What Is Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park?
This park preserves the Civil War headquarters of General Philip Sheridan and the site of a shocking Union victory!
What Makes It Historical?
On the night of October 18, 1864, the 32,000-member Army of the Shenandoah settled in to snooze on the plantation grounds of Belle Grove, confident that they’d held off a Confederate attack for a while and burned the grain reserves of the Shenandoah Valley to a crisp! They were so confident that General Sheridan rode off to Washington to chat with General Grant and Secretary of War Stanton. Little did they know that Major General Jubal Early would make good on his last name with a surprise attack, launched at 5:00 AM on October 19th under cover of fog!
The Confederate troops blew through the 128th New York Regiment and the 8th Vermont Regiment, their goal: the supply wagons and tents at the Belle Grove Plantation! Union soldiers retreated all the way into Middletown, where they were able to hold off further advances just long enough for General Early to believe he had won!
That was a fatal mistake! See, General Sheridan had begun his return from Washington, and hearing of the chaos, galloped the final 20 miles from Winchester! He organized the scattered troops and launched a counterattack by 4:00 PM! The Confederate troops had been too hasty! They were pushed out of the Shenandoah Valley, and the region never returned to Confederate control!
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Volunteer at Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park!
- Become a member of the Cedar Creek Battlefield Foundation!
- Be a responsible visitor! Remember the old adages: Pack out what you pack in! Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!
How Do I Get There?
7712 Main Street
Middletown, VA 22645
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit the Park?
From start of May to the end of October, the visitor center is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 AM until 4:30 PM! The rest of the year, it’s only open Friday through Sunday from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM!
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