"The New Market Day ceremony is an annual observance held at VMI in front of the monument "Virginia Mourning Her Dead," a memorial to the New Market Corps, sculpted by Sir Moses Ezekiel, VMI Class of 1866, who was a veteran of the battle. The names of all of the cadets in the Corps of 1864 are inscribed on the monument, and six of the ten cadets who died in the battle are buried at this site. The ceremony features the roll call of the names of the cadets who lost their lives at New Market, a custom that began in 1887. As the name of each cadet who died is called, a representative from the same company in the modern Corps answers, "Died on the Field of Honor, Sir." A 3-volley salute is then carried out by a cadet honor guard, followed by Taps played over the parade ground. To culminate this ceremony, the entire Corps passes Virginia Mourning Her Dead in review." wiki
W. Patrick Lang Class of 1962
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_New_Market
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Military_Institute
I shall post a picture for the committee of correspondence to view.
Posted by: Hank Foresman | 14 May 2013 at 07:26 PM
Several of ours fought there. They were with the 30th Virginia Infantry. The cadets were called to fill the gap after the 30th broke.
Posted by: Eliot | 14 May 2013 at 09:55 PM
PL! What is the best book or article on the Battle of New Market and the roles of the VMI cadets?
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 15 May 2013 at 08:33 AM
Colonel,
Moses Ezekiel, VMI 1866, was an interesting person. Checked the Wiki entry on him- he was the first Jewish cadet to attend VMI and later became an internationally renowned sculptor.
The "Sir" honorific is actually from Italian (Cavaliere) or German (Ritter) honors he received.
He would appear to be the subject of what would be a great biography.
Posted by: oofda | 15 May 2013 at 12:13 PM
He is butied at the foot of the Confederate Memorial in Jackson Circle at Arligton. The statue is his work. The inscription says, "Moses Exekiel, Sergeant in the Corps of Cadets, New Market, Virginia, May 15, 1864." Legend has it that that when he was lodged with a family in Lexington just after VMI was allowed to re-open there was a knock on the door. Opening it he saw General Lee, then president of Washington College, They sat and talked. When, Lee learned that Ezekial would go to Rome to study at the papal art academy he said, "I don't care what you do so long as you do it well. I would not have THEM think we lost because we were unworthy." pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 15 May 2013 at 02:59 PM
What was the military significance of the New Market Battle?
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 15 May 2013 at 10:58 PM
WRC
It resulted in the temporary defeat of part of Grant's master plan. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 16 May 2013 at 12:08 AM
Actually, Siegel the Union commander, was forced out of the Shenandoah Valley. Grant was furious and replaced him. Of the ten VMI cadets who died as a result of the battle, five were killed in action and five more died of their wounds days after the battle. That gives an idea of the costly aftermath after a Civil War battle.
Posted by: oofda | 16 May 2013 at 10:37 AM
oofda
He spelled his name "Sigel." There were 12 cadets KIA and 44 WIA. Sigel was replaced by MG "Black Dave" Hunter a renegade Virginian who delighted in burning his Confederate relatives' homes and property. Heavily reinforced he advanced back up (south) the Valley and captured Lexington where he burned VMI and allowed his men to loot at will throughout Rockbridge county. They spent enough time doing that to allow LTG Jubal Early's forces to arrive at Lynchburg by train from the Richmond front. when Hunter emerged from the Blue Ridge he was so badly defeated by early's smaller force that he fled back west over the mountains to Lexington and then on into West Virginia and down the Kanawha River Valley to the Ohio River. This enabled Early to march north through the Valley to Washington. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 16 May 2013 at 10:55 AM
The "real" stories of Moses Ezekiel are even better. (see his autobiography, Memoirs from the Baths of Diocletian -- much there on his gratitude to Lee's inspiration) Thomas G. Jefferson, (grandson of a cousin of TJ's) died in Ezekiel's care.... and Ezekiel also happens to have been the creator of the two most famous statues at U. of Virginia -- Homer and the TJ Statue in front of the Rotunda. (google my name & "sermon in stone") I'm planning to get more out on Ezekiel.
Posted by: scott harrop | 19 May 2013 at 05:42 PM