Commandant of Cadets Historical Records

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Military Institute Archives
Preston Library
Virginia Military Institute
345 Letcher Ave.
Lexington, VA 24450-0304
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Jeffrey S. Kozak
Phone: (540) 464-7516
Phone: (540) 464-7566
Fax: (540) 464-7089
Preferred citation:

Record Group 10. Subject File, World War I Training Camps. Virginia Military Institute Archives.

Summary

Extent:
18 cubic feet
Creator:
Shipp, Scott, 1839-1917, Marshall, George C. (George Catlett), 1880-1959, and Virginia Military Institute. Office of the Commandant
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Record Group 10. Subject File, World War I Training Camps. Virginia Military Institute Archives.

Background

Scope and content:

Bound and unbound historical records documenting the operation of the Commandant's office and of the Corps of Cadets. The earliest examples date from 1839, the first year of the Institute. Items include: guard records, morning reports, demerit books, inspection books, permit books, muster rolls, record of events, penalty tour and confinement records, Commandant orders and memoranda, World War I Training Camp (1917-1918), ordnance stores (1858, 1861), George C. Marshall signed amnesty document, Scott Shipp correspondence

Three notebooks, including "Record of Drills", "Inspection Book", and "VMI T. C. Delinquencies".

Biographical / historical:

The Commandant of Cadets is the senior VMI administrator in charge of military life at the Institute. The Commandant oversees Barracks life, military training, physical training, Corps discipline, and other related areas. This position has existed since the opening of the Institute in 1839.

VMI sponsored military training camps (two in 1917 and one in 1918) to help prepare men before they went into the service. The attendees were not VMI cadets. An officer of the Institute, Captain Henley P. Boykin (Class of 1912) was detailed as the camp's commandant, and VMI cadet First Classmen were assigned to duty as instructors. Subsequently, an officer of the Canadian Expediat5ionary FOrces provided instruction in bombing, bayonet fighting and trench warfare.

Physical location:
Archives stacks, Record Group 10, Commandant