The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-03
THE CADETS
ON PICKET
Experience as Richmond Was
About to be Evacu-'
ated.
"A PAGE OF LOCAL HISTORY
The Almshouse as Barracks Of
tile v. M. |. Men-Pcrsonal
"reminiscences Of the War.
ovr,tte, Tor The Timcs-pispatch.

written for The Timcs-Dispatch.)
s$s on the night OF April !, 1866. near tho
hour Of midnight, the corps or virginia
3 Cadets III barracks ut the New Rlchmohu
terry. were aroused by the beating Of tho
long roll 1t was very well known what
that sgniGed, and though all were peace
y fully sumbering. the cadets. III an III *
conceivably short space Of time. were IN
line on the parade ground. ORDERLY ser
geants stepped to the front, and win
lightning rapidly called tho company
4 rolls. and reported "ull present or &C
counted for Orders were received to
proceed forthwith to the front. WITH
merry hearts. little knowing the fearful
future now at hand. they whis'led ana
sung MS they marched in quick time
through the silent and deserted streets
of Richmond the seven miles required to
bring them to the extreme outer line OF
i forti1ca lions around Richmond, at White
Oak swamp, on the Williamsburg ROAD.
In the vicinity Of the battlefield of Seven
Pines.
On their arrival al what was known as
the third or outer linz the cadets we're
placed on pickets. After having been
kent in the trenches until daybreak of
the following morning. Sunday, April "a.
they were stretched out in p!cket me
"a probably several miles long and In sight
d 10
taken to impress upon the cadets the no
cessity OF RESTRAINING themselves and the
orders were under no circumstances TO
fire upon the enemy. If an engagement,
had been urecipitatcd tho cadet picket
line would have been dflye1I pAck upon
the trenches. where there would huFc
been no support TO speak Of.
It speaks we'll for the splendid dlsr-
pine of the cadets that they implicitly
obeyed Instructions. They were kept on
picket until the close of the day. when
orders were received TO march back 10
Richmond. Ever ready to obey orders.
the cadets never failed to display an In
exhaustible enthusiasm, whether facing
the leadeu storm and charging with TIL
broken ranks, ms at New Market or IN
retiring before the enemy. as ~ this IN
stance With their valiant coniinandant,
Colonel Scott Ship. OF their head. they
never faltered
AT RICHMOND.
The cadets. numbered four or Ave hun
dred, and At woilld have been ridiculous
10 suppose that In case of attack they
would have been able to defend the works
against the vast odds they knew were
lust III front but doubtless they would
have made gallant defense
y AT the sama time it may be imagined
how beHildered tho enemy We're nj the
multifarious movements that were now
y
Of the trenches and another would take
It's place. In this way complete decep-
ton was practiced upon the enemy. and
mot until an almost complete withdrawal
of troops had taken place. did the Fed
erals become aware of the fact that they
were In front Of empty trnchos. In this
General Lee, again displayed his master
~ ability as d general With ragged
half starved army of heroes. numbering
= scarcely 10000 men. he was called upon
to defend line twenty-five or thirty
miles long against Il splendldly equipped
army Of at least 10000 men provided
with everything needful and commanded
hy the most successful OF the Federal gem.
erals L. S, Grant Never was there such
contrast in the annals of warfare No
thing but an indomitnble devotion to prin-
ciple could have sustained men COM
batting such odds. They had struggled to
the bitter end ard were now compelled
by sheer brute force to yield to their
innumerable foes At the same time. the
cadets were totally unaware OF what was
going on, and exhibited the same ok
huberance OF spirit as when marching out
of Richmond, When they arrived In the
city. however whisperinRs were heard on
all sides that Richmond was being
evacuated. Al first, tho cadets We're dis
posed to receive with scorn and derislon
these limitations, but finally they vera
compelled much against their wishes. ia
believe that the information was too
true.
DISRk NTMFNfP