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Valley Thunder: The Battle of New Market and the Opening of the Shenandoah Campaign, May 1864
Charles R. Knight's Valley Thunder is the first full-length account in more than three decades to examine the combat at New Market on May 15, 1864, the battle that opened the pivotal Shenandoah Valley Campaign, a strategically important and agriculturally abundant region that helped feed Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.
Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant intended to attack the Confederacy on multiple fronts so it could no longer "take advantage of interior lines." Grant tasked Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel and a motley collection of units numbering some 10,000 men to clear the Valley and threaten Lee's left flank. Opposing Sigel was John C. Breckinridge, a former vice president and now Confederate major general who assembled a scratch command to repulse the invading Federals. A Confederate victory drove Union forces from the Valley, but they would return, reinforced and under new leadership, within a month. Before being repulsed, they marched over the field at New Market and capture Staunton, burn VMI in Lexington, and very nearly capture Lynchburg. That summer would permanently sweep the Confederates from the "Bread Basket of the Confederacy."
Valley Thunder: The Battle of New Market is based upon years of primary research. Knight's balanced and objective approach includes a detailed examination of the complex prelude leading up to the day of battle. His entertaining prose introduces a new generation of readers to a wide array of soldiers, civilians, and politicians who found themselves swept up in one of the war's most gripping engagements.
Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant intended to attack the Confederacy on multiple fronts so it could no longer "take advantage of interior lines." Grant tasked Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel and a motley collection of units numbering some 10,000 men to clear the Valley and threaten Lee's left flank. Opposing Sigel was John C. Breckinridge, a former vice president and now Confederate major general who assembled a scratch command to repulse the invading Federals. A Confederate victory drove Union forces from the Valley, but they would return, reinforced and under new leadership, within a month. Before being repulsed, they marched over the field at New Market and capture Staunton, burn VMI in Lexington, and very nearly capture Lynchburg. That summer would permanently sweep the Confederates from the "Bread Basket of the Confederacy."
Valley Thunder: The Battle of New Market is based upon years of primary research. Knight's balanced and objective approach includes a detailed examination of the complex prelude leading up to the day of battle. His entertaining prose introduces a new generation of readers to a wide array of soldiers, civilians, and politicians who found themselves swept up in one of the war's most gripping engagements.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published May 10, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 6, 2024
A decent overview of the smaller Battle of New Market. Balanced and not pro-Confederate as New Market discourse can get (as the author notes in the introduction). It was interesting to learn more about the battle.
August 10, 2016
This book focuses on a rather minor battle during the Civil War--yet one more engagement in the Shenandoah Valley, this one at New Market. There are a number of intriguing elements to this tale: John Breckenridge (former Vice President of the United States) led the Confederate forces; cadets from the Virginia Military Institute took part in the battle (and suffered serious casualties); the Union forces performed miserably (e.g., John Crook's force did well at its first battle--and then withdrew!!); E. O. Ord was to support the movement up the Valley; Franz Sigel was, once more, given a command that he misplayed (as I recall, his only really good day in the Civil War was at Pea Ridge/Elkhorn Tavern).
This work tells the story of Sigel's movement up the valley and Breckenridge's down the Valley--meeting at New Market. John Imboden and his cavalry were also a part of Breckenridge's forces. Sigel had a number of problems with effective command--his English was not very good, causing on occasion some communication problems; many Union troops were not very impressed by "Dutch" soldiers; Sigel's record was mediocre. Further, Ord and Crook never really supported Sigel.
And Sigel performed poorly. He was slow moving down the Valley, allowing the Confederate forces to gather and organize for the battle. He did not handle his troops well or position them well (many of his troops were late getting to the battle because of his torpor in getting them moving). And so on. This marked Sigel's last chance for a significant combat role.
The books describes well the details of the battle and its aftermath,
All in all, a very nice depiction of a minor--but still noteworthy--struggle.
This work tells the story of Sigel's movement up the valley and Breckenridge's down the Valley--meeting at New Market. John Imboden and his cavalry were also a part of Breckenridge's forces. Sigel had a number of problems with effective command--his English was not very good, causing on occasion some communication problems; many Union troops were not very impressed by "Dutch" soldiers; Sigel's record was mediocre. Further, Ord and Crook never really supported Sigel.
And Sigel performed poorly. He was slow moving down the Valley, allowing the Confederate forces to gather and organize for the battle. He did not handle his troops well or position them well (many of his troops were late getting to the battle because of his torpor in getting them moving). And so on. This marked Sigel's last chance for a significant combat role.
The books describes well the details of the battle and its aftermath,
All in all, a very nice depiction of a minor--but still noteworthy--struggle.
