The battle is primarily remembered today for being the only time in American history a school's student body was used as an organized combat unit.

[3] During the battle Confederate general John C. Breckinridge ordered cadets from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), some of them child soldiers no older than 15, to join an attack on the Union lines.

In the spring of 1864, Union commander-in-chief Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grant set in motion a grand strategy designed to press the Confederacy into submission.

Sigel's force totaled about 9,000 men and 28 cannons, divided into an infantry division commanded by Brigadier General Jeremiah C. Sullivan and a cavalry division commanded by Major General Julius Stahel (detachments made during the campaign reduced the Union force to about 6,300 by the time of the battle).

[6] Receiving word that the Union Army had entered the valley, Major General John C. Breckinridge pulled together all available forces to repulse the latest threat.

[citation needed] The two forces made contact south of New Market about mid-morning, with the main Union line west of the town near the North Fork of the Shenandoah River; Colonel Augustus Moor initially commanded the Union forces present on the battlefield at this time, which consisted of his infantry brigade and part of John E. Wynkoop's cavalry brigade.

Additional Union regiments arrived throughout the morning and deployed between the North Fork of the Shenandoah River and the Valley Turnpike, with the main line centered on Manor's Hill.

At about 11:00 a.m., Breckinridge decided to launch an attack on Moor using his infantry, while Imboden's brigade crossed Smith's Creek east of New Market, rode north, and recrossed the stream behind the Union lines.

[12] The main cause of the failure of the infantry attacks was confusion within the ranks of the Union commanders; Sigel was noted to be shouting orders in his native language of German.

As the Confederate line got closer to the Union artillery, Sigel's batteries were forced to retreat as the infantry started breaking towards the rear.

[citation needed] While the infantry was being resupplied, Confederate cavalry general Imboden arrived with his brigade with the news that the creek was too swollen to be crossed.

Due to the exhaustion of the men and low ammunition, Sigel decided to retreat across the Shenandoah River to Mount Jackson.

[16] Sergeant James Burns of the 1st West Virginia Infantry received the Medal of Honor in 1896 for saving the regimental flag in the battle.

After assuming command of the Army of the Shenandoah, Hunter resumed the march southwest and defeated a Confederate force under Brig.

[24] Sean McNamara's 2014 film, Field of Lost Shoes, is a fictionalized account of the actions performed by VMI cadets during the battle.