The Shenandoah Valley: The Civil War in Four Minutes

Stretching 180 miles from Harpers Ferry in the north to Rockbridge County in the south, Stonewall Jackson remarked in 1862 that "if this valley is lost, then Virginia is lost." The Shenandoah Valley hosted two campaigns during the Civil War, the first being Jackson's Valley Campaign in 1862 and then Jubal Early's Campaign in 1864. This endless fighting not only took a toll on soldiers, but also left a mark on the civilians whose farms hosted over 300 military engagements over the course of three years.
Jonathan Noyalas is the Director of the McCormick Civil War Institute at Shenandoah University.
The American Battlefield Trust preserves America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educates the public about what happened there and why it matters. We permanently protect these battlefields for future generations as a lasting and tangible memorial to the brave soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.