The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-05-01
INSTITUTE CADETS MAY
SERVE AS DRlLLMASTERS
General Nichols Makes Formal Tender
OF Service to Governor
Stuart.
WOULD TRAIN VOLUNTEERS
In 1861 Cadets Under jackson Did
Valuable Work In InstructInE He.
cruits I'm Use of Arms.

The services OF tho Virginia Military
Institute Ind its cadet corps were
formally rendered yesterday to Gov
ernor Stuart, by Superintendent Nichols
Snd through MIN to the President of
the United States, for the instruction
OF volunteers who may be called out
for use in Il Mexican campaign. This
action was taken by General Nichols
On the Instructions Of tho board of
visitors of the institute, which met this
week in Lexington.
No reply has been made yet by Gov
crnor Stuart to the offer of assistance.
and it is presumed that he will not
formally accept ii unless the occasion
arises
General Nichols recounts in his let
ter how Stonewall jackson in 1861 led
the cadet corps Of tho Virginia Mill
tary Institute to the camp in Rich
mond. where the raw recruits TO the
army of the Coufederacy We're as
sembled for instruction. At that time
the cadets rendered Invaluable service
in whipping the recruits into shape.
Military authorities agree that the SER
vices of the corps now In IL possible
emergency would be of the greatest
value in fitting the unframed volun-
tecrs for tho field.
General Nichois's Letter.
General Nicholas letter follows:
april 80. 1914.
His EXcellency. Henry c. Stuart Cow
ernor of Virginia. Richmond. Va:
My Dear Govcrnor.-In compliance
with the resolution of the boaSd Of
Visitors OF the Virginia Military 1nsti-
tute, hereto appended, have the honor
to Offer TO you and through you to tho
President IF tho United States tho
facilities that this institution affords
and the services OF it's officers for pur-
al nC
recruits that may he called TO serve
under 'le colors of our country H. the
conflict now pending between this
country and ;he republic Of Mexico
IT is needless To say that all OF us
hope that this conflict M DC honor
ably avoided. and that The services we
tender may prove unnecessary.
I'm April, 1861, the corps of cadets
of this institution was led from the
parade ground by Major jackson. af-
terwards Stonewall Jackson, to the
camp OF obstruction In Richmond,
where, under their commandment, Col
onel William Gilham, they b,caine tn {,
administers of the recruits assembled
there from the Southern States The
scrvices rendered by the battalion to
the Confederate cause At that time
made possible In large part the early
successes of Confederate arms
The services rendered the South
hfty-four years ago the institute
would now gladly render In larger
measure to IL now happily reunited
country.
Il have the honor to remain, Your
EXcellency,
Your obedient servant
"E. w. NICHOLS,
superintendent"
General Nichols inciosed the follow
Ing extract from the minutes Of a
meeting of the board of visitors held
at the Virginia Military Institute April
%:
BE 1t resolved by tho board OF
visitors of the Virginia Military In
stitute hi called meeting assembled
That the superintendent OF this In
stitutc be and he is hereby author
lied to tender TO the President OF the
United States through the Governor
OF Virginia, In such way as may be
proper and customary, the institute
corps, grounds and equipment for en-
campment and military instruction for
volunteers In the United States Army"