The Citadel vs. VMI

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Why does the role of the cadets from the Virginia Military Academy (VMI) in the Civil War have such a prominent place in Civil War memory while the role of the South Carolina Military Academy (now The Citadel) is largely forgotten? The SC cadets probably saw more combat than their VA counterparts.

Is it all because of that one dramatic charge?

Or is it because the war historiography has been Virginia-centric while the entire Charleston Campaign is largely forgotten? Despite the length of the campaign, the forces engaged and battles fought were much smaller than those in Virginia or Tennessee/Georgia, and the leaders largely devoid of glory. Glory (the film) and the CSS Hunley were part of the campaign, but seem to be remembered in isolation.

 

[sprog94]

I believe the fact that VMI remained operational during and immediately following the war is what separates the two and may be the reason Abraham Lincoln called VMI the "WestPoint of the South."
Having cadets or former cadets "present" in a skirmish or "part of" a battalion is a far cry from fighting as an entire student body or being led into combat by your school's leadership and your professors, as occurred at VMI many times! Having to leave classes for a couple days to fight, then return to barracks and resume classes sounds like a unique college experience to me!!!
The Civil War involvement of the 2 institutions is far different--JMHO!

 

[bayouace]

https://www.mdah.ms.gov/explore-mississippi/historic-jefferson-college
Jefferson College near Natchez was the oldest college in Mississippi. Jefferson Davis attended there. It closed for the CW, but opened again as a Prep School, becoming Jefferson Military in the 1900's. No doubt in my mind The Horse Soldiers would have used that name.

 

[bayouace]

Col. Walter Domina, CO of the U.S. Naval Disciplinary Command (The Castle) in Portsmouth, NH during the early 1970's, was a proud Norwich graduate, Viet Nam veteran and a fine leader. I can personally attest to that, having served in the Marine Detachment there.

 

[MWood1841]

Charleston is my home and I've had friends and family attend both schools, and service academies.
VMI is more than 3 years older than the Citadel.
VMI cadets began class on post on November 11, 1839. The post was destroyed in the Civil War but rebuilt within one year and classes have continued on site ever since. VMI was called into active military service on over a dozen occasions while the Citadel was shut down during the war. The Citadel was "established" in 1842 but started accepting cadets and began classes in Columbia (not Charleston) in 1855. After this, they did 2 years in Columbia and 2 years in Charleston. During and after the Civil War, the Citadel was closed for nearly 20 years. The school operated near Meeting Street for nearly 60 years, then the Citadel was moved and reopened at its current location in the 1960s.
Today VMI consists of 1800 cadets with 65% going into the military.
Today the Citadel consists of nearly 4,000 students. 1900 civilian day/night undergrad/grad/online students and 2400 cadets with 30% going into the military.

Not sure how many sports fans on here. The Citadel typically has a better football team and beats up on VMI on a more regular basis during the Military Classic of the South game each year. The military minor-league version of the Army-Navy game. Pretty sure they've won the Silver Shako a lot more. They also have a better mascot

 

[JackADriscoll]

Not sure how many sports fans on here. The Citadel typically has a better football team and beats up on VMI on a more regular basis during the Military Classic of the South game each year. The military minor-league version of the Army-Navy game. Pretty sure they've won the Silver Shako a lot more. They also have a better mascot

I played rugby at citadel a few times in my youth. Always a fun experience

 

[USS ALASKA]

United States Marine Corps
Command and Staff College
Marine Corps University
2076 South Street
Marine Corps Combat Development Command
Quantico, Virginia 22134-5068
MASTER OF MILITARY STUDIES

VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE AND ITS INVOLVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF MILITARY STUDIES
Major Thomas D. McGinnis, USMC
Conference Group #9
AY 2000-01

As a state-supported institution, many VMI Cadets received a funded education in return for their loyalty and support to the state of Virginia. But a greater percentage paid the required annual tuition in order to receive a military education that instilled the discipline, knowledge, and leadership of a commissioned officer. Viewed as a necessary part of the educational experience, service to the state complimented the growth of the citizen-soldier. An example of such service occurred when a contingent of the Corps stood guard in Harper's Ferry, [West] Virginia for the execution of John Brown.

