1840 -A soon-to-be Governor of Virginia is concerned about his son's education at Washington College [today Washington & Lee University] and the Virginia Military Institute by John Rutherford - 1840

Richmond, Virginia, 1840. Envelope or Cover. Very good. This three-page stampless folded letter, approximately 15½" x 10" unfolded, was written by John Rutherford in Richmond, Virginia to his son, John C. Rutherford, at "Lexington College" on 11 October 1840. The letter bears a black circular Richmond postmark on the same day with a manuscript rate mark of 18¾. In nice shape.

At the time of this letter, John Rutherford was serving on Virginia's Council of State. In the letter, he expresses concerns to his son, John C., regarding Washington College (now Washington and Lee University) and the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). After a short note about traveling from Albemarle to Charlottesville by "Stage" and on to Richmond by "Cars," he updates his son regarding the family's health, "My cousin . . . died after a short attack of Bilious fever. . .. Your Aunt Frances gave birth to another daughter. . .."

Then, it is on to his educational concerns:

"We were all quite distressed at the account you gave of our neighbours unfortunate son. His poor parents are much to be pitied. I understand that his father went up for him and met him as he was returning home. . .. I hope they will continue to keep the affair concealed, if possible, from his poor Mother - What was the nature of the testimony you gave concerning him? Was it to prove imbecility of mind, or what. I do not think, however great may be your mortification at the affair, that it reflected any disgrace upon the Richmond Boys or the College. There are good and bad boys every where - and it would be neither liberal nor just to hold the good responsible for the evil conduct of the wicked.

"I am very sorry to learn from your letter that Major Smith deemed it advisable to issue the order . . . with regard to your Uniform - as I fear that it may eventuate in depriving you of the advantage to be derived from the Military Instruction of the Institute, and which was the main inducement I had to send you to Lexington - I sincerely hope that some arrangement will be made, by which the Cincinnati Class may be accommodated, without any detriment to the Institute . . . I feel very anxious on this subject. . .. I trust that your class will act discretely on the subject - they may otherwise defect their own object, disappoint the wishes of their parents & by rendering a spirit of insubordination, leave Major Smith no other alternative than to adhere rigidly to his first determination. . ..

"I am very sure that you will do what you can to make the most of your time - You are now at an age to be well to know whether your Instructors are capable or not & whether you are desiring improvement under them. It is important that your time should be so apportioned among the different studies which may be taught at the College & Institute as will impact to you, while in Lexington, the greatest degree of knowledge & that which will avail you most in the further prosecution of your studies as some other college. This is a matter you should study well & give me your views on occasionally."

. At the time, students attending Washington College were also enrolled in military studies at VMI, which had only been established 11 months earlier, as was required by state law that established the school:

"By the Act establishing the Virginia Military Institute [there would be] interchange of instruction between the two institutions; the Institute giving to [20] students of Washington College all needed military instruction [and] the [VMI] cadets receiving instruction in those branches in which no provision existed at that time in the Institute. [This allowed] the College . . .to draw from the State the donation of the Cincinnati Society of over $15,000, [provided] the College [established] a professorship . . . military science and gunnery . . . College Cincinnati Professor of Military Science in the College.

"As soon as the Institute [began], a squad of students of the College [including John C.] was formed. . .. [This] "Cincinnati Class," . . . was regularly drilled with the cadets of the Institute by its Military Professor. The Cincinnati cadets were uniformed like the Institute cadets, except having a back star on the collar of the coats. Much irregularity followed this arrangement. The Institute exercised no authority over this student class except when in drill, and as they wore their distinctive uniform on the streets, and in the country, they were generally taken for cadets by strangers. . .. On the other hand, Washington College gave instruction to the cadets in Chemistry, but not in Mechanics. . .."

Major Frances H. Smith, who wrote the two preceding paragraphs, was VMI's first superintendent as well as its "Professor of Tactics," and he had no authority over the Cincinnati Class unless they were on his drill field. As John Sr. notes in this letter, the misbehavior of the Cincinnati students, while out-on-the town wearing what, for all practical purposes, were VMI uniforms, caused Smith considerable displeasure, and he explored ways of legally "depriving [the Washington students] of the advantage to be derived from the Military Instruction." The turmoil of 1840 must have subsided, and Washington College's "Cincinnati Class" continued to receive military training at VMI until partnership was ended in 1846. Smith held the superintendent position until 31 December 1889, shortly before his death less than three months later.

John Rutherford, the father, succeeded John M. Patton as Acting Governor in March of 1841 following several changes in the state's executive leadership. John C. Rutherford, the son, enrolled at the University of Virginia in 1841 and graduated with a Master of Arts degree two years later. He eventually earned a law degree and set up practice in Goochland County, while simultaneously serving in the General Assembly.

(For more information, see Wallace's Agricultural Education at the Virginia Military Institute during the 1850s. . . ., Smith's Virginia Military Institute-Building and Rebuilding, Washington and Lee University Historical Papers No. 1. . ., and "John Coles Rutherford" at Find-a-Grave.com.)

At the time of listing, nothing similar is for sale in the trade. The Rare Book Hub shows nothing similar has ever appeared at auction. OCLC does not show anything similar held in institutional collections.

Likely, this is the only first-hand account of the Cincinnati Class and the conflict between VMI and Washington College that is outside the archives or special collections of those schools.