. Jones tried to rally his men, but was shot in the head and was killed instantly. The Confederate line collapsed, with the retreat becoming a rout. More than 1,000 Confederates were captured. For the first time in the war, Union forces had control of the Shenandoah Valley. Staunton, and other critical points to the south, were then open to the Union Army.

You can learn more about the Battles of Piedmont and Fisher’s Hill along with many other key Civil War events in the region on the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields site. For more information on the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund from the Virginia DHR, visit the full 2021 grant award press release here.