June 8, 2019
This is the best there is on this subject. It flows well yet provides the detail needed in a study of this type. Some myths are debunked and Sigel is just Sigel.
April 18, 2017
The Battle of New Market, Virginia, May, 1864 was a rather small affair by American Civil War standards. Only about 10,000 men on both sides were involved.
Yet, it is one of the most popular, well known battles of the War Between the States. The reason for this is because of the charge of the VMI Cadets who had left their school in Lexington, VA and made a long march to the battlefield. The cadets, most very young, were called up to offset the Northern advantage in numbers. The cadet's charge, near the end of the battle was almost immediately immortalized after the war making the cadets and Virginia Military Institute famous.
But Knight's book does not focus on the cadets although they certainly are a feature in this excellent, detailed account of the Battle of New Market.
In the preface of the book it is noted that Knight's Valley Thunder is most recent book that documents the entire battle as well as the opening moves of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. The last major work was by William C. Davis, The Battle of New Market, published in 1975. The preface written by Davis notes that Knight was a battlefield guide at New Market Battlefield and has discovered so much more research since Davis wrote his account. Davis whole heartily endorses Valley Thunder and in my estimation rightly so.
I picked up my copy early in our trip to the Valley and decided to read it first. I was not disappointed and found it hard to put down.
The book begins by presenting the overall situation in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War.
Lee is tied down with Grant on the other side of the Blue Ridge and Grant seeks to take advantage of Lee's limited manpower by starting something in the Shenandoah Valley. Grant appoints a political General, Franz Sigel, to take command of the scattered Union troops in the area and threaten Lee from the flank by over running the valley, a key area of supply for the Confederacy.
A scratch Confederate force under Generals Imboden and Breckinridge is combined and assembled to stop Sigel and that sets the stage for the battle.
Sigel's total force numbers around 10,000 but only a portion get to the battle in time.
Breckinridge, the overall Confederate commander had about 6,000.
Knights descriptions of the two Generals set the tone for the rest of the book.
Sigel the brave, but ponderous, unimaginative German who was selected precisely for the German immigrant vote, versus Breckinridge, former VP of the United States and now a Confederate General of some ability. In some ways the campaign was lost for the Union well before New Market since Sigel never really seemed like he knew what it was he was suppose to accomplish.
As interesting as the beginning chapters are it is the personal accounts that Knight has used to make the story come alive. The strength of the book in my opinion is Knight's use of research that has uncovered the personal letters and battle reports and weaved them into his narrative of the battle.
In other words it wasn't the fact the 1st New York Veteran Cavalry and 1st Maryland Potomac Home Guard were ordered to make a charge that was a disaster. Instead Knight describes the incident in the participants own words:
"One Confederate artillerist wrote that he and his comrades 'gave them a blizzard that sent them back hastily to their comrades.' Staffer Johnston described the charge as having been 'repulsed disastrously.' Breckinridge cooly reported that 'an attempt was made to charge down the turnpike with cavalry upon my right but a few well directed shells dispersed the squadrons.' A Federal sergeant put a fine point on the affair when he wrote, 'they mowed us down like grass.' " (p. 167)
It is detail like that which permeates the book and provides a riveting account through the eyes of those who were there.
Throughout the book Knight charts where and what the VMI cadets are doing but he does so without making their gallant charge the central feature of the book. Instead, what you get is a Union and Confederate perspective on the battle by highlighting what all the units at the battle were doing.
Knight also make some corrections to the record. For example, the cadets were credited with taking a Union battery (4-6 guns) when in reality they really only took one while other Confederate units took others.
The book is supplemented by some excellent maps and a good selection of photographs. There are eight appendixes that flesh out some of more interesting aspects of the battle and delve into detail that did not fit in the narrative. The appendixes in and of themselves are a fascinating read for a Civil War geek like me.
I give it five stars. My only regret is that I wish I had read it before walking the ground of the battlefield.
Valley Thunder, by Charles R. Knight
The Battle of New Market and the Opening of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, May, 1864
313 pages, 10 chapters, 8 appendixes, 11 maps, bibliography, index.
Published by Savas Beatie LLC
Yet, it is one of the most popular, well known battles of the War Between the States. The reason for this is because of the charge of the VMI Cadets who had left their school in Lexington, VA and made a long march to the battlefield. The cadets, most very young, were called up to offset the Northern advantage in numbers. The cadet's charge, near the end of the battle was almost immediately immortalized after the war making the cadets and Virginia Military Institute famous.
But Knight's book does not focus on the cadets although they certainly are a feature in this excellent, detailed account of the Battle of New Market.
