The Shandoah River runs through Virginia and West Virginia. Its two branches, the North and South forks, come together near Front Royal, and the river reaches the Potomac at Harper`s Ferry.
During the Civil War, there were four major campaigns fought in the Shenandoah Valley. In 1862, General "Stonewall" Jackson fought the Valley Campaign. In 1863, there was a Confederate approach on Gettysburg. The next year, General Jubal A. Early made an advance on Washington DC, and finally the Union General Philip Sheridan achieved victories later in that year that effectively ended military operations in the valley.