Q: What was the Battle of New Market?
A: The Battle of New Market was an American Civil War battle fought on May 15, 1864 over control of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.
Q: Who ordered General Franz Sigel to take his army into the Shenandoah Valley?
A: Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant ordered General Franz Sigel to take his army into the Shenandoah Valley and clear it of Confederate forces.
Q: How many Union soldiers did Siegel have when he arrived outside the town of New Market?
A: Siegel had about 6,500 Union soldiers when he arrived outside the town of New Market.
Q: Why was the Shenandoah valley important for the Confederacy?
A: The Shenandoah valley was important for the Confederacy because it provided food to feed General Robert E. Lee's hungry army.
Q: Who did Lee send to stop Siegel and force out the Union Army from the valley?
A: Lee sent General John C. Breckinridge with about 4,100 men to stop Siegel and force out the Union Army from the valley.
Q: How were cadets from Virginia Military Institute (VMI) involved in this battle?
A: With Lee's permission, Breckenridge called up 500 cadets from VMI, some as young as 15 years old, to fight in this battle against Siegel's larger force.
Q: Who won this battle between Union and Confederate forces?
A: The Confederates won this battle, defeating Siegel's larger force.