Virginia Military Institute Cadets and the Field of Lost Shoes

The Corps of Cadets at Virginia Military Institute and “The Field of Lost Shoes”

Outline

Introduction

Background

What Happened

The Outcome of the Battle of New Market

Conclusion

Introduction

Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) were ordered into active duty service on May 15, 1864, during the Battle of New Market. The heroic intervention by the cadets helped to win the battle for the Confederacy against Union forces, but the cadets insisted that they had fought for their beloved state of Virginia rather than the Stars and Bars.

Background

Founded in 1839, VMI was still a fledgling military institute when the Civil War started on April 12, 1841, and the young cadets and their institute had not yet had enough time to prove themselves and earn the respect of their active-duty counterparts in the Confederate Army As the outcome of the Battle of New Market clearly demonstrated, this perception of the VMI cadets also applied to the Union Army that decided the cadets were fair game despite their youth but underestimated their resolve and unwavering intrepidness in the face of intensive musket and cannon fire.

What Happened

In March 1864, General Ulysses S. Grant became determined to establish control over the Shenandoah Valley in order to control the prosecution of the war in Virginia. This military objective was importance because the Shenandoah Valley was not only strategically situated for invasion by the North and the South, it was also a critical agricultural center that produced much of the food for the Confederate Army in the eastern part of the South (Battle of New Market, 2022). By taking control of the Valley, General Grant believed he could shorten the war and finally win it for the North.

The North mounted a major offensive action on May 15, 1864 when General Grant ordered his troops to begin their attack on the Valley. In response, a battalion of 257 cadets from VMI was ordered to join Confederate General John C. Breckinridge's forces that were stationed near Staunton, Virginia (VMI Battle of New Market, 2022). The battle see-sawed until the VMI cadets were pinned down at which point their commanding officer ordered them to fix bayonets and to attack a battery of artillery that was located across a muddy field. The cadets rose as one and charged across the field and succeeded in securing a cannon for the Confederacy and winning the battle for the South by chasing off the remaining Union forces (Battle of New Market, 2022). In addition, military historians estimate the VMI cadets also captured as many as 80 Union soldiers. The name of the battle was based on the fact that many of the young cadets managed to lose their shoes in the “nearly knee deep” muddy field in the process, but this did not slow them down or diminish their bravery in attacking a superior military force (Battle of New Market, 2022).

The Outcome of the Battle of New Market

The VMI cadets who participated in the Battle of New Market were young (one was just 15 years old), but their heroism echoes to this day. Of the 257 cadets who took part, 10 were killed or later died from their wounds and another 47 were wounded. The cadets who were killed on the Field of Lost Shoes are remembered each year during VMI’s New Market Day commemoration, and their names are still announced at roll call to which a cadet responds, “Died on the Field of Honor, Sir!” (Died on the Field of Honor, 2022).

Conclusion

It is difficult for many people today to realize just how desperate the South’s situation was in 1864 or just how traumatic the Civil War was for American society. Likewise, it is likely impossible to imagine how terrifying an actual battle was for 257 young cadets who were away from home for the first time and were hoping to graduate and go on to live long, meaningful lives. The fact that these young men charged into the mouth of a cannon speaks volumes for the values that are instilled by VMI, and these values continue to shape the next generation of military leaders today. In sum, the outcome of the Battle of New Market clearly shows that you can reach your destination if you believe you can --even if you lose your shoes on the way.