New Market reports.

[kipt]

Here are several write ups from the players:

Battle report from the Virginia Military Institute Cadets corps

From Cadet Private Henry Miller to Margaret Miller, Richmond.
May 15, 1864, 9 pm
Dear Mother
This has been the most exciting day of my life. We were in an actual battle, next to a village named New Market. This is also the most tiring day ever, I am exhausted. I will not lie to you, I was also terrified most of the day.
When the general Breckinridge came to our Institute at Lexington five days ago, he told us he was gathering an army to push the Yanks back up in our valley. Our colonel Ship was reluctant at first, but the general explained him he needed everyone and swore he would engage us only if needed.
We didn't sleep much that night, we were so excited. The next day our colonel had to poll for 27 of us to remain behind to guard the Institute, my old friend Will was in the lot, and he cried all he could as he wanted to be with us. He tried to hide in one of our wagons but was caught. He had to stay behind.
And then we were, 229 of us and our two guns, on the road, not seeing any enemy before noon today. We were just marching, again and again, this was so tiring, and what horrible weather, so much rain and mud. But as we were crossing the village of New Market, two things happen. I heard a little girl look at us and say « Look, the French are coming », which was funny, I didn't know the French were dressed as we are. And then our artillery opened fire on our left, on a hill. Our guns were among them. Boy did I jump at the first boom. Most of us jumped too, but at the same time that was so exciting. Our hearts pounded so hard. And then more guns opened fire, on our right this time. The enemy guns started firing at the same time too, but we were making so much noise that it was difficult to say who was who.
Our guns fired for an hour or so, and then moved on the road and past us. We kept moving forward all this time, as he promised the general kept us behind the first line, that did so well that we didn't have to be engaged. Most of our infantry was advancing wave after wave on our left, chasing the Yanks, taking their guns and pushing them so hard. But at some point, as the Yanks were being beaten everywhere, our infantry moved on the left faster than our cavalry on our right, which is ironical. That created a gap between both our wings, and we moved to fill the gap in the center, behind one of the many fences in that area. Our artillery was also moving on the road, several guns unlimbered there. But as the guns were threatened by the yankee cavalry, we started firing to protect our guns.
It is not like in fire practice, when it is real it is so much more frightening, you remember the drill, that helps a lot, but firing in the middle of a real battle is so different, so real. Our muskets were making a lot of noise and smoke, but through the smoke we could see enemy soldiers falling from their horses, we were quite close to them, and we saw horses falling too. And our guns on our right opened fire too. I am not sure how many Yanks we shot, fourty maybe, but after a few minutes their cavalry moved back.
The following 15 minutes were so intense, so confusing also. We could hear everybody yelling, a battle is so noisy, our wounded from the first line were moving past us to the rear, it was heartbreaking, so much blood. Then our troops charged on our left and right, this was so exciting. On our right we could see our cavalry charging, that was brilliant, nothing could resist them. They captured guns also. And then an aide de camp passed us, he was looking for our general to tell him we had shot dead the enemy general, a german fellow no-one really liked, even in their army. That was strange. Soon after the Yanks retreated and we didn't do much more during that day. Our cavalry and some of our infantry followed them I think. We cadets just dropped on the floor next to the closest farm. What a day.
We had a few wounded, by lost bullets, but no-one seriously. The cadet next to me got a bullet through his sleave, he thought he was hit but he only has a hole in his uniform. I am alright. Be proud of your son, Dear Mother, I will tell you the story after the campaign is over.
Your son, Henry.

Battle Report for the Engagement at New Market, Virginia:

