Tom's Brook

After his victory over Maj. Gen. Jubal Early's Confederates at Fisher's Hill, Maj. Gen. Phil Sheridan conducted a two-week long scorched earth campaign in the Shenandoah Valley known as “The Burning.” As Sheridan’s army moved north destroying mills, barns and crops, they were pursued by Confederate cavalry. Union cavalry covered the rear of the column until Sheridan ordered an attack against the Confederates. In the resulting cavalry-on-cavalry battle on October 9, 1864, Union troopers routed Early's mounted arm, impairing its morale and efficiency for the remainder of the campaign. The hasty retreat of the Confederate cavalry was referred to by Valley residents as the "Woodstock Races."