In 1839 the Virginia legislature approved replacing the guard company at the Lexington Arsenal with a military school. The school was intended to provide a source of competent militia officers, engineers, and teachers. It proved to be the states greatest source of officers in 1861; of sixty-four regiments raised that year, twenty-two were commanded by VMI graduates. Of 1,902 VMI matriculates from 1839 to 1865, 1,781 served in the Confederate Army. In April 1861 the Corps of Cadets, 200 strong, performed training duties in Richmond. The school resumed "normal" operations in January 1862 with 269 cadets. The corps was called out as reserve in April and May 1862 during Jackson's McDowell Campaign and took to the field three times in 1863 to support resistance against Federal cavalry raids in southwest Virginia. Following New Market, the corps was ordered to Richmond, where it served briefly in the city's defenses. It returned to Lexington in June to resist Hunter's advance, but could do little to prevent the Federal burning of Institute facilities. The corps was furloughed from July to October, when it was reassembled at Richmond where it served again periodically in the city defenses. It was disbanded on 2 April 1865 on the eve of the evacuation of Richmond. The Institute reopened at Lexington in October 1865.
Died of Wounds:
Atwill, Samuel A., 20 Jul 64
Hartsfield, Alva C., 26 Jun 64
Haynes, Luther C., c. 15 Jun 64
Jefferson, Thomas G., 18 May 64
Wheelwright, Joseph C., 2 Jun 64
Wounded in Action:
Akers, Reuben C.
Berkeley, Edmund, Jr.
Bradford, John F.
Buster, William D.*
Christian, Edward D.
Cocke, John P.
Corling, Charles T.
Darden, James D.
Dickinsen, Jesse I.
Dillard, William, Jr.
Garnett, Griffin T.
Garrow, Harris W.
Gibson, Franklin G.
Goodwin, James H.
Harris, Willis O.
Harrison, Carter H.
Hill, Archibald G.
Howard, John C.
Imboden, Jacob P.
Johnson, Porter
Jones, Walter S.
Macon, George K.
Marshall, Martin
Mead, Henry J.
Merritt, James L.
Moorman, Edwin S.
Pendleton, Robert A.
Phillips, Samuel T.
Pizzini, Andrew, Jr.
Preston, James B.
Randolph, Charles C.
Read, Charles H.
Shipp, Scott
Shriver, Samuel S.
Smith, Charles H.
Smith, Edward H.
Smith, Francis L.
Spiller, George
Stuart, John A.
Triplett, John R.
Upshur, John N.
Walker, Charles D.
Walter, Charles P.
Watson, William P.
White, Thomas W.
Whitehead, Henry C.
Wise, John S.
Wise, Louis C.
Woodlief, Pierre W., Jr.
Wyatt, John W.