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Battle of New Market
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Battle of New Market

American Civil War [1864]
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Quick Summary

The Battle of New Market, fought on May 15, 1864, was a significant engagement during the American Civil War in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. In a desperate move, Confederate General John C. Breckinridge ordered 257 cadets from the Virginia Military Institute to join his approximately 4,000 soldiers against a Union force of 6,000. These young cadets, some as young as 16, marched 80 miles to reach the battlefield. Despite their inexperience, they fought bravely, distinguishing themselves by taking prisoners and capturing an artillery battery. The battle concluded with a Union retreat, though the VMI cadets suffered casualties, with 10 killed and 45 wounded. The heroism of these cadets is commemorated at the New Market Battlefield Park.12

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  2. Virginia Military Institute

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