VMI Cadets ... marching into the past

I thought about the young VMI cadets this morning when it was 38 degrees outside. They were camped somewhere on their 80-mile trek from Lexington north to New Market and, as I shivered in my living room, I knew they were shivering in the outdoors. At least it's not hot today as they hike in their wool uniforms ... at midday it was low 60s at my house and overcast with rain on the horizon.

The cadets spent last night at the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton before continuing on their march today. The reenactment celebrating the 145th anniversary of the original Civil War Battle of New Market will take place Saturday at the New Market Battlefield and, if you have not seen it before, it is well worth the drive. Be there by noon to catch all the action. Take a lawn chair or blanket ... some carry a picnic to enjoy.

I was last there two years ago as the army from the north and the army from the south approached the field ... some on horseback, some walking, some hiding behind fences and in the orchard. The reenactment is almost identical to the original battle. The outcome is always the same ... the northerners are pushed back and the south lives to see another day.

See photos and read about the modern day cadets in the Waynesboro News Virginian.

Home School Day at New Market Battlefield

"To teach is to learn twice."
- Joseph Joubert (1754-1824), French essayist

Home Educators Association of Virginia (HEAV) is sponsoring a free Home School Day at New Market Battlefield State Historical Park on Wednesday, March 26, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Join other homeschoolers for interactive guided tours, military drill, black-powder demonstrations, 19th-century crafts, storytelling, cooking demonstrations, games and period dancing, and much more!

At this HEAV-sponsored event you will get an opportunity to tour the three-hundred-acre New Market Battlefield State Historical Park, the 19th-century Bushong Farm, and the Hall of Valor Civil War Museum. You'll also enjoy scenic Shenandoah River overlooks, picnic spots, and walking trails. Be sure to bring your camera!

Although admission to the park is normally $9/adults and $5/youth, admission is FREE to home schoolers on March 26! Reservations are required, so be sure to mark your calendars and RSVP with the New Market Battlefield State Historical Park soon. Registration forms are available on the park website at www.vmi.edu/newmarket.

For more information, use the toll-free number 866-515-1864, or send your questions by e-mail to marshalltd@vmi.edu.