In mid-May 1864, following the Union defeat at New Market, Virginia, Ulysses Grant replaced General Franz Sigel with David Hunter and ordered his new Union commander to use scorched earth tactics against the inhabitants of the Shenandoah Valley. While essentially “living off the land,” Hunter was to destroy as much property as he could and specifically target the Virginia Central Railroad which ran through the Valley. On May 26 the South also assigned a new commander General W.E. Jones to the Shenandoah, replacing John C. Breckinridge. On that day, Hunter with approximately 16,000 troops moved from Strasburg toward Staunton; Jones had only 8500 troops in opposition. This disparity of manpower clearly favored the Union; within little over a week Jones’ Confederates would be routed at Piedmont and their leader killed.
00000174-b11b-ddc3-a1fc-bfdbb1a20000The Schreiner University Department of History is honoring the sesquicentennial of the American Civil War with a series of short vignettes focusing on events from 1861 through 1865. The Civil War was the most destructive conflict in American history, but it was also one of our most defining moments as a people and as a nation. Let us know what you think about "This Week in the Civil War." E-mail your comments to Dr. John Huddleston at jhuddles@schreiner.edu.Airs: Weekdays at 5:19 a.m., 8:19 a.m., 4:19 p.m. on KTXI and 4:49 a.m., 9:29 p.m. on KSTX.