Field of lost shoes Civil War movie

[Patchcollector]

Hi all,

Has anyone seen this one?The reviews about it that I've read are mixed.I noticed some pretty decent actors are in it.

It is supposed to be based on a true story.

 

Here is a link to the movie preview:

 

[M7bayonet]

I just got this movie on DVD. I had never heard of it. It is based on a true story of the students at Virginia Military Institute used in a battle in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. I thought it was a pretty good movie. The section with the annual VMI parade commemorating the battle was very moving. Definately worth seeing.

[439th Signal Battalion]

God forbid America would have to use its children to do something like that again.

 

While going up I-81 to visit family in Maryland as a child, I used to badger my parents to stop at New Market every time, both coming and going. I remember how much of an impression the charge of the VMI Cadets and the Field of Muddy Shoes made on me then, and now as a parent, I can't even come close to imagining my 13 year old son having to do such a deed.

 

 

 

[willysmb44]

I went to New Market several years ago, at the time I was about the same age that many of the VMI cadets were during the battle, it made a real impression on me. I'll have to see this movie.

[Jumpin Jack]

In the VMI chapel is a huge painting by artist Ezekial Moses depicting the Corps of Cadet on the field of battle at New Market, Virginia. 15 May 1864. Each year the corps would remember those cadets lost during the battle--a very moving event that remains with us long after graduation. A phrase stemming from that battle was, "The Institute will be heard from today." The Corps of Cadets turned the tide of battle, and won the day. As a result, VMI is the only U.S. military school to earn the right to display a battle streamer on its flag having performed as a Corps of Cadets. Jack Angolia, VMI Class of 1959.

[willysmb44]

As a result, VMI is the only U.S. military school to earn the right to display a battle streamer on its flag having performed as a Corps of Cadets.

 

Sorry, Jack, you're quite mistaken about that. The Citadel and my alma mater of Florida State also have Civil War battle streamers (ironically, all for fighting against the US military, though).

[gitana]

I hope the movie is better than the trailer - nothing like modern Hollywood ideals coming out of the mouths of youths 150 years ago. Gag.

[Scarecrow]

Years ago ( late 80's) my former unit used to attend a reenactment of the Battle of New Market. It was done right on the actual battlefield. Which at the time was the only major reenactment where the actual CW battlefield was used. Quite impressive. Not sure if there is still a reenactment there anymore.

[cutiger83]

 

Sorry, Jack, you're quite mistaken about that. The Citadel and my alma mater of Florida State also have Civil War battle streamers (ironically, all for fighting against the US military, though).

 

The Citadel: http://www.citadel.edu/citadel-history/brief-history.html#duringwbts

 

The regimental colors of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets carries eight battle streamers and one service streamer for the following campaigns and engagements by the Corps of Cadets

 

Star of the West, January 9, 1861

Wappoo Cut, November 1861

James Island, June 1862

Charleston and Vicinity, July to October 1863

James Island, June 1864

Tulifinny, December 1864

James Island, December 1864 to February 1865

Williamston, May 1865

Confederate States Army

[willysmb44]

I had no idea the Citadel had so many streamers, I'd only ever heard of the Star of the West one.

The University of Mississippi carries one for the defense of Vickburg (I always forget that one).

Florida State carries one streamer for Natural Bridge, in 1865: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Natural_Bridge

[Jumpin Jack]

 

Sorry, Jack, you're quite mistaken about that. The Citadel and my alma mater of Florida State also have Civil War battle streamers (ironically, all for fighting against the US military, though).

I am aware of the Citadel's claim to battle streamers, but none, I believe, derived for engaging as a Corps of Cadets. Jack

[cutiger83]

I am aware of the Citadel's claim to battle streamers, but none, I believe, derived for engaging as a Corps of Cadets. Jack

 

The Citadel did engage as a Corps of Cadets. This is from the Citadel website I previously posted:

 

"The engagement at Tulifinny Creek is of historic importance because it involved the deployment of the entire Battalion of State Cadets from the Citadel and Arsenal Academies as an independent military unit engaged in armed combat with Union forces. "

[David D]

looks like an interesting movie

 

-Dave

[m1ashooter]

Does look very interesting. Our military schools from the south still graduate our nations warriors.

[willysmb44]

I always thought it was funny that all the ROTC battle streamers are for fighting against the US Army.

At Florida State, it's especially ironic, as the mascott of the school is the Seminoles, a tribe which really gave the US Army a lot of grief in the 19th century. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seminole_Wars

[12A54]

There is a major difference between official battle streamers and those that are self awarded. Are any of the ones on these schools' flags "real"? Did the CSA even have battle streamers? The nine Citadel streamers seem fairly obscure (and I suppose VMI could add a "Confederate States Army", "Hunter's Raid / Siege" and a few others if they wanted to. What is the "whole corps of cadets" story behind each of those Citadel streamers (not just the one mentioned)? And what was the significance of each? Same question for FSU and UofM.

[12A54]

For what its worth, here are a few more VMI actions from that period:

 

Harper's Ferry 1859 (Corps of Cadets deployed as guard force for the execution of John Brown.)

 

Richmond 1861 (Corps of Cadets deployed to drill CSA recruits.)

 

McDowell Campaign 1862 (Corps of Cadets deployed in pursuit of federal forces.)

 

Defensive 1863 (Corps of Cadets deployed to defend against raids by General William Averell.)

 

New Market 1864

 

Lexington 1864 (Corps of Cadets withdraw during General David Hunter's raid. VMI is shelled and burned.)

 

Defense of Richmond 1864 (Corps of Cadets deployed to trenches in defense of Richmond.)

 

Poe's Farm 1864 (Corps of Cadets deployed as infantry support to artillery units.)

