Virginia Military Institute - Bomb Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

Page 29 text:

■ „ BATTERY DRILL.

Page 31 text:

The Charge at New Market. The Cadets ' Bravery Described by a Union Soldier. Mr. Howard Morton, Federal soldier, gives the following description of the battle of Xew ilarket, in which the i ' . M. I. cadets took part. He describes their gallant behavior under hea ' ) ' fire. The article -as written for the Pittsburg Dispauh, and is as follows : Opposite is the enemy ' s line of gray, belching forth fire and smoke. Those immediately in front of us are compf utively inactive. The} ' have not yet mended their broken fences. We look to the further end of the rebel line. Out from an rchard steps a small body of gray-clad troops. Something about them attracts our attention — their marching and alignment are ; ' erfect, their step is unlike that of the veterans who marched against our front. Their mo -ements are those of a crack battalion •■ dress parade. The)- look like bo)-s ; the strong glasses show that the)- are boys. It is the battalion of pupils from the Virginia liilitary Institute, 225 in number. These little fellows, whose ages range from 14 to 16 years, drawn from the best families of ihe Old Dominion, have closed their books for the summer vacation, but instead of returning to their homes and making glad the hearts of fond parents and brothers and sisters, were told to take their cadet muskets and join the army in the Valley. They have just arri ' ed and are eagerh- marching to their baptism of blood. War is cruel at best, btit who can excuse the cnielty that risks such bright 3 ' oung lives even in a righteous cause? Opposite them, holding the right of our line, is a battery of six twelve-p ' juuders. The commander has observed the cadet battalion and opened fire on it. The shells burst among the boys, but they don ' t seem to be disturbed in the least. Forward towards the black monsters the line moves as though parading on the smooth lawn of the Military Institute, whence the}- came. Palings are being knocked from their fence, but the)- close up and present an unbroken line. We ask ourselves, can the)- be so rash as to charge the batter)- ? It is commencing to look that way. On, on, the)- march, their line as straight as a rule, more palings are knocked from the li -ing fence, and repairs are made as before, but the fence is shorter. The)- are almost in cannister range. Surely they will face about and retrace their steps ; but no, the little heads bend lower as they face the iron storm. The little muskets are grasped tighter, as on, on the)- rush. God ha e mercy on them. The deadh- cannister sweeps through their ranks. Shorter and shorter grows the line. Hea -en pit)- their poor mothers, whose prayers