The Valley campaigns of 1864 were a series of Union and Confederate military operations in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia lasting from May to October 1864. Some military historians divide them into three separate campaigns, but they are often treated together because each built upon the previous one. The campaigns involved multiple commanders on both sides and culminated in Union General Philip Sheridan's decisive destruction of Confederate forces and the valley's military economy.
Why did Grant send Franz Sigel into the Shenandoah Valley in 1864?
Grant ordered Sigel to advance up the Shenandoah Valley with 10,000 men to destroy the Confederate railroad, hospital, and supply center at Lynchburg, Virginia. Cutting those supply lines was one part of Grant's coordinated strategy to strike the Confederacy from multiple directions simultaneously.
What happened to Sigel at the Battle of New Market on May 15, 1864?
Sigel was intercepted and defeated by roughly 4,000 Confederate troops and cadets from the Virginia Military Institute under Major General John C. Breckinridge. Sigel's forces retreated to Strasburg, Virginia, and he was replaced by Major General David Hunter.
Why did Jubal Early threaten Washington D.C. in July 1864?
Robert E. Lee sent Early's corps into the Valley and toward Washington to menace the capital, hoping to compel Grant to divert troops from the siege of Petersburg. Early crossed the Potomac, defeated Union forces under Lew Wallace at Monocacy on July 9, and attacked Fort Stevens on July 11-12 before withdrawing.
Who was Rebecca Wright and what role did she play in the Valley campaigns of 1864?
Rebecca Wright was a Quaker Unionist who provided Sheridan with intelligence that Early had dispersed his forces to raid the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and had removed infantry and artillery from near Winchester. Acting on this information, Sheridan attacked Early's camp at Opequon Creek on September 19 in what became the largest battle of all three Valley campaigns.
What happened at the Battle of Cedar Creek in October 1864?
Early launched a surprise attack on October 19 and overran two-thirds of Sheridan's army. His troops then broke ranks to pillage the Union camp. Sheridan rode from Winchester, rallied his men, and launched a counterattack that routed Early's forces completely, recovering all ground lost that morning. The victory contributed to Abraham Lincoln's re-election.