 

Defense of Richmond 1865 (Corps of Cadets man defensive lines.)

 

Evacuation of Richmond 1865 (Corps disbands as part of the CSA evacuation of Richmond.)

[willysmb44]

There is a major difference between official battle streamers and those that are self awarded. Are any of the ones on these schools' flags "real"? Did the CSA even have battle streamers? The nine Citadel streamers seem fairly obscure (and I suppose VMI could add a "Confederate States Army", "Hunter's Raid / Siege" and a few others if they wanted to. What is the "whole corps of cadets" story behind each of those Citadel streamers (not just the one mentioned)? And what was the significance of each? Same question for FSU and UofM.

 

I once talked with my cadre commander about the FSU one. The actual battle-issued streamer wasn't used on the colors at the time, the CO keept it in his desk. But there was an official issued CW battle streamer, I've seen it with my own eyes, in 1997. I was told it'd been issued many years previously by the Army. The LTC didn't know the specifics, but I always assumed it was from the fervor over the centential in the 1960s. FSU has Air Force and Army ROTC, each have their own streamers. I assume that the Army side kept the 'real' one but I don't know if the AF side had one as well.

The actual streamer I saw on the flag was in FSU's school colors of garnet and gold. I'm not 100% sure why that color, maybe they didn't know where to get a replica of the blue/grey one with the battle name on it?

FSU sent their cadets to a spot where the Saint Marks river went underground for a short distance then popped back up. During the first week in March, 1865, a Union landing force was heading for the spot to cross the river, but the locals got their first. The cadets shored of the defenses, which repulsed the Yankee invaders in a battle which lasted most of March 6th. Today, the story is told that the battle was to protect the invasion of the state capitol at Tallahassee. But the landing force wasn't going that direction, their objective was to engage rumored Confederate forces at Saint Marks which had caused some earlier problems at Cedar Keys. The battle of Oulstee, fought a little over a year previously, was against a much large Union force which had an objective of taking Tallahassee.

Tallahassee was the only Confederate capitol east of the Mississippi which remained in CSA hands until the end of the war.

[12A54]

Thanks very much - very interesting.

 

The question remains, however - who is the proponent for issuing "official" battle streamers? Are they recognized by the US government? Do any of them appear on other official flags (US Army, other units that participated in these engagements, etc.), or are they more commemorative, bestowed by loyal alumni / school administrators. I really am curious about these.

[willysmb44]

The question remains, however - who is the proponent for issuing "official" battle streamers? Are they recognized by the US government? Do any of them appear on other official flags (US Army, other units that participated in these engagements, etc.), or are they more commemorative, bestowed by loyal alumni / school administrators. I really am curious about these.

 

My understanding on the Florida State streamer was yes, the streamer was indeed issued by the US Army. They're official colors of a US military organization (Army Cadet Command and whatever command AFROTC falls under), which I can't imagine would be allowed to carry a battle streamer that wasn't recognized by the military itself.

Keep in mind, many civil war US Army units were state-controlled and federalized, so very few units today carry the lineage of those combatants from many CW battles. In the case of Natural Bridge, that battle was fought against a lot of 'US Colored Troop' units. I doubt there are modern US Army units which carry that lineage to have a streamer for having fought in the same battle in blue.

FYI, I found a photo from 1964 showing a streamer on the colors, I can't tell if this was the blue/grey issued one or not:

This cadet is standing in front of the ROTC building at FSU, the same building my brother, myself and my nephew all went through ROTC programs in, from the 80s until this year...

[History Man]

I hope the movie is better than the trailer - nothing like modern Hollywood ideals coming out of the mouths of youths 150 years ago. Gag.

 

Could you elaborate on this?

 

Philip

[Hardtack]

I just watched the film. Overall it was better than I expected, with some really solid actors cast in this movie. There were some historical details that were a bit off ( I don't think the VMI cadets were engaged hand to hand at New Market, for example), but overall a pretty solid film for a 6 million dollar budget. I will say that the attention to detail on uniforms, especially caps, and equipment was top notch, probably the best I've seen in a Civil War film. The use of Austrian Lorenz rifles by the cadets was a nice touch.

[gwb123]

For all these questions on streamers, including a list of those recognized by the US Army, please see AR 840-10.

 

http://www.apd.army.mil/pdffiles/r840_10.pdf

[tarbridge]

I will assume quite a lot about this subject as most Southern States had Military schools and various Corps of Cadets.Most of these Schools did not survive the War and many of the combatants succumbed to the ravages of Battle. So if your School survived the War...and years later when time has mended some of the wounds(from what I have read...streamers were established in 1920 for the Army)...and had some clout or emissaries to submit your Battle record... I can understand how they managed getting a streamer for the new colors.

 

It seems strange that a US flag would be festooned with Confederate Battle Steamers (I understand the heritage part).The years 1861-65 placed the South as an Independent nation...many Confederate flags were emblazoned with their Battle honors...painted or sewn on the body of the Flag. That is not anything new to either Army.

 

North Carolina had the North Carolina Junior Reserves with about 8 Battalions consisting of about 4400 boys.Major Walter Clark was a graduate of the University of North Carolina and a combat veteran at age 17...he commanded the Sixth Battalion of NC Junior Reserves. ..these Eight Battalions of Jr Reserve boys guarded bridges, roads, trains...they fought at Ft Fisher, Wise Fork, Kinston and Bentonville.

[DoubleEnvelopment]

Well this just went straight to the top of my shopping list. I will post and let you know what I think. I've seen many Civil War movies both good and bad. I live just up I-81 from New Market, the 4 Apostles Cannon were used at the Battle of Falling Waters, just outside of where I live in Martinsburg, WV.