Virginia Military Institute - Bomb Yearbook (Lexington, VA)

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I 1 1 r. COLORS.

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This brief sketch miglit well be deemed sufficient, but our duty would be but half done did wc omit to mention that roll of honor to which we point with pardonable pride. To her sons, and to their achievements the Virginia Military Institute turns with exultation. In all the professions and vocations of life the men trained at the Virginia Military Institute have won for themselves and for their mother, enviable and honorable distinction. This mother is but little more than fift - }-ears of age, almcist the )-oungest of Virginia ' s daughters, but her life has been long enough to gi -e to her mother State and to her sister States an army of sons of whom an}- mother ma - well be proud. To the Lost Cause, the Virginia Militaiy Institute ga e twent)--one general officers, three Major Generals : William Mahone, W. V. C Humes and Robert K. Rhodes. Eighteen Brigadier Generals: Echols, Walker, Colston, Wharton, J. R. Jones, Garland, Pa -ne. Teny, A. C. Jones, Ba.ss, Vaughan, Elliott, Munford, Walker, Lane, Penn, McCausland, Terrill. More than one hundred Colonels : Strange, Forbes, Pendleton, Cummings, Campbell, Portei-field, Burks, Uuke, Porter, J. M. Patton, Goodes, Moncure, Doby, Berkele) ' , V. B. Jones, Trigg, Fristoe, J. W. Allen, Carter, Otey, Byrd, Gordon, Stuart, Brockenbrough, C. Smith, Carrington, Parrish, Garrett, G. S. Patton, J. Mayo, Yeger, R. Mayo, Gibbons, Phillips, G. H. Smith, Waddy, Mallory, J. W. Humes, Lightfoot, Crutch- field, W. T. Patton, L. B. Williams, R. C. Allen, Montague, McKinney, Hurt, Owen, Slaughter, Fulkerson, Neff, Edmunds, Ham, T. V. Williams, Marshall, Burgesyn, E. Morrison, Galloway, Florence, Leftwich, Tabb, and others. Nearly one hundred Lieutenant- Colonels, and more than four hundred and seventy-five Majors and Captains. More than one hundred general and regimental staff officer.s, and more than two hundred subalterns. A total of quite twelve hundred officers, including many of whom we have no definite rccoid as to regiment and compan - but who are known tn have served with honor, bravery and distinction. In the walks dfcixil life our .U 11 Matcf has furnished to the countiy no fewer, antl no less distinguished men than she has supplied in war. .She has gi en to the cuuntrx ' one L ' nited .States Minister : Charles I)enb ' ; three United .States Senators : William Mahone, C. J . Faulkner and T. Martin. Eleven Congressmen : Campbell, Duke, Marr, Berkelex ' , Ma)o, P ulkerson, Otey, llarri. . Wise, Elliott, and Turner. Besides these she has given Go ' ernors, Judges, Lawyers, Clergymen, Engineers, Physicians, members of State Senates, of State Legislatures, Professors, Artists and other callings. It will be seen from the above enumeration that the work accomplished by the clcv ' cs of the Virginia Militaiy Institute can not be over estimated. They have in all departments kept pace with advancing civilization, ha -e helped to improve our harbors, lakes and rivers ; to define our boundaries, to sur ey, and light our coasts. They have given to our militia and volunteers large numbers of -aluable officers. They ha e furnished distinguished engineers, who ha e bound our territor - together with a net work of railways and canals ; have supplied aluable City. State and Government funetiimaries ; ha e improved our worksho|)s, antl the culti ation of the soil; ha e contributed largeK ' to the bar and the pulpit, and have elevated the scientific standard of man)- of the educational institutions of our countiy, Burke has said that E.xample is the only argument of effect in civil life. These men, the Alumni of the Virginia Military In.stitute ; we present as shining examples, as strong arguments, in fa -or of good work well done in the past ; and as exponents of better and greater work to be achieved in the future-

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ilbc flDUitani Svc ' tciii of the llnsititutc The A ' irginia Militan- Institute, as its naiiK- im])lics isilistiiicti cly .1 military scIiodI. Its educational system embraces general and scientific courses, aiul wliile b - nti means classical, its cin-nculimi is cnmprehensue ennuyli Ui gi e it rank among the first colleges of the count!-)-. In spite ( if this, houever, the Institute is pre-eminently a militan- school. Histor)- proNCs it such. Of the armies of the Confederac}-, one-tenth was commanded by her I ' Aiv.v, and though at the outbreak of the «-ar but eighteen classes had been graduated, she furnished from her muster rolls, three Major Generals, eighteen Brigadier Generals, fifty-eight Colonels, fort --four Lieutenant Colonels, fifty-six Majors and one hundred and eighty staff and compan)- officers of lesser rank. So much is on record. The military sNstem is thorough and absolute and regulates eveiy phase of cadet life. W ith the sound .if the reveille, arousing him for the roll call at 6:20 A. M., the cadet is launched on a routine of duties regulated by drums and bugles — first to breakfast, then guard mounting, classes, dinner, classes again, di-ill, parade, study hours, tattoo and finally taps at 10 p. M. when the long mellow notes of the bugle signal lights out, and the busy life of barracks is at once hushed to a stillness, broken onl - by the tramp of the sentinels keeping guard i:) er all. His presence during the da - is erified b - no less than six roll calls and four inspections, exclusive of his cla.ss rolls, so that skulking or taking duty is quickl)- noted. Throughout all departments the principles of the militar - hierarchy are strictly obsen-ed and obedience and subordination are the first lessons taught. In barracks the chief authority is ested in the Commandant, as head of the militar - department and commander of the battalion of cadets. hor instruction in the drill regulations and militan- police and discipline, the battalion is di -ided into four companies, each commanded by an assistant professor, who ranks as Captain of Engineers in the X ' irginia Militia, and with a complement of cadet officers and non-commi.ssioned officers, through whom the individual instruction is transmitted. Under such superv-ision all cadets are thoroughly instructed in the -arious drills and ceremonies, including signalling, target practice and all camp duties. The barracks is under the immediate supervision of the Officer in Charge, who is an assistant professor, assisted by the cadet ( )fficer of the Day and each of the four dixisions into which it is di ided is conti-ollcd by its Inspector and assistant Inspector.