Scott Shipp (also spelled Ship, born Charles Robert Scott Ship) (August 2, 1839 – December 4, 1917) was an American military figure,

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

officer, educator and educational administrator born in

Warrenton, Virginia Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, of which it is the seat of government. The population was 9,611 at the 2010 census, up from 6,670 at the 2000 census. The estimated population in 2019 was 10,027. It is at the junction of U.S. R ...

. He was the second

superintendent Superintendent may refer to: *Superintendent (police), Superintendent of Police (SP), or Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), a police rank *Prison warden or Superintendent, a prison administrator *Superintendent (ecclesiastical), a church exec ...

of the

Virginia Military Institute la, Consilio et Animis (on seal) , mottoeng = "In peace a glorious asset, In war a tower of strength""By courage and wisdom" (on seal) , established = , type = Public senior military college , accreditation = SACS , endowment = $696.8 mill ...

, briefly the president of

Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...

(Virginia Tech) and led the VMI Cadets at the

Battle of New Market The Battle of New Market was fought on May 15, 1864, in Virginia during the Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War. A makeshift Confederate army of 4,100 men defeated the larger Army of the Shenandoah under Major General Franz Si ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

Personal life and education

Shipp was born in 1839 to

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

John Ship and Lucy Blackwell Scott, the third wife of John Ship. Scott attended Mrs. Franklin's School, the Warren Green Academy, and Warrenton High School. Shipp's father died in 1849, and his mother moved the family to

Boone County, Missouri Boone County is located in the U.S. state of Missouri. Centrally located in Mid-Missouri, its county seat is Columbia, Missouri's fourth-largest city and location of the University of Missouri. As of the 2020 census, the population was 183,61 ...

in 1852 where he entered Westminster College in

Fulton Fulton may refer to: People * Robert Fulton (1765–1815), American engineer and inventor who developed the first commercially successful steam-powered ship * Fulton (surname) Given name * Fulton Allem (born 1957), South African golfer * Fult ...

.Couper 2005, p. 182. From 1855 to 1856, Shipp was employed on the North Missouri Railroad as an assistant

engineer Engineers, as practitioners of engineering, are professionals who invent, design, analyze, build and test machines, complex systems, structures, gadgets and materials to fulfill functional objectives and requirements while considering the l ...

and rodman. In 1856, Shipp returned to

Fauquier County, Virginia Fauquier is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The county seat is Warrenton. Fauquier County is in Northern Virginia and is a part of the Washington metropolitan area. History In 16 ...

and entered VMI at the encouragement of

Robert E. Rodes Robert Emmett (or Emmet) Rodes (March 29, 1829 – September 19, 1864) was a Confederate general in the American Civil War, and the first of Robert E. Lee's divisional commanders not trained at West Point. His division led Stonewall Jackso ...

who he worked with on the North Missouri Railroad, and his stepfather, Dr. Henry M. Clarkson. Shipp entered VMI on August 14, 1856. He graduated 4th in his class of 29 on July 4, 1859 with the rank of

first lieutenant First lieutenant is a commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces; in some forces, it is an appointment. The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations, but in most forces it is sub-divided into a s ...

of Company B. He accompanied the cadets to Charles Town, Virginia, for the execution of

John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...

in December 1859. He married Anne "Nannie" Alexander Morson, a longtime friend, on August 19, 1869 and they had three children: Elizabeth Scott, Lucy Scott, and Arthur Morson Shipp. He changed the spelling of his name to Shipp sometime around 1883. Shipp's wife died in 1884. They are buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in

Lexington, Virginia Lexington is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 7,320. It is the county seat of Rockbridge County, although the two are separate jurisdictions. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines ...

. Shipp was a close friend and colleague of

George Washington Custis Lee George Washington Custis Lee (September 16, 1832 – February 18, 1913), also known as Custis Lee, was the eldest son of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee. His grandfather George Washington Custis was the step-grandson and adopted son of G ...

, son of

Robert E. Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of Nort ...

. The two were both professors at VMI before Lee left to serve as President of

Washington and Lee College , mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future" , established = , type = Private liberal arts university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.092 billion (2021) , president = William C. Dudley , provost = Lena Hill , city = Lexingto ...

after his father's death. Shipp studied law at Washington College before the Civil War and earned his degree and was admitted to the bar in 1866, though he never practiced.

Career

Shipp served VMI as a faculty member from 1859 to 1889, succeeding

Stonewall Jackson Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson (January 21, 1824 – May 10, 1863) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, considered one of the best-known Confederate commanders, after Robert E. Lee. He played a prominent role in nearl ...

as Commandant of Cadets in 1861 and teaching

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

Mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...

, Military History and Strategy, and

Military Tactics Military tactics encompasses the art of organizing and employing fighting forces on or near the battlefield. They involve the application of four battlefield functions which are closely related – kinetic or firepower, Mobility (military), mobil ...

. While still serving as Commandant of Cadets he was appointed chair of the Department of Latin in 1876. Shipp was elected president and appointed professor of mental and moral philosophy at

, and served from August 12- August 25, 1880, resigning because of a dispute over the organizational authority of the faculty for the college. Shipp was awarded the Doctor of Letters in 1883 and Doctor of Laws in 1890 by Washington & Lee University. In 1890, he became the second Superintendent of VMI, taking over from the retiring

Francis H. Smith Francis Henney Smith (October 18, 1812 – March 21, 1890) was an American military officer, mathematician and educator. After graduating from West Point and a brief service in the United States Army, he became the first Superintendent of the ...

and serving with the rank of

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

from January 1, 1890 to June 30, 1907. During his tenure as superintendent, enrollment at VMI increased by 60 percent, many construction projects were undertaken and the Institute's debts were fully paid. He was a member of the Board of Visitors of the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

in 1890 and President of the Board of Visitor's for the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

in 1894.

Civil War

After Virginia seceded, Shipp and the cadets were under the command of Commandant Jackson and were sent to

Richmond Richmond most often refers to: * Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States * Richmond, London, a part of London * Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England * Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada * Richmond, California, ...

for instruction. Shipp was detached to

Rockbridge County, Virginia Rockbridge County is a county in the Shenandoah Valley on the western edge of the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,650. Its county seat is the city of Lexington. Rockbridge County completely surrounds the ...

to recruit a company of soldiers. After a few days, he was called to Camp Lee to serve as assistant

adjutant general An adjutant general is a military chief administrative officer. France In Revolutionary France, the was a senior staff officer, effectively an assistant to a general officer. It was a special position for lieutenant-colonels and colonels in staf ...

with the active rank of

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

in the Provisional Army of Virginia. He was appointed a

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

with the

21st Virginia Infantry The 21st Virginia Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia. The 21st Virginia was organized in ...

in June, 1861. He was with the cadets, serving under

William W. Loring William Wing Loring (December 4, 1818 – December 30, 1886) was an American soldier who served in the armies of the United States, the Confederacy, and Egypt. Biography Early life William was born in Wilmington, North Carolina, to Reuben a ...

during Jackson's Romney Expedition in the winter of 1861. Shipp was detailed to VMI on January 20, 1862 where he served as

Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...

of Cadets from 1862–64 and gained the rank of

Lt. Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the army, armies, most Marine (armed services), marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use t ...

. Unofficial sources say he served as a

Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

in the

4th Virginia Cavalry The 4th Virginia Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment raised in Virginia for service in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. It fought mostly with the Army of Northern Virginia. History The Virginia 4th Cavalry comp ...

during the summer of 1863 while on leave from VMI.Davis, p. 53 In November 1863, Shipp attempted to resign from VMI because he felt guilty for having taken one alcoholic drink, but he was discouraged from doing so.Davis, p. 53. He was well liked and respected by his cadets because of his strait-laced, solemn, yet amiable disposition. His cadets called him "Old Billy" as in

billy goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

for the

goatee A goatee is a style of facial hair incorporating hair on one's chin but not the cheeks. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture. Description Until the late 20th century, the term ''goatee'' was used to refer solel ...

he wore. The cadets were at the Battle of McDowell but did not take part in actual combat. Shipp commanded the VMI Cadet Battalion at the

under the command of Maj. Gen

John C. Breckinridge John Cabell Breckinridge (January 16, 1821 – May 17, 1875) was an American lawyer, politician, and soldier. He represented Kentucky in both houses of Congress and became the 14th and youngest-ever vice president of the United States. Serving ...

on May 15, 1864 against Union Maj. Gen.

