Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1912-12-04
HISTORY OF CADET BATTERY
Brass Guns at v. M. I. Oldest in Use
In Country

leans. which comprise the Cadet
battery, in use as late as last finals,
and that this is the oldest battery
actually in use in this country. Its
history is as follows:
On the 4th of February, 1850, the
adjutant-general OF the State order
ed the corps of Cadets to Richmond
as an escort for the President dur
ing the laying Of the corner stone OF
the famous Washington monument.
The ceremony was an imposing one
and so impressed was General Zach.
airy Taylor. then Chief Executive OF
the United States, with the corps
that be ordered the ordnance de-
partment to turn out fer the Insii
tute battery of six Founders, cast
in bronze with the Virginia coat-of.
arms thereon. The guns were made
200 pounds lighter than the regula-
ton pieces OF that day and specially
mounted for the use Of the Cadets.
ASAh VIC N11 VI buclI pE6StD tdtlOb
these guns have been in constan,
use. At the time they were made
held battery consisted OF six pieces.
four six-pOunders and two twelve
pound howiizers. The present eve
Mug gun is one of the latter, its
mate having been thrown into the
Potomac on the retreat from Antie
tam or Sharpsburg, to prevent its
capture.
At the outbreak OF the war the
Cadet battery was turned over to the
Rock bridge Artillery and was taken
down the Valley by Major Jackson, !
the former V. NJ. I. professor aud |
instructor of artillery.
Caissons were constructed on hay
wagon bodies and the guns saw SER
vice before Bull Run, while john
ston and Jackson we're confronting
the Union forces about Harpers
Ferry. 1t is said that they were
the first guns fired after those at
Charleston.
The battery was used with fine
effect by Jackson's Brigade at First
Manassas, when it won from its
commander his epithet. 1t will be
recalled that thereafter these troops
were known as the "Stonewall |
Brigade" the artillery Of which |
consisted of the Rockbridge and |
Carpenters Batteries, Colonel |
Poague, the present treasurer OF
the Institute and a graduate, con-
manding the former, and the gallant
Carpenter, also a graduate, CON-
handing the latter.
liter the first Maryland invasion,
which terminated in failure, was
abandoned, the remaining FIVE guns
OF the Cadet battery were returned
to the Institute and one of its Gals
sons bore the remains of Jackson.
its former commander, to their last
resting place in the Lexington GENE
terry.
The two guns used by the Cadets
at New Market were not from the
Cadet battery, as many suppose
The pieces used there we're iron
rifles.
When General Hunter swept up
the Valley in 1864, after Sigel had
been repealed in May by Breckin-
ridge at New Market, he lombard
ed the Institute, as the cannon balls
in the the east tower testify, burned
all our buildings, except the super
intendent's quarters, destroying
laboratories, library, all our scienti-
fc apparatus. and carried off as tro-
phies of war the Houdon statue of
Washington, now in front of bar
racks, and the Cadet battery. These
were returned to tae Institute after
the war, handsomely remOupted |
and fitted out, just as they now are.
Who knows but that future gene
rations of arIillerymen will look |
back upon these old guns as the
first to arouse their enthusiasm for |
the long arm? Who knows but
that there will be more Pendletons,
Walkers. Latimers, Crutchfelds, |
Cutshaws. Thompsons, Poagues and
Chews to be heard from?-V. NJ. 1.
Cadet.