Scott Shipp
Encyclopedia
Scott Shipp (August 2, 1839 - December 4, 1917) was an American military figure, Confederate States Army
officer, educator and educational administrator born in Warrenton, Virginia
. He was the second superintendent
of the Virginia Military Institute
, briefly the president of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (Virginia Tech) and led the VMI Cadets at the Battle of New Market
during the American Civil War
.
in 1852 where he entered Westminster College in Fulton. From 1855 to 1856, Shipp was employed on the North Missouri Railroad as an assistant engineer
and rodman.
In 1856, Shipp returned to Fauquier County, Virginia
and entered VMI at the encouragement of Robert E. Rodes
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 of Company B. He accompanied the cadets to Charles Town, Virginia, for the execution of John Brown
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 Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia
.
Shipp was a close friend and colleague of George Washington Custis Lee
, son of Robert E. Lee
. The two were both professors at VMI before Lee left to serve as President of Washington and Lee College 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.
as Commandant of Cadets in 1861 and teaching Latin
, Mathematics
, Military History and Strategy, and Military Tactics
. 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 Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, 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 and serving with the rank of brigadier general
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
in 1890 and President of the Board of Visitor's for the United States Naval Academy
in 1894.
for instruction. Shipp was detached to Rockbridge County, Virginia
to recruit a company of soldiers. After a few days, he was called to Camp Lee to serve as assistant adjutant general
with the active rank of captain in the Provisional Army of Virginia. He was appointed a major
with the 21st Virginia Infantry
in June, 1861. He was with the cadets, serving under William W. Loring
during Jackson's Romney Expedition in the winter of 1861.
Shipp was detailed to VMI on January 20, 1862 where he served as Commandant
of Cadets from 1862–64 and gained the rank of Lt. Colonel. Unofficial sources say he served as a Private
in the 4th Virginia Cavalry
during the summer of 1863 while on leave from VMI. 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.
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 for the goatee
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 Battle of New Market under the command of Maj. Gen
John C. Breckinridge
on May 15, 1864 against Union Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel
'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
took command of the Valley Campaign
from Franz Sigel
and burned VMI. Shipp was then sent to Lynchburg, Virginia
to aid Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early in defense of that city, then to Richmond with the VMI Cadets where they served in the defensive trenches around the capital until the Corps disbanded in 1865.
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 Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Lexington.
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
officer, educator and educational administrator born in Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton, Virginia
Warrenton is a town in Fauquier County, Virginia, United States. The population was 6,670 at the 2000 census, and 14,634 at the 2010 estimate. It is the county seat of Fauquier County. Public schools in the town include Fauquier High School, Warrenton Middle School, Taylor Middle School and two...
. He was the second superintendent
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
of the Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
, briefly the president of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College (Virginia Tech) and led the VMI Cadets at the Battle of New Market
Battle of New Market
The Battle of New Market was a battle fought on May 15, 1864, in Virginia during Valley Campaigns of 1864 in the American Civil War. Cadets from the Virginia Military Institute fought alongside the Confederate Army and forced Union General Franz Sigel and his army out of the Shenandoah...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Personal life and education
Shipp was born in 1839 to Captain 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, MissouriBoone County, Missouri
Boone County is a county centrally located in the U.S. state of Missouri. It is the eighth most populous county in Missouri. In 2010, the population was 162,642. Its county seat, Columbia, is the fifth largest city in Missouri and the anchor city of the Columbia Metropolitan Area.-History:Boone...
in 1852 where he entered Westminster College in Fulton. From 1855 to 1856, Shipp was employed on the North Missouri Railroad as an assistant engineer
Locomotive engineer
A locomotive engineer may refer to:*Railroad engineer, a person who operates a locomotive, usually called an engine or train driver outside North America*Locomotive builder, a person who designs and builds locomotives...
and rodman.
In 1856, Shipp returned to Fauquier County, Virginia
Fauquier County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 55,139 people, 19,842 households, and 15,139 families residing in the county. The population density was 85 people per square mile . There were 21,046 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...
and entered VMI at the encouragement of Robert E. Rodes
Robert E. Rodes
Robert Emmett Rodes was a railroad civil engineer and a promising young Confederate general in the American Civil War, killed in battle in the Shenandoah Valley.-Education, antebellum career:...
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 of Company B. He accompanied the cadets to Charles Town, Virginia, for the execution of John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
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 Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Lexington, Virginia
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
.
Shipp was a close friend and colleague of George Washington Custis Lee
George Washington Custis Lee
George Washington Custis Lee , also known as Custis Lee, was the eldest son of Robert E. Lee and Mary Anna Custis Lee...
, son of Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
. The two were both professors at VMI before Lee left to serve as President of Washington and Lee College 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 JacksonStonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
as Commandant of Cadets in 1861 and teaching Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, Military History and Strategy, and Military Tactics
Military tactics
Military tactics, the science and art of organizing an army or an air force, are the techniques for using weapons or military units in combination for engaging and defeating an enemy in battle. Changes in philosophy and technology over time have been reflected in changes to military tactics. In...
. 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 Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, 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 and serving with the rank of brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
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
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1890 and President of the Board of Visitor's for the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1894.
Civil War
After Virginia seceded, Shipp and the cadets were under the command of Commandant Jackson and were sent to RichmondRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
for instruction. Shipp was detached to Rockbridge County, Virginia
Rockbridge County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,808 people, 8,486 households, and 6,075 families residing in the county. The population density was 35 people per square mile . There were 9,550 housing units at an average density of 16 per square mile...
to recruit a company of soldiers. After a few days, he was called to Camp Lee to serve as assistant adjutant general
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
with the active rank of captain in the Provisional Army of Virginia. He was appointed a major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
with the 21st Virginia Infantry
21st Virginia Infantry
The 21st Virginia Volunteer 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....
in June, 1861. He was with the cadets, serving under William W. Loring
William W. Loring
William Wing Loring was a soldier from North Carolina who served in the armies of the United States, the Confederacy, and Egypt.-Early life:...
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
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of Cadets from 1862–64 and gained the rank of Lt. Colonel. Unofficial sources say he served as a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 4th Virginia Cavalry
4th Virginia Cavalry
The 4th Virginia Volunteer 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....
during the summer of 1863 while on leave from VMI. 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.
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 for the goatee
Goatee
Goatee refers to a style of facial hair incorporating hair on a man’s chin. The exact nature of the style has varied according to time and culture.Traditionally, goatee refers solely to a beard formed by a tuft of hair on the chin...
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 Battle of New Market under the command of Maj. Gen
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
John C. Breckinridge
John C. Breckinridge
John Cabell Breckinridge was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States , to date the youngest vice president in U.S...
on May 15, 1864 against Union Maj. Gen. Franz Sigel
Franz Sigel
Franz Sigel was a German military officer, revolutionist and immigrant to the United States who was a teacher, newspaperman, politician, and served as a Union major general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
'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
David Hunter was a Union general in the American Civil War. He achieved fame by his unauthorized 1862 order emancipating slaves in three Southern states and as the president of the military commission trying the conspirators involved with the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.-Early...
took command of the Valley Campaign
Valley Campaigns of 1864
The Valley Campaigns of 1864 were American Civil War operations and battles that took place in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia from May to October 1864. Military historians divide this period into three separate campaigns, but it is useful to consider the three together and how they...
from Franz Sigel
Franz Sigel
Franz Sigel was a German military officer, revolutionist and immigrant to the United States who was a teacher, newspaperman, politