Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-08-30

IheiF courts, rnsi1 ii6,sr;sa end tneif archives
we're preserved, and still remain 10 snow now
civilization may smsliorats tho Tlgofs OF war.
True, the school Of Engineers st Mes'srsa,
in which the celebrated Mon9s taught and
thet Ct Artillery Of La Fere, in common with
iii tho schools Of France, from the UniVersity
down, we're destroyed by the madness OF the
unrestrainea republican mobs. Ldoo's'er was
murdered, as the republic had no need OF
chemists" But these lawless acts Wsrs not
excused CT justified by the leaders or the
F:each revolution themselves. Va the CON
trary, they we're made the argument by which
Monga aud Fourcray established the Poly'
tschnio sch2" and begged for that purpose
the nds OF the old Pdldis BOURBON, ior the IN
euguration Of their truly revolutionary Schoo';
Bat General Hunter commanded an ORGANIZED
aEui3 OF the United States, whose protested
mission was tho restoration If the tnt0n, ahd
&C; il Was bJ his order, sod against the re-
mCnatrarcep, ns | understand, Of sGRe OF his
own general officers, that tho puo!io buildings
o. III, Virginia Military 1nstituto wore COM
mi,tei to the hanes, aud the threat was made
by him :bas the University OF Virginia should
sJon share like fate. I1o is not only respon-
5ible for IN net deliberately executed, but for
the effort clearly manifested to consign to ut
tor destruction every record that could mark
the character or history or being of the Viz.
gina Military Institute. Not satiefsd with
iesolatioa, its walls were. polluted with the
most otscane language ia association with the
names Of n,en from Oaio, aud Pennsylvsnia,
aad Nsw YORK, aud Massachusetts; while thu
record book If tie DiiIiotio Literary Society
Of Cadets was mutistsd by the following note,
written il pencil, Immediately alter the pro-
caedings OF May 1854:
Hfoas., 4. 8. DIp'T Wet VIRGINIA.
Lexington, June l2, 1854.
The next meeting Of the Di was probably
intertsred wiih by the threatening advance ct
the ankees under Sigel, who mnrchtd mp the
Valley of Virginia against them. The Cadets
lad other Southern forces defeated Sisel at
New Market; but three weeks afterwards, in a
battle at Piedmont, near Meyers Cave, Gen.
lIouter, Sigols sue ,essUr, utterly routed their
force, and took 800 prisoners. At this mo-
mont the Virginia Military lastisuto is a mass
Of ilamas.
(S;ened) JoHs r. MICS,
1.t Lieut.. Corps CT Engineers, U. s. A..
And Chief Eng'r Dept Of West Va.
The charta, was not complete with the van
.,,l -, o. Enthusiastically recorded. Va the 18Th
1T juno tho dsy Of rctribution CAME. Alter
:, rignal repuiso nenr Lynch burg, Hunter,
viii his iiacontiot armY, sought refuge il
rrecipirato Tight through the mountain passes
u Virginia, leaving his plumber along the
rohds 10 uaGk the course Of bis discontinue.
But perish tho thought that thu Virginia
Military lL=tiluto is destroyed or that bricks
and m.rtar constituted tho great military
s.i.uoi 81 Virginia. That, thank God, stiil
lives il. the keart and affections ci The Sautt,
ard in the yieor aud ulanhU0d Of it's noble soGs,
aud IN the cpfdenco ard power Of the State Of
Vusin;a, which established it. II was no
lnars in tho power Of General Hunter to de-
r,7oy the Virginia Military Institute than it
has been in the power of his Government to
destroy that undsr which we live. Both
ramsin-as ProTiientisuy preserved and de-
sisncd-to rindicate the cause of Truth ard
Right.
Tho Beard of Visitors meat to-day to dis
charge their high functions in giving vigor to
thaineti,ntian and speedy restoration to what.
e; e. mas becs destroyed. l have beon diligent-
" engaged, in obedience to their orders, in
preparing outlines OF thought for their oonsid-
o;alion, ont although twenty-five years of
a;li,..; ii,nteonitttd toll, in building up and
experimenting this great school have exhaust.
81, III gfea; degree, the v'gor OF manhood, !
nm ready u deyulu Fhate7er Of health or c!
srschgth may be let OF vou?hssfsd me, to the
wC1k Ui reatJra.ion, until tho Virginia Mill.
sra,Y Inst;.uo ii PLACED in all its pristins Of
glory.
General Smith thus appropriately PLACES
up1n record the part lorna by the Cadets in
thu battle ii Nsw Market. IL is part Ct the
i:ptFi:
o. iha right # Tie l0;h May. despatch
WIS reo.i7sa trom Major General }. g. Brsck.
;n.idse, by special Courier, calling upon me
fJr cooperation ca the part Of the oorps Of
Cadesa, in hiJ efforts to sspol the advance Of
General Sisel Orders Wera Immediately
given to Lieutenant Colonel S. Ship, com-
u.ardant OF Cadets, to proceed without delay,
sitl. Il battalion Of infantry Of four conpa-
Die- aud I, ete,ion Of artillery, and to report
T.. General Breckenridge at S!aunton. Having
previously communicated % General Breckin-
| ridge tho letter of General X. f.. Lee, ad-
dressed 10 tho Al u:Gnt General Of Virginia,
and tbs insLrdutions of the Governor, as con-
7e7ld in General 0;ders, of dats September
j;h, 1853. i signhvd to him my readiness to
give t. him such support as my authority,
unicr ,tcao Instructions, would warrant
Tho car ga OF Cadets WAC nc3ordingly placed
III iko Disposal Of General Bro ckinridgo, sub
j52t to tie limitations thus expressed. As
soon Cd the Cadets reached Stanton, the
:. .mn,cai ofGcaeral Breokinrise Immediately
;:o-Ui d.an the Valley to meet the enemy.
4 ssuguir.:IJ battle took place on tie 18th Of
Aiey, mar NsH Market, re-ulting in signal
victory by the Confederate forces the capture
Of battery of artillery, many email oil ms,
h5rses Gid prisoners. The enemy were pur-
sued 70 Mount Jackson, Hhsn the further purA
Euit Tss arrested by their burning the bridge
| behind them.
In this sanguinsry baltic the Cadets we're
engaged, and the casualties reported, killed
,.,a - wounded, show the prominent pari
home ty them in this struggle. have been
,nferrm,i l,Y Ger. Breckenridge that it was no,
81, intention To put the Cadets into the battle,
nnlsas absolutely required. Ile consider ed
| the nscoss!,y fer uFing them urgent, and had
lhey not been freely used, the result Of the
battle. in his Judgment, might have been diff
io.ent lie assured mo that the officers aDd
Cadets bud b1rne Themselves with conspicuous
gsilsntTy, and it vas source OF grcn5 Sails
is.c:i, to him to be6r testimony TO their
PATIENT endurance CT severe hardships under a
forced march, in storm Of rain, and the fue
discipline erhitited By them through the whole
expedition.
Tho report OF Lieut.. Col. Ship will present
III ,clail the events CT this memorable battle.
ith tho i.aInen ot ,LoSo who participated III
il. with The list uf killsi and Wounded.
PAY CADET APPOINTMENTS.
ITO toIiasi"g appointments of psy cadets
Nele made by the Board of Visitors of the
Virginia Military Institute, at thsir last meet,
ibs. July 18th, 1864: