Hello All, I realize, with this forum being based on distance learning, that I may asking for a long shot here, when talking about VMI. However, one of my best students who I have been really pushing over the past 3 years has confided in me his desire to go into the military. He's keeping it somewhat secret because his mom is not very supportive of the idea. (Which is interesting, because she was a Marine herself.) He is looking at trying to get into VMI because of it's military appeal. However, I know next to nothing about the school. I wrote a paper a while back about women trying to gain acceptance there, but that's about it. I was wondering if anyone here knew anything about the school and its admissions process or if anyone could offer advice about applying there so that I could pass this along to my student. Thanks, Matt
I don't live too far from the school. It's very highly regarded in Virginia. I don't know too much about the admissions process though. I've always been fascinated with the school's Civil War history. In 1864 VMI cadets fought as an independent unit at the Battle of New Market. VMI is the only military college or academy in the United States to hold this distinction and is therefore the only military college or academy authorized to fix bayonets and wear red during formal parade. The cadets who fought that day ranged in age from 14 to 22, though through the years claims of cadets as young as 12 fighting have been made. General John C. Breckinridge, the commanding Southern general, held the cadets in reserve and did not use them until Union troops broke through the Confederate lines. Upon seeing the tide of battle turning in favor of the Union forces, Breckinridge stated, "Put the boys in...and may God forgive me for the order." The VMI cadets held the line and eventually pushed forward, capturing a Union artillery emplacement, securing victory for the Confederates. The Union troops were withdrawn and Confederate troops under General Breckinridge held the Shenandoah Valley. VMI suffered fifty-two casualties with ten cadets killed in action and forty-two wounded. The cadets were led into battle by Commandant of Cadets and future VMI Superintendent Colonel Scott Shipp. Shipp was also wounded during the battle. Six of the ten fallen cadets are buried on VMI grounds behind the statue, "Virginia Mourning Her Dead" by sculptor Moses Ezekiel, a VMI graduate who was also wounded in the Battle of New Market.
An impressive ceremony still a part of VMI life today celebrates May 15 on the Lexington campus. Selected cadets at roll call snap their replies as the names of the New Market casualties are called: "Dead on the field of honor, sir."
