Piedmont Battlefield

Piedmont Battlefield. . "The Battle is scarcely more than mentioned... yet the regiments engaged suffered as terribly and fought as bravely as any equal body of troops in any battle of the war..." - Union Lt. Col. Thomas E. Wildes 116th Ohio Infantry, Lynchburg Campaign , With Ulysses S. Grant's promotion to General in Chief of all Union armies in March 1864, he lost no time in organizing a huge offensive across the entire front of the embattled states. In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley and the new state of West Virginia, Union forces were ordered to disrupt railroad and transportation networks and destroy Confederate forces and the economic and agricultural resources that supported them., In May, a Federal army under Gen. George Crook advanced south through West Virginia with orders to cut railroad links from Virginia to the west. Union Gen. Franz Sigel was to move south through the Shenandoah Valley and meet Crook in Staunton. This would also prevent any Confederate movement out of the Shenandoah Valley to assault Grant's flank as it advanced south toward Richmond. On May 15, Sigel was defeated at New Market. Grant replaced Sigel with Gen. David "Black Dave" Hunter, who was given the task of cutting the Virginia Central Railroad, and the Union army was again moving south toward Staunton., Battle of Piedmont (June 5, 1864) , On June 5, Hunter engaged the Confederate army under Gen. William E. Jones north of Piedmont (modern day New Hope). After severe fighting, a flanking movement made by Thoburn's brigade turned Jones's right flank. While trying to stem the retreat of his soldiers, Jones was killed. The retreat became a rout. More than 1,000 Confederates, including 60 officers, were captured. Jones lost three guns. Hunter occupied Staunton on June 6 and, after a pause to await the arrival of Brig. Gen. George Crook's column, began to advance on Lynchburg., From Staunton, Hunter continued south, sporadically destroying mills, barns, and public buildings. On June 11, Hunter swept aside a small cavalry force and occupied Lexington, where he burned the Virginia Military Institute and the home of former Virginia Governor John Letcher. Hunter's successes forced Lee to send the Second Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia under Gen. Jubal A. Early to the defense of Lynchburg. Sending Early to the Valley was a desperate decision that restricted Lee's ability to undertake offensive operations against Grant on the Richmond-Petersburg front., On the afternoon of June 17, Hunter's army reached the outskirts of Lynchburg, even as Early's vanguard began to arrive by rail from Charlottesville. Early defeated Hunter at Lynchburg (June 17-18), on the east side of the Blue Ridge, and the Union army retreated into the mountains of West Virginia, leaving the Valley, and its pathway north, in Early's hands., (captions) , Union Gen. Julius Stahel being helped back ono his horse after being wounded in the arm. Scahel would receive the Medal of Honor in recognition of his actions at Piedmont. Image from Deeds of Valor, Gen. David Hunter Gen. William E. Jones, Battle Summary , June 5, 1864 , Union Commander-Gen. David Hunter , Confederate Commander-Gen. William E. Jones, Forces Engaged , 8,500 Union - 5,500 Confederate , Estimated Casualties , 875 Union - 1,500 Confederate, Result , Union Victory, (panel 2) , Explore. , Learn. , Remember., Today the Piedmont Battlefield retains much of the agricultural appearance it had during the battle fought here in June of 1864. With the growing cities of Staunton and Waynesboro nearby, development pressures are increasing in the area. The Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation has preserved over 150 acres of the battlefield. This 3-acre site is owned by the Battlefields Foundation and open to the public, but the rest of the ground is still privately owned and preserved with easements. Please be respectful of our partners' property who have helped preserve much of the battlefield around you and still operate it as a farm. The Battlefields Foundation and its Members are still working to preserve the battlefield, open additional park space, expand interpretation and enhance the visitor experience., You, too, can help preserve and interpret the battlefields of the Shenandoah Valley., Become a Member today!