In the preface of the book it is noted that Knight's Valley Thunder is most recent book that documents the entire battle as well as the opening moves of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign. The last major work was by William C. Davis, The Battle of New Market, published in 1975. The preface written by Davis notes that Knight was a battlefield guide at New Market Battlefield and has discovered so much more research since Davis wrote his account. Davis whole heartily endorses Valley Thunder and in my estimation rightly so.
I picked up my copy early in our trip to the Valley and decided to read it first. I was not disappointed and found it hard to put down.
The book begins by presenting the overall situation in the Eastern Theater of the Civil War.
Lee is tied down with Grant on the other side of the Blue Ridge and Grant seeks to take advantage of Lee's limited manpower by starting something in the Shenandoah Valley. Grant appoints a political General, Franz Sigel, to take command of the scattered Union troops in the area and threaten Lee from the flank by over running the valley, a key area of supply for the Confederacy.
A scratch Confederate force under Generals Imboden and Breckinridge is combined and assembled to stop Sigel and that sets the stage for the battle.
Sigel's total force numbers around 10,000 but only a portion get to the battle in time.
Breckinridge, the overall Confederate commander had about 6,000.
Knights descriptions of the two Generals set the tone for the rest of the book.
Sigel the brave, but ponderous, unimaginative German who was selected precisely for the German immigrant vote, versus Breckinridge, former VP of the United States and now a Confederate General of some ability. In some ways the campaign was lost for the Union well before New Market since Sigel never really seemed like he knew what it was he was suppose to accomplish.
As interesting as the beginning chapters are it is the personal accounts that Knight has used to make the story come alive. The strength of the book in my opinion is Knight's use of research that has uncovered the personal letters and battle reports and weaved them into his narrative of the battle.
In other words it wasn't the fact the 1st New York Veteran Cavalry and 1st Maryland Potomac Home Guard were ordered to make a charge that was a disaster. Instead Knight describes the incident in the participants own words:
"One Confederate artillerist wrote that he and his comrades 'gave them a blizzard that sent them back hastily to their comrades.' Staffer Johnston described the charge as having been 'repulsed disastrously.' Breckinridge cooly reported that 'an attempt was made to charge down the turnpike with cavalry upon my right but a few well directed shells dispersed the squadrons.' A Federal sergeant put a fine point on the affair when he wrote, 'they mowed us down like grass.' " (p. 167)
It is detail like that which permeates the book and provides a riveting account through the eyes of those who were there.
Throughout the book Knight charts where and what the VMI cadets are doing but he does so without making their gallant charge the central feature of the book. Instead, what you get is a Union and Confederate perspective on the battle by highlighting what all the units at the battle were doing.
Knight also make some corrections to the record. For example, the cadets were credited with taking a Union battery (4-6 guns) when in reality they really only took one while other Confederate units took others.
The book is supplemented by some excellent maps and a good selection of photographs. There are eight appendixes that flesh out some of more interesting aspects of the battle and delve into detail that did not fit in the narrative. The appendixes in and of themselves are a fascinating read for a Civil War geek like me.
I give it five stars. My only regret is that I wish I had read it before walking the ground of the battlefield.
Valley Thunder, by Charles R. Knight
The Battle of New Market and the Opening of the Shenandoah Valley Campaign, May, 1864
313 pages, 10 chapters, 8 appendixes, 11 maps, bibliography, index.
Published by Savas Beatie LLC
September 18, 2019
Knight's book is a first rate account of the New Market battle.
April 24, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. The author puts into perspective the Battle of New Market, concentrating more on the action of the other troops that day, which primarily decided the outcome, but also giving life to the VMI cadets who stood on the field as soldiers that day. A very complete account.
Recommend for students of the Civil War, especially if you live in Virginia.
Recommend for students of the Civil War, especially if you live in Virginia.
January 10, 2017
Great book. An excellent in-depth look at the campaign and Battle of New Market. I loved all the details and how the text didn't get "bogged down" with debates. Also nice to see many different units getting their "moment of glory" in the text. Wonderful additional information in the Appendix sections, delving into challenges and debates about the units and legends.
May 5, 2016
Nice to read a modern book about this little-understood campaign and battle. It also sets up Gen. David Hunter's campaign nicely, showing how the Confederates blundered in not keeping Breckinridge in the Valley. Highly recommended.
May 31, 2016
A concise, readable account of the battle. Knight examines and debunks the myths that have grown up around New Market over the years and provides a very good battle narrative as well.
April 3, 2014
A new and excellent history of the Battle of New Market (Va.) A must for Civil War buffs
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews