The Battlefield at New Market

Friday is field trip day, so in spite of a brooding sky, we packed up and headed southwest into the Shenandoah Valley where many battles were fought during the War of Northern Aggression. As some call it.

Today, we made our way to New Market, where there is a well-presented museum which chronicles the major events and people of the Civil War and a nicely preserved and maintained battlefield.

The Battle of New Market took place on the farm of the Bushong family. This shot shows the workmanship of their wheelwright shop joints, and the starkly beautiful outbuildings of the farm.

The Battle of New Market is notable because it was the first engagement in which the cadets of the Virginia Military Institute fought in the ranks.
And fight they did.
Ten died, out of the two hundred fifty who participated in the Confederate victory of May 15, 1864.

One way to say, ‘No Parking!”

The field is placid now. Wide open, with views of Massanutten Mountain and the New Market Gap to the north and east, the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge mountains to the south and west.

A classic ‘disappearing point’ shot. Those are my little people up there.

Today, VMI administers and operates the battlefield and accompanying Museum of the Civil War.
Thankfully, they were able to preserve the property in spite of the advent of Interstate I-81, which bisects the property, rendering the eastern side of the battlefield accessible only by pedestrian walkway under the freeway.

A view of the apple orchard by way of the downspout on the slave cabin.

Note the sloping lintel of the door on the Bushong farmhouse.

Ignore the hum and rush of Twenty-First Century conveyances, and you are quickly transported to the mid-Nineteen Century on this well-maintained field of battle. See details of the museum and battle at http://www.vmi.edu/newmarket .

Looking out of the west parlor in the Bushoand farmhouse. The open gate and winding road are inviting, even on a grey day.

Looking out the second story hall window of the Bushong farmhouse with a vintage spinning wheel makes wonderful lines!

More shadows and lines in the farmhouse second story hall.