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Letter, John T. L. Preston to Francis H. Smith. 1839_04_29_p01

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Francis H. Smith - John T. L. Preston Correspondence, 1839

Letter, John T. L. Preston to Francis H. Smith. 1839_04_29_p01

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Object Description

Title	Francis H. Smith - John T. L. Preston Correspondence, 1839
Creator	Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890. Preston, John Thomas Lewis, 1811-1890.
Date (text)	1839
Date (search/sort)	1839
Descriptive Note	Correspondence between Francis H. Smith, who became VMI's first Superintendent, and John T. L. Preston relating to the organization and opening of VMI. Includes four letters from Preston to Smith; and one letter from Smith to Preston, in which he accepts the job offered by the Board of Visitors to serve as Superintendent (originally called Principal Professor). One related letter is from Francis H. Smith to William Atkinson or Atkison, in which Smith asks for advice about VMI's job offer.
Biographical Note	Major General Francis Henney Smith (b. 1812 d. 1890) was appointed VMI's first Superintendent in 1839. An 1833 graduate of West Point, he had previously served briefly in the U. S. Army and was a Professor of Mathematics at Hampden-Sydney College (VA) when he accepted the position as head of the newly established Virginia Military Institute. He served for fifty years, from the Institute's infancy, through the Civil War, and through the difficult post-war period. He is known as the "builder and rebuilder of VMI." Smith retired on January 1, 1890 and died only a few months later, on March 21, 1890. John T. L. Preston (1811-1890), was one of the founders of the Virginia Military Institute. He served at VMI as a member of the first Board of Visitors (1839) and as a Professor of Modern Languages from 1839-1875.
Manuscript Collection	Preston-Smith Correspondence
Manuscript Collection (Sort Title)	Preston-Smith Correspondence
Manuscript Number	RG01 Board of Visitors
Digital Subcollection	Letters, Diaries and Manuscripts
Subjects (People)	Smith, Francis H. (Francis Henney), 1812-1890. Preston, John Thomas Lewis, 1811-1890.
Subjects (Topics)	Virginia Military Institute -- History -- 19th century. Virginia Military Institute -- Board of Visitors.
Guide/Finding Aid	http://archivesspace.vmi.edu/repositories/3/resources/693
Form/Genre	correspondence
Type (DCMI)	text
Digital Publisher	Virginia Military Institute Archives
Digital Format	image/jpeg
Date Digitized	2015
Scanning Information	Scanned at 300 dpi using Epson Expression 10000XL/11000XL scanner. Master tiff image on file.
Language	English
Rights	Materials in the VMI Archives Digital Collections are made available for educational and research use and may be used for non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution. Digital content may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.

Description

Title	Letter, John T. L. Preston to Francis H. Smith. 1839_04_29_p01
Digital Subcollection	Letters, Diaries and Manuscripts
Digital Publisher	Virginia Military Institute Archives
Digital Format	image/jpeg
Date Digitized	2014
Scanning Information	Scanned at 300 dpi using Epson Expression 10000XL/11000XL scanner. Master tiff image on file.
Language	English
Rights	Materials in the VMI Archives Digital Collections are made available for educational and research use and may be used for non-commercial purposes with appropriate attribution. Digital content may not be redistributed, published or reproduced without permission. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. Contact the VMI Archives for additional information.
Full text transcription	Lexington April 29th 1839 Sir, The sequel of this letter will explain the liberty which I take in addressing you though a stranger. You will probably have seen in the Papers that our Legislature last winter determined to change the Arsenal of this place into a Military School. The Governor has seen fit to make me, one of the Visitors, whose duty it will be to organize the School. We are to assemble at this place on the 30th of May. Of course, one of the most important duties of the Board of Visitors will be the appointment of Professors, & having had my attention directed to yourself, I write (as an individual however) to ascertain whether you would be willing that your name should be placed before the Board at its meeting as a candidate for the situation of Commandant or Principal Professor. There will be 20 or 25 cadets admitted into the institution (the name of the institution will be The Virginia Military Institute) to be supported at the expense of the state, and joined into a Military Corps for the defence of the Public Arms deposited at the Arsenal. The salary of the Commandant is expected to be $1500 pr. an. and the house in which the Captain at present lives, will also be his, a neat and commodious building. The duties of the Professorship, will be, instruction in a thorough course of Mathematics, especially as applied to Civil & Military Engineering, & the exercising the cadets in military tactics. The discipline of the Institute will be entirely military. Besides this professorship there will be one of Modern Languages. There will also be

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