Franz Sigel Franz Sigel (November 18, 1824 – August 21, 1902) was a German American military officer, revolutionary and immigrant to the United States who was a teacher, newspaperman, politician, and served as a Union major general in the American Civil W ...

's forces. Just as the cadets moved past the Bushong Farmhouse and into the Bushong Orchard, Shipp was struck in the shoulder and face by a spent artillery shell, briefly knocking him unconscious, his cadets fearing him mortally wounded. Shipp said in his report of the battle that the enemy fire was so fierce when he led the cadets into battle at the Bushong Orchard that "it seemed impossible that any living creature could escape." One cadet commenting on Shipp's serious demeanor and physical presence said he was "a large man with close-trimmed black hair and beard, a solemn bearing and a deep voice. Although he was then but twenty-four years of age, I thought he was forty." After New Market, Union Gen.

David Hunter David Hunter (July 21, 1802 – February 2, 1886) was an American military officer. He served as a Union general during the American Civil War. He achieved notability for his unauthorized 1862 order (immediately rescinded) emancipating slaves ...

took command of the Valley Campaign from

and burned VMI. Shipp was then sent to

Lynchburg, Virginia Lynchburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. First settled in 1757 by ferry owner John Lynch (1740–1820), John Lynch, the city's populati ...

to aid Maj. Gen.

Jubal A. Early Jubal Anderson Early (November 3, 1816 – March 2, 1894) was a Virginia lawyer and politician who became a Confederate States of America, Confederate general during the American Civil War. Trained at the United States Military Academy, Early r ...

in defense of that city, then to Richmond with the VMI Cadets where they served in the defensive

trenches A trench is a type of excavation or in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit). In geology, trenches result from eros ...

around the capital until the Corps disbanded in 1865.

Later life

Shipp retired from VMI in 1907 with the title of ''Superintendent

Emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

'' and remained in Lexington with his daughter Lucy Scott Huger and her family. His other daughter, Elizabeth Scott Tucker, died in a fire in 1901. Shipp devoted his retirement to spending time with his family and travelled to Europe. Shipp died at his home in Lexington, Virginia and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Lexington.Couper 2005, 184.

Notes

References

* Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. ''Annual Report, 2003,'' Carnegie Foundation, 2003. * Couper, William. ''100 Years at V.M.I.,'' Garrett and Massie, Incorporated, 1939. * Couper, William. ''The Corps Forward: Biographical Sketches of the Cadets Who Fought in the Battle of New Market,'' Mariner Publications, 2005. * Davis, William C. ''The Battle of New Market,'' Doubleday and Company, 1975. * Menagh, Fred. "Confederate Column: Faced 'Withering Fire' as VMI Cadets' Leader," ''The (Lynchburg) News,'' April 16, 1961, p. C-2. * Payne, Brooke. ''The Paynes of Virginia,'' W. Byrd Press, 1937. * Yates, Bernice-Marie. ''The Perfect Gentleman: the Life and Letters of George Washington Custis Lee,'' Xulon Press, 2003.

External links

List of VMI Superintendents with photoVMI Historical Roster: Scott Shipp (with photo)Ship's report from the Battle of New MarketPhoto of Shipp's grave
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ship, Scott 1839 births 1917 deaths Westminster College (Missouri) alumni Virginia Military Institute alumni People of Virginia in the American Civil War Confederate States Army officers People from Warrenton, Virginia Virginia Tech faculty