Figure 1.--This drawing shows the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) cadets in action at New Market in 1864. It appeared in "The Century Magazine". |
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The Virginia Legislature in 1839 founded a military academy at Lexington in 1839--the Virginia Military Academy (VMI). Lexington was the site of a state arsenal which was placed in the care of the VMI officers and cadets. The superintendent was Colonel Francis H. Smith, a graduate of West Point. VMI was the largest and best equipped military school in the southern states. Stonewall Jackson was a teacher at VMI before the War, but not a very popular one. VMI was to send its cadets as a body into battle, at New Market in 1864. The regulation age for the cadets was 16, but some younger boys were admitted. VMI by 1862 was virtually
the only school that continued to function in the state. Other colleges were cosed or used to care for wounded soldiers. The students and many teachers at the University of Virginia, William and Mary, and Washington
College had marched off to war. After the war began Jackson and most of the existing cadets left and new boys arrived. The older boys at VMI had done the same, but the school was crowded by new cadets from all over the South. President Davis referred to them as "the seed corn of the Confederacy". Uniforms at military academies are know for spit and polish. As the War continued, uniforms at VMI became increasingly make do and increasingly less uniform. The boys were reduced to whatever their parents could provide, from "Melton grey to
Georgia butternut". The cadets were afaid that they were going to miss out on the War. The cadets were called on May 10, 1864 to aid General Breckenridge who was hard pressed in the Shenadoah Valley. One
cadet reports, "We jeered the little boys who were left behind." I'm not sure what that meant, it seems to suggest there were some younger boys at VMI. On the way to battle, a veteran regiment sang "Rock-a-byre, Baby" when the cadets masrched by. There were 350 cadets, 225 were mustered for the battle. There were 56 killed or wounded at Newmarket.
The Virginia Legislature in 1839 founded a military academy at
Lexington in 1839--the Virginia Military Academy (VMI). Lexington was
the site of a state arsenal which was placed in the care of the VMI
officers and cadets. The superintendent was Colonel Francis H. Smith, a
graduate of West Point.
The regulation age for the cadets
was 16, but some younger boys were admitted.
VMI was the largest and best equipped military
school in the southern states. Stonewall Jackson was a teacher at VMI before the War, but not a very popular one.
VMI by 1862 was virtually
the only school that continued to function in the state. Other colleges
were cosed or used to care for wounded soldiers. The students and
many teachers at the University of Virginia, William and Mary, and Washington
College had marched off to war. After the war began Jackson and most of the existing cadets left and new boys arrived. The older boys at VMI had done the same,
but the school was crowded by new cadets from all over the South.
President Davis referred to them as "the seed corn of the Confederacy". [Wise]
Uniforms at military academies are know for spit and polish. As the War continued, uniforms at VMI became increasingly make do and increasingly kess uniform. The boys were reduced to whatever their parents could provide, from "Melton grey to
Georgia butternut". One cadet described their uniforms after the the "peace uniforms" had worn out, "... we had resort to coarse sheep's grey jacket and trousers, with seven buttons and aplain black tape stripe. The cadet of today appearswith felt chapeau and a ten-inch cock plume that never knew how to strut until, plucked from a rooster's tail, it wasstuck on the top of a cadet's head. We were content with a simpke forage cap, blue or gray, as we could procure it. The cadet of today deports himselfin white cross-belts, shining plates, and patent leather accouterments. Then, we had a plain leather cartridge box, and waist belt with a harness buckle. The cadet of today handles a bronze-barreled breech-loading rifle, of the latest Springfield pattern. Then we went into the Battle of New Market with muzzle-loading Belgian rifles as clumsy as pickaxes." [Wise]
VMI was to send its cadets as a body into battle, at New Market in 1864. The cadets were afaid that they were going to miss out on the War. The cadets were called on May 10, 1864 to aid General Breckenridge who was hard pressed in the Shenadoah Valley. One
cadet reports, "We jeered the little boys who were left behind." I'm
not sure what that meant, it seems to suggest there were some younger
boys at VMI. On the way to battle, a veteran regiment sang
"Rock-a-byre, Baby" when the cadets masrched by. There were 350 cadets,
225 were mustered for the battle. There were 56 killed or wounded at
Newmarket. [Wise]
Wise, John S., "The West Point of the Confederacy: Boys in battle
at New Market, Virginia, May 15, 1864," The Century Magazine, May
15, 1864.
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