Winchester, Virginia

Settled in 1732 and incorporated 1743, Winchester, Virginia, was situated in the Shenandoah Valley about 72 miles west of Washington, DC. The town became strategically important to both side during the Civil War. Winchester lay at the junction of several roads, including the macadamized Valley Pike (which ran from Staunton to Martinsburg) and the Front Royal Road. Rail lines were also important to the town. The Winchester & Potomac rail line connected with the Baltimore & Ohio RR at Harper's Ferry, 32 miles away. Because of its position, Winchester lay directly in the path of both Northern and Southern armies as each attempted to flank the capital of the other's "country." For the Confederacy, it afforded a good base for defending the entrance to the fertile Shenandoah Valley. For the North, it was important for the protection of the B&O RR. As a result, the town changed hands dozens of times during the Civil War and was the scene of three major engagements and a variety of smaller ones.

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