The average Cadet age varied, but the majority was under the age of 18. This fact, coupled with desires of prominent families, who paid for their son's education while the country warred, and the value of a VMI graduate as an officer and leader of men, compelled the Institute and the state to utilize the Corps of Cadets in secondary duties, far removed from the horrors of battle. The Corps' involvement in the McDowell campaign of 1862 equated to burial details and logistical replenishment.

As the Confederacy's demise increased, the urgent need for qualified and capable men necessitated the increased use of the Cadets. Their use in battle was only as a last resort in order to ensure victory. Such was the case at New Market, Virginia. When the tactical situation was deemed hopeless, the military value of the Corps was removed for service another day. This was seen when General Hunter occupied Lexington, Virginia and destroyed much of the Institute.

By the end of the war, the Corps of Cadets were among the defensive forces in the city of Richmond, Virginia. They remained there as a last line of defense for the Confederate cause, but were never required to pay the ultimate sacrifice. Disbanded in April 1865, the Institute reopened its doors the following October, and continued to educate the citizen-soldier.

https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA401104.pdf

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[bayouace]

Norwich University in VT produced over 2 dozen generals in the CW. Additionally, some 50 Norwich men served the CSA.

Project MUSE -- Verification required!

 

[USS ALASKA]

Collection; Master of Military Art and Science Theses
Title; Use of the Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets as a military unit before and during the war between the states.
Author; Wallace, Michael M.

Abstract
During the Civil War, the Confederate government passed legislation creating a national military academy and establishing the rank of Cadet. The national military college was unnecessary because the Confederacy already possessed numerous state military colleges. However, the Confederate government failed to properly engage these individual state schools by providing curriculum recommendations or commissioning their graduates. This shortsighted and domineering attitude by the Confederate government ensured that the military colleges failed in their mission to produce a large number of officers for the Confederate army. It was the state governments (especially Virginia and South Carolina), not the Confederacy, that realized the importance that military colleges in the Confederacy and kept them operating with very little Confederate support. Virginia made a conscious decision to keep VMI open, not as a short term "officer candidate school," but with her four-year military and academic curriculum intact. Supporting the school both militarily and financially, VMI produced the most officers of the southern military colleges for service in the Confederate army. Additionally, the cadets themselves were used as a military unit by the Confederate and state governments numerous times in the war.

Series; Command and General Staff College (CGSC) MMAS thesis
Publisher; Fort Leavenworth, KS : U.S. Army Command and General Staff College,
Date, Original; 2006-06-16
Date, Digital; 2006-06-16
Call number; ADA452099
Release statement; Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)
Repository; Combined Arms Research Library
Library; Combined Arms Research Library Digital Library
Date created; 2006-08-05

https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p4013coll2/id/576/download

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[Borderruffian]

The only thing I know for sure is that once upon a time my unit got to brand new Boot 2nd Lieutenants.1 from VMI and 1 from the Citadel. They were always disparaging each other's school, kinda of funny....no really funny.

 

[Grant's Tomb]

Sherman was the first superintendent of the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning & Military Academy in Pineville, Louisiana which is now Louisiana State University (LSU). It was originally called the Seminary of Learning of the State of Louisiana. Its name was changed to include Military Academy in January 1860. A year later after Louisiana seceded from the Union, Sherman resigned as superintendent. The school was renamed LSU in March 1870. A fire destroyed the original building in Pineville on October 15, 1869. On November 1st, classes were resumed in Baton Rouge.

 

[Bruce Allardice]

My article "West Points of the Confederacy. Southern Military Schools and the Confederate Army," Civil War History vol. 43 (1997) has the best overall treatment of antebellum southern military schools and schools with a cadet program.
There were (latest count) about 100 of them--mostly what we today would call high schools.
The north had their fair share also (e.g. Norwich U., Starr Military Academy) but not as many as the south did.