Happy New Market Day

* Samuel F. Atwill

* William H. Cabell

* Charles G. Crockett

* Alva C. Hartsfield

* Luther C. Haynes

* Thomas G. Jefferson

* Henry J. Jones

* William H. McDowell

* J. Beverly Stanard

* Joseph C. Wheelwright

…Died on the Field of Honor.

The VMI Corps of Cadets fought as a unit at the Battle of New Market, Virginia, on May 15, 1864. Two hundred fifty seven cadets were on the field, organized into a battalion of four companies of Infantry and one section of Artillery. Ten cadets were killed in battle or died later from the effects of their wounds; 45 were wounded.

The Virginia Military Institute is the only college in American history where the student body fought, as an infantry unit, in pitched battle. To this day, the Corps fixes bayonets at each parade to commemorate this honor.

Additionally, today was commissioning day at VMI, and I would like to extend my congratulations to all of the new 2LTs out there. Remember your training, and Good Luck!

From the VMI Archives:

General Franz Sigel’s march up the Shenandoah Valley from Winchester to New Market, Va., in May, 1864, had, as its objective point, the town of Staunton, where he could cut the Virginia Central Railroad (Now the C. & O. Ry.), and thus deprive General Lee’s army and Richmond of one of their chief sources of supply; and whence he might, eventually, force his way to the rear of General Lee’s army, then south of the Rappahannock River.

The only Confederate States force in the Valley, in May, 1864, was that of Gen. J. D. Imboden, consisting of cavalry, mounted infantry, and a battery of six guns, aggregating about 1,500 men. When Imboden heard of Sigel’s advance, about May 2nd, he notified the Superintendent of the V. M. I. to hold the Corps of Cadets in readiness to reinforce his little army. As the Valley of Virginia was, in May, 1864, in the military department of Gen. John C. Breckinridge, C.S.A., who was then in Southwest Virginia, he at once assumed active command of the Confederate States forces for the defense of the Valley. And owing to the small number of Breckinridge’s available forces, the Corps of Cadets was ordered, on May 10th, to join Breckinridge’s Southwest Virginia forces at Staunton; from which point, the whole force could march down the Valley to join Imboden; or to which point, Imboden could fall back to join Breckinridge; either of which movements would necessitate a battle in the upper half of the Shenandoah Valley.

From Richard Lewis’ “New Market Echoes“, a description of the Battle:

With Confederate manpower already at a shortage, VMI’s cadets were placed under arms and marched northward to join Breckinridge. The corps had been called out before, notably during Stonewall Jackson’s Valley Campaign. But the cadets’ duties had been strictly of a non-combat nature.

The 257 VMI cadets–some as old as 25 and some as young as 15, but most of them teenagers–joined Breckenridge’s troops at Staunton on May 12. The veteran soldiers mocked the beardless boys of the corps by singing “Rock-a Bye Baby” and urging them to go home to their mothers. It would not be long before these young men would win the veterans’ unabashed respect, along with immortality.

Marching northward, Breckinridge confronted Sigel near the village of New Market on May 15 in the midst of a driving rainstorm. Though Sigel was a man of less-than-imposing military talents, his troops fought hard and well, and he also had the advantage of terrain. Some of his artillery had found position atop a hill which overlooked the large farm and homestead of the Bushong family. Any chance of Confederate victory depended on the silencing of those guns.

Having already committed most of his troops in the battle, Breckinridge reluctantly ordered the VMI corps into line. Under fire for the first time, the cadets formed their ranks and marched forward through the Bushong farm. Union guns atop the hill quickly found their mark and soon exploding shells tore into the cadet ranks. With schoolmates falling at their sides, the cadets pressed forward through the rain and battle smoke.

Dividing their formation to pass around the Bushong house, the corps found itself pinned down in the Bushong orchard by the fire from federal cannon and infantry on the hill now looming on the left of the cadets. Some of the veteran units began to waver in the face of the Union fire. A moment of truth was at hand.

At the given command, the cadets fixed bayonets and moved forward from their position, going straight for the Union battery across a marshy field and up the ridge incline. The rain had rendered the field a quagmire and the mud literally sucked the shoes from the feet of the cadets as they advanced into the face of the destructive fire. Incredibly, the corps maintained near perfect composure as they followed their big color ensign, Oliver Evans, up the hill. A Union captain later remarked, “They came on steadily up the slope…Their line was as perfectly preserved as if they were on dress parade.”

Moving irresistibly forward, the VMI cadets were soon among the cannon, fighting hand-to-hand with the artillerists who had not already fled. In one of the dramatic moments of the war, color bearer Evans leapt atop one of the Union guns, waving the distinctive VMI flag over his head. Within minutes, the Union line atop the ridge gave way as Union gunners and infantry ran for the rear.

It was an incredible moment in American military history. A group of young and untested college students had taken on veteran soldiers and won under the worst of conditions. But the victory had come at a terrible cost to the VMI cadets. In the path of their historic assault lay the bleeding forms of 55 of their comrades. Ten cadets lay dead or dying on the field while another 45 had suffered wounds.