182F

VMI NEW MARKET #1311/2500

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:5.00 USD Estimated At:NA
VMI NEW MARKET #1311/2500
BIDDING STARS SOON!
Approx $250,000 Collection (Original Purchase price per the family. Purchased for an investment )
STILL PROCESSING SALES LOTS. TOTAL PCS OVER 150 :
FROM THE ESTATE OF MR. & MRS. WILLIAM DOYLE
FRANCIS BARNUM SCULPTURES RARE & LIMITED EDITION / 150 PCS PLUS
CIVIL WAR , OLD WEST , WILDLIFE . All MADE IN AMERICA OF THE FINEST PEWTER AND AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP. ALL SIGNED BY FRANCIS BARNUM
VMI NEW MARKET #1311/2500
APPROX. 5.5" BY 6.5"
APPROX. 1.44 LBS
AUTHENTIC SCULPTURE BY FRANCIS BARNUM
SOLID PEWTER, WOOD BASE, HIGH QUALITY AMERICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP

The Francis Barnum sculpture “VMI – New Market” is a collectible Civil War–themed pewter piece that honors one of the most famous events in Virginia Military Institute history—the Battle of New Market (May 15, 1864).

What the sculpture represents

The piece is based on the moment when the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Cadets were called into battle during the Civil War and advanced in support of Confederate forces under pressure. The sculpture is meant to capture the cadet charge and urgency of the fight, often referred to in Civil War history as the dramatic “rush” into the battlefield.

The historical event itself is famous because:

About 257 VMI cadets were pulled from school and marched into battle
They were used to help plug a gap in the Confederate line
The cadets participated in a key counterattack at New Market
The battle became one of the most iconic moments in VMI history
About the Francis Barnum sculpture

Francis Barnum’s version is typically:

A tri-colored pewter battlefield sculpture
Often mounted on a marble base with a title plaque
Designed as a dynamic action scene, not a single figure portrait
Focused on movement, showing cadets advancing or charging

HISTORY:
The Battle of New Market was a Civil War battle fought on May 15, 1864, in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and it is especially remembered for the role of the Virginia Military Institute cadets.

Background

By 1864, the Shenandoah Valley was a key strategic region. Union forces aimed to control it because it was an important supply route for the Confederacy. Confederate troops were under pressure and short on manpower.

The battle begins

A Union force under General Franz Sigel advanced into the Valley near New Market, Virginia. Confederate forces moved to stop them. Early in the battle, Confederate lines began to struggle under Union pressure.

The VMI cadets are called in

One of the most famous moments in the battle occurred when the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) cadets were ordered into combat.

About 257 cadets were pulled from the VMI corps
They were young military students, not professional soldiers
They marched to the battlefield from Lexington, Virginia
They were placed into the fighting line to help hold the center
The “charge” at New Market

The cadets advanced across a muddy field known as the “Field of Lost Shoes” (named later because of the mud):

They moved forward under artillery and rifle fire
They helped fill a gap in the Confederate line
Their advance contributed to breaking the Union position
Outcome
The Confederate army won the battle
Union forces under Sigel were forced to retreat
The victory helped temporarily secure the Shenandoah Valley for the Confederacy
Cost and significance

The battle was costly for VMI:

Several cadets were killed or wounded
The event became a defining moment in VMI history
Legacy

The Battle of New Market is remembered for:

The unusual use of military school cadets in active combat
The bravery of young, inexperienced soldiers
Its lasting place in Virginia military tradition

Today, the event is commemorated annually at VMI, and it remains one of the most studied and symbolic Civil War battles in Virginia history.

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