About the American Civil War VMI Cadet

Ulysses S. Grant's Union Army is approaching and it's all hands on deck for the repulse!

That includes the cadets of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), who have been ordered into service by Confederate Major General John C. Breckinridge. These cadets averaged 18 years of age but with several child soldiers no older than 15. They wore traditional blue-gray coatees and blue caps, often looking more like formal academy students than the poorly clothed veteran soldiers of the Confederacy.

The cadets charged through a muddy wheat field under intense fire. Many cadets lost their shoes in the thick mud during the charge, leading the area to be memorialized as the "Field of Lost Shoes". Out of 257 VMI cadets, 10 were killed or mortally wounded, and 47 were wounded. 

The Confederate victory delayed the Union capture of the Shenandoah Valley for several weeks, allowing Breckinridge to reinforce General Robert E. Lee. 

The Battle of New Market was fought on May 15, 1864 is central to the Institute's history and heritage. Today, the site is home to the Virginia Museum of the Civil War and New Market Battlefield State Historical Park, where a solemn ceremony is held every May 15, featuring a formal roll call of the 10 cadets who died, marked by the response "Died on the Field of Honor, Sir."

All Brickmania custom minifigs feature original artwork custom printed and hand packed at the Brickmania HQ in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Brickmania® custom minifigures feature detailed, historically accurate uniforms and high-quality UV printing as well as cutting edge gear and weaponry. Brickmania custom minifigures are made in small batches and are designed using original artwork at the Brickmania HQ in Minneapolis, MN.

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