Virginia Military Institute - Bomb Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

Page 17 text:

THE BOMB. In May, 1864, Gen. Breckenridge, C. S. A., called upon the Corps of Cadets to aid in repelling Siegel ' s invasion of the Valley ; they re- sponded, took part in the Battle of New Market, May 15th, 1864, and contributed greatly to the victory gained there. Two hundred and fifty entered this engagement, and fifty-six were killed and wounded. When Gen. Hunter, U. S. A., invaded the Valley, the buildings, library, and all of its equipments, were consigned to the flames. Upon re-organizing, at the close of hostilities, it was found necessary to incur a large debt for the purpose of rebuilding and refurnishing the Labora- tory, c. This debt pressed heavily upon the School until, by the Act of Legislature, March 15th, 1884, relief was given by providing sub- stantially for the payment of the same. Under the control of the pres- ent Board of Visitors renewed life has been given to the Institution, improvements are being daily made, and the school of Stonewall Jackson, Maury, Rodes, c., may look forward to a long life of pros- perity and usefulness.

Page 16 text:

The Yirginia Military Institute. fRIOR to the year 1839 - Legislature of Virginia had made an annual appropriation of 6,000 for the support of the guard of sol- diers stationed at the Lexington Arsenal. Some citizens of Lexington, in 1836, brought to the notice of the Legislature the fact that the Lexington Arsenal could preserve its character as a military establish- ment, and at the same time a ' Literary Institution ' for youth. A law was passed, March 29th, 1839, establishing a school at the Lexington Arsenal, to be called the Virginia Military Institute. The school went into operation November nth, 1839, with F. H. Smith, as Prin- cipal and Professor of Mathematics, and Major I. T. L. Preston, Pro- fessor of Languages. The institution was supported by the State of Virginia, and its character was intended to be distinctively scientific and military. Its rapid growth led to the gradual increase of its Faculty and the establishment of the several Departments of Natural and experi- mental Philosophy, Chemistry, Mineralogy, Geology, c. In i860 Gen. Philip St. G. Cocke, of Virginia, Dr. Mercer, of Lou- isiana, and Mrs. E. L. Clayton, of Virginia, made liberal donations to endow the Chairs of Agriculture, Animal and Vegetable Physiology and Agriculture, and to erect a Hall of Natural History, respectively. Thus had the Institute grown in numbers and resources until it com- pared favorably with the best colleges of the country, and the practical scientific education which it gave was being illustrated by the lives of its graduates, when the Civil War commenced. Nothing can more fully prove the efficiency of its military education than the fact that One- tenth of the Confederate armies was commanded by eleves of this school, embracing three Major-Generals, thirty Brigadier-Generals, sixt}- Col- onels, fifty Lieutenant-Colonels, thirty Majors, one hundred and twent}-- five Captains and between two and three hundred Lieutenants ; and of these, two hundred were killed and three hundred and fift)- were wounded.

Page 18 text:

CADET OFFICERS. STAFF. A. H. Fitzgerald Adjutant. W. L. Hopkins Quartermaster. S. G. FiTZSiMONS Sergeant Major. H. Mansfield Color Sergeant. J. D. Ward Private Secretary. E. Blake Librarian. COMPANY A. I. Hudson Captain. G. B. Miller First Lieutenant. M. B. Corse Second F. Bell - . . . . Third C. P. Barnett First Sergeant. E. A. Palmer Second F. A. Jacobshagen Third J. A. LuDWiG Fourth J. M. Redfield First Corporal. J. A. Ventress Second L. S. Thompson Third E. B. DuBuissoN Fourth R. T. GooDWYN Fifth COMPANY B. J. H. Winston Captain. G. W. FiTCHETT First Lieutenant. J. J. Hager ... Second G. L. Nicholson Third M. W. Doty First Sergeant. A. C. Spotts Second H. J. Redfield Third J. N. Camden Fourth A. B. Luck Fifth R. L. Wilson Sixth J. C. Mechie First Corporal. W. Dickinson Second T. T. Terry Third W. W. Bkander Fourth G. T. Langhorne Fifth W. B. Corse Si.xth