Thomas Wright's Diary

Petersburg / History

The Union had three different Armies at Petersburg, the Army of the Potomac, the Army of the James, and Army of Shenandoah. All under Command of Grant, each Army had its command. Meade had command of the Army of Potomac, Maj.General Edward Ord the Army of the James, Maj. General Alfred Thomas Torbet had command Army of Shenandoah.

The Confederacy had the Army of Northern Virginia General Lee in Command, the Department of North Carolina and Southern Virginia commanded by P.T.G. Beauregard, this was about three Divisions made up of older and younger men, some wounded.
Most either too young or old for the Army of Northern Virginia or unfit for duty. During the siege, at no time was Lee trapped at Petersburg. He could have left and maneuvered his Army, fight Grant on the move. Something Lee was good at, fight Grant when he had too. Although Lee, until Grant never faced a General willing to fight at any given chance, to chase not wait days to attack.

                             

                                               History

I couldn't cover the entire War, I've tried give you the best picture of it. Starting in the West then ending in the Eastern Campaign. Thomas couldn't be in every battle, the War is coming to a close.
For Thomas and the Confederacy. The Army of the Shenandoah did much like Sherman in the Shenandoah Valley. Destroying crops and military targets under the command of General Sheridan. Sherman is moving north out the Carolinas. I would like to mention the Battle of New Market, this battle the Virginia Military Institute, participated in. The youngest cadet was 15, the oldest 25, in 1864 the cadets were called on to help fight they entered the battle on 15, May 1864.

The Cadets numbering 257, were organized into a Battalion 4 companies of Infantry 1 section of Artillery. On May 10th 1864 the VMI Corps of Cadets were ordered to join, General John C. Breckenridge's  forces near Staunton Virginia.  They marched about 85 miles, arriving at New Market on Sunday morning 15, May.

Message to Major General, F.H. Smith, Superintendent Virginia Military Institute.

Sigel is moving up the Valley- was at Strasburg last night. I cannot tell you whether this is his destination. I would be glad to have your assistance at once with cadets and a section of artillery. Bring all forage and rations you can.

Yours respectively

John C. Breckenridge Major General.

With this communication, Breckenridge called in some of the brightest young men of the South. Although Breckenridge neither desired or intended to commit them to battle, more like reserves. This does show, just how desperate the situation was for the Confederacy. Willing to take the next level, of true leadership in the south. To battle; future Military Leaders, possibly Political and Economic leaders. V.M.I. was established in 1839, 2,000 Graduates contributed to the War. The most famous faculty member, General Thomas J. Jackson "Stonewall Jackson", he had been dead for a year. The average age of the cadets was 16, even their Colonel Scott Shipp VMI class of 1859 was in his twenties.

The unsoiled uniform and pristine muskets, got them salty comments from the veteran soldiers. Only time combat and blood would tell, if the cadets met the standards. On the morning of May 15th it rained with intermittent thunderstorms. Making the freshly plowed fields wet and muddy. The Union held the town, they exchanged artillery fire with the Confederate batteries on Shirley's Hill. Breckenridge had his entire force on hand about 5,000 men, Sigel's men were scattered down the Valley Pike almost twenty miles. Giving him only about 6,000 men for the battle.

Breckenridge hoped the Union would attack his strong point on Shirley Hill, the Union moved on Bushong's Hill, near a farm of the same name. The Union sent urgent messages for the rest of the Army to join them. Breckenridge declared " I can attack and whip them here, and I'll do it!" He ordered a general advance from Shirley Hill, to Manor's Hill south of Bushong Farmhouse.

This move gave the cadets their first casualties, the veterans ran down the hillside towards Manor Hill, the cadets marched down with parade-ground precision. The Union artillery firing the whole time. Throughout the morning, both sides exchanged musket and artillery fire across the soaked wheat fields.

The Union artillery opened a gap in the center of the Confederate line, having no reserves. Breckenridge ordered the cadets in, saying. "Put the boys in, may God forgive me for that order." The cadets divided as they passed the Farmhouse, regrouped along a fence line, about 200 yards from the Union line. They help repulse a cavalry charge, then counter-attacked across the muddy wheat field. Losing shoes while crossing. The cadets captured a Union cannon, a prize any Infantryman would want. Ten VMI cadets died or received mortal wounds, another 50 were wounded.

The cadets didn't do this all by themselves, but without them the battle would of been lost. The days after the battle they took care of the wounded and burying the dead. The cadets were ordered to Richmond, VA the capital, where they received new colors to replace the tattered bullet ridden one.

On June 12th 1864  Union General David Hunter attacked and burned VMI, the attack was overseen by Henry Du pont under protest, decades later as a United States Senator, he would sponsor a bill compensating VMI for damages done. In October 1864 they were dispatched to Richmond for fatigue duty in the trenches and on the Poe farm, until academic duties started again in December of 1864. In 1865 VMI reopened in Lexington.

Never before, or since has a entire student body, been called upon to go to battle. The muddy fields got the name the field of lost shoes. Every 15, May from 1866 on, VMI does a ceremony for the ten dead at the graves of six cadets buried at the institute. A ceremonial roll call is done in honor of the sacrifice made by those ten dead.

Year's after the Battle of New Market, Captain Franklin Town a Union veteran of the battle. Wrote a letter to the VMI alums, that describes the charge by the cadets. This is a part of that letter.

As a military spectacle it was the most beautiful, and as a deed of war it was most grand. When such young men fall in a cause in which they believe, whether it is intrinsically right or wrong, one may realize the sadness of cutting off a life so full of promise, yet all - those who approved and those who opposed the cause they died for- will accord them the tribute of sincere respect and admiration.
I do not believe the history of war contains the record of a deed more chivalrous, more daring, or honorable, than the charge of these boys to a victory which veterans might well boast.

                       Battle of New Market, VMI cadets and colors.

       

       Virginia Military Institute, Lexington Virginia after it burnt.

This information, was found at the Virginia Military Institute, and Shenandoah at War websites if you care to read more on it. I thank you for your support, please vote comment if you care too.