Unit: Union Forces at New Market
Commanding officer: Franz Sigel, Commanding General; report by ADC Lieutenant Arthur P. Frobisher
Time and weather: 12 noon, May 15, rainy with significant mud on the ground
Strength: One infantry division (Sullivan), one cavalry division (Stahel), and one artillery division (Snow)
Casualties: Total destruction of three infantry regiments, four cavalry regiments, and eight gun batteries; loss of General Moor and Commanding General Sigel
Initial Position: Moor's 18th Connecticut and 123rd Ohio, and Thoburn's 1st West Virginia regiments, are all positioned in supported line, from right to left, along Old River Road just south of St. Matthews Church, with Ewing's, Snow's, and Kleiser's batteries in support uphill behind and to either side of the infanty. Wynkoop's 15th New York and 20th Pennsylvania cavalry is positioned west of the woods on Old River Road at the right flank. Thoburn's 34th Massachusetts is in the rear, behind the wheatfield east of Bushong's House.
Tibbitts's 1st and 21st New York cavalry and detached/combined units of the 14th Pennsylvania and 1st Maryland cavalry regiments are expected to arrive on the Valley Turnpike from the north, followed by Thoburn's 54th Pennsylvania and 34th Massachusetts infantry and four more of Snow's batteries.
Actions: The troops and guns gathered before the church gave the Confederates a good bloody nose with their opening volley at noon. Each of the enemy regiments was disordered and lost forty to eighty men in that fire. Their return fire was, however, supported by massed batteries at elevation on Shirley's Hill, causing our troops to become disordered and losing approximately the same number of men.
As the Confederates closed on our position, the 18th Connecticut and 123rd Ohio stepped back over the stone wall behind them and held their position. General Moor was mortally wounded in the fight at 12:15. At the same time, the 20th Pennsylvania cavalry—which had attempted to cross through the woods and attack the left flank of the Confederates (believed to be the 51st Virginians)—was destroyed by that massed artillery. The 1st West Virginia infantry was wiped out in the churchyard at that same time.
The 15th New York Cavalry then dismounted and attacked the Confederate line at 12:30 and was destroyed, again by that massed artillery fire. The 18th Connecticut infantry was wiped out on Manor's Hill while attempting to withdraw, also at 12:30. The 123rd Ohio infantry was driven back disordered, was broken, attempted to rally on the north side of Manor's Hill, and was eventually wiped out at 2:00 by the steadily advancing Confederates, whose reserves appeared soon and often on the field.
Thoburn's 34th Massachusetts advanced from their reserve position to support the line as it fell back. Ewing's and Snow's batteries retreated under fire across Manor's Hill, while Kleiser's Battery retreated up the Valley Turnpike, also under attack from a large contingent of Confederate cavalry and their horse guns. Both artillery sections attempted to unlimber and give fire on their nearest crest lines.
Tibbitts's cavalry did not appear until 1:00, and they proceeded to engage the Confederate cavalry pursuing Kleiser's guns. The 1st New York cavalry regiments were decimated in these attacks and by Confederate guns advancing near Rice House (those guns from Shirley's Hill), unlimbering, and firing. The 21st New York cavalry behind them was badly disorganized, as was the Pennsylvania/Maryland cavalry regiment.
After significant delays, Thoburn's 54th Pennsylvania infantry arrived on the field in march column along the Valley Turnpike at 2:15. At that time, only the 34th Massachusetts, the 21st New York and the Pennsylvania/Maryland cavalry, and three batteries of Snow's guns were left intact on the field, and all were hard pressed by the mass of Confederate troops advancing before them.
General Sigel was attempting to rally and direct the 34th Massachusetts infantry when he was shot out of his saddle. His last words, to my knowledge, were "Mein Gott. Ist eine Schlappe!" This I take to mean that the Union forces have delivered a great slap in the face to the Confederacy, by drawing off northward, and depriving the defense of Richmond, of a great portion of the Confederate infantry, guns, and cavalry.
At 2:15 the Union retreat continued, broken.

THE BATTLE OF NEW MARKET

After-action report for Inboden's Cavalry Brigade, consisting of 18th Virginia Cavalry (12 squadrons), the 28th Virginia Cavalry (six squadrons), and McNeal's Cavalry [which included elements of the 2nd Maryland and 3rd Virginia] (4 stands), supported by a battery of Horse Artillery.  All formations were Veterans.

At the start of the battle the Brigade was positioned  to the east of the Turnpike and southwest of the Union position.  The Union line extended west from the turnpike, anchored on the left on the St Mathew's Church and graveyard.   The Brigade was unopposed to its front, which allowed for an unparalleled freedom of maneuver. 

At 12 noon, the battle opened with an artillery exchange in which one squadron of the 28th Virginia and our artillery silencing a Union battery.  The opening move was a cavalry advance over broken ground  to position McNeal's unit for a charge over open ground at the end of the Union line, which attack was made in coordination  with Wharton's regiment of infantry.  The attack was successful in routing the enemy regiment, which was followed up by the cavalry and brought to ruin.  McNeal continued its westward progress across the field of battle and subsequently attacked and hhhhthe 18th Connecticut infantry regiment at the eastern edge of the battle field,  which  it similarly dispatched.  McNeal then rejoined the main advance of the Brigade without further incident.

The main body of the Brigade remained east of the turnpike and advanced, cavalry and artillery, on the flank of the Union line to the west of the turnpike, which was withdrawing northward pressed by the Confederate infantry assault. 18th Virginia with   
26th in support fought and won a brief encounter with Union cavalry, which withdrew.  I8th Virginia then came to rest on the north edge of Indian Hollow. The battery was tardy and on arrival was positioned on the open ground between the woods and the turnpike, screened by the 28th Virginia.  Facing them was a developing Union position anchored by a heavy Union battery of Napoleon cannon, somewhat distressed.   A Union cavalry charged failed dislodge the 28th from its screening position.

An artillery barrage in concert with Corps reserve artillery eliminated a Union cavalry unit, while 18th Virginia, still in the cover of the woods, shifted position to the right to avoid the field of fire of the Union battery.  After an exchange of counter battery fire, which further weakened the battery, the 18th moved into the open and charged the battery, which was forced to retire.  The 18th followed up the retreating limbered battery and destroyed it.  The momentum of this charge brought the unit into contact with Union cavalry, which was similarly dispatched. The regiment was positioned for a final assault on the Union's last defensible position, but this advance was blocked by the untimely arrival of Union reinforcements.  Thereupon the Brigade stood down, awaiting the reorganization of the our infantry for the final assault.