The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-06
Virginia Military Institute Com
uienqemCnt Exercises.
lReportch for the Dispa,ch.I

LEXINGTON, July 3, 1871.
At 10 o'clock \. NJ. the corps Of cadets
formed on The parade ground. under com
maud Of Colonel Shipp, and, after listening
10 The general orders, passed the office OF the
superintendent, General f. Il. Smith, and
being ipiaed by the Board Of Nl>ilorS and
Academic Stall. marched to the mess hall.
The hall was most elaborately and bcauti-
fully decorated with wrcalls Of ivy and fes-
tounS OF cedar and flowers. Portraits Of dis
linguishcd military characters and graduates
of the Nlrginit Military Institute adorned
the walls.
The superintendent introduced the order
Of exercises by requesting Rev. \. {. Barron
10 lead III prayer.
Cadet J. Z. Barron, OF North Carolina,
was introduced is
FIRST ORATOR.
representing the class OF ~. His theme
| was "War-thc Weapons and Mode OF Sue
cess in the Past and Fu.ure.' The speech
,;l~ L very Interesting and brief c>>ty, de-
scriDtiyG OF the modes Of warfare in the past
and what must be the mode in future. In
the course OF his remarks lie alluded to the
new mode OF charge. introduced by the in-
mortal Lee The old English charge was
made With fixed bayOnets and unloaded
-uuS. 1t remained for him to inaugulale Il
chlrge with lInfiXcd bayoncts and loaded
Guns. which We're discharged from some
commanding point, doing terrible execution.
The Grafton was we'll received.
Cadet L. {. Watkins, ot Virginia. was
introduced aS
THE vALEDlCToRIAN.
This young gentleman has Il fine person
-, Il oil
touching words OF farewell to superintendent
and uademc staff, ladies, and cadets were
loudly cheered.
The superintendent then read the names
u the first class, their standing, &c, and
conferred their diplomas i'll The order
| named;
d. Graudy, Norih ,Carohna NJ. Jones, Virginia
". : Keith, Virginia; NJ. +. Leak, Tennessee; d.
c. Sherrod Mis-. lssippl; l.. c. Watkins, Virginia;
ginia; ". 5. Hammond, Virginia: j: z. JetFriess,
Virginia; J. NJ. Lee, Albania; {. Foster, south
Carolina; 5. H. Davis, V!rginia; ). Bowler, Xir-
ginia q. Gaines. Virginia.; w. Ii. Dudley. Vir
ginia; }. l.: johnston, South Carolina; ": II.
Ch.mbliss, Virginia; j. Waters; Tennessee; W. NJ:
W. 4. ketchum Alabama;, J. {. Paris. Xirsnia
ri ay@ IVA sSn1h Caron n;" c. Ii A Marks.
bama: II. Il. Cooper. North Carolina; A. G. Har.
irSlnla r.. Y. hch tduy, lOulSldlEt, -. \
Culberson, Texas; J. > Thomas, Missouri; 7: ".
,Jcffress Virginia; j. Cochran. Alabama: ii. McD.
McCue, Virginia; NJ. s. Grain, Louisiana; W.
Graves Tennessee W. McA. Green, Virginia.
Bv order Of the Board Of Visitors the fol.
lowing honorary degrees were conferred:
Bachelor Of Science: w. Z. Tams. Vir-
ginia; W. S. Washington, West Virginia :
c. p. Brady, Virginia.
Ctrl Engineer: w. j. Ward Maryland.
The following gentlemen, former cadets,
who have since distinguished themselves, are
| worthy of the degree, and it is hereby con-
ferred by the order Of the Board of Visi-
tors: Isaac Smith, Oregon; John NJ. Robin
son, Maryland; c. E. Yeatman, Virginia !;
Randolph Barton, Maryland.
Alr. Robert Il. Barton, Esq, of Virginia,
was then introduced, who addressed the
graduating class in behalf of the Board of
Visitors. This address was brief and stir.
ring, and listened to with marked attention.
The superintendent than announced that
gold medal was conferred on Cadet w. M.
Walton for the best essay on "Aim in Life"
As fact worthy of notice, aud comp-
mentary to the Virginia Military Institute
and Virginia students, we have learned from
an authoritative source that in a late compe.
| titiye examination for alXilarlcS to the COAST
Survey, United States army, the following
gentlemen received the appointment in the
following order: No. l, II. w. Blair, dis
tlnguished graduate of The Virginia Military
| Institute; No. =, j. L. Baylor, University OF
Virginia No. 3, Mr.. Sinclair, Of Virginia.
| These examinations were made not only on
the ground of attainments in the field, but
also on previous preparation and study.
The following distinctions were also an.
| nounced in the various schools named:
| ciriI Eagineer.-C. d. Grantly, North Carolina
| NJ r. Leake, Tennessee; NJ. Jones, Virginia.; W
| : Keith, Virginia; ID. q. Sherrard Mississippi. .
| UiLitdry Engi,,eeT-M. +. Leake, TENNESSEE
| John Waters, Tennessee; &. u. Grandy, Noril
| Carolina; j. $. Thomas, Missouri; W. :. hellh
| Virginia. ,,
Moral Philosophy.-W. II. ketchum,, Als6ama
g. A. Culuerson, Texas; w. 5. Keith, Flrgt.
MIA; {. y. Grundy, North Carolina; ". ID. Dudley
! Virginia. y,,, x,,,
| Miatrulogy and Geology.-;W. S; Keith, virSl
| MIA: g. ID. GraIdy, North Carolina; l.. e. Watkins
| Virginia: l.. +. Snyder, West Virginia; NJ. Jones
OrIannce and Gunnery.-C. d. Grandy, Sorti
| Carolina; ". 5. Keith, Virginia; y. L.. aalilarG
South Carolina; VI. r. Lcake, Ienhcssec' a.
| Bradley, Alabama. <o,,, w
-Loglc.--C. u. Grundy, North Carolina. ".
hciih, Virginia; M. Jones, Virgihla \; y. Cui
n,ngiam. Virginia; l.. L. Watkins, fi!E'ln.
X Msiori9,-i.. u. hcarns, firsihlAi Va ~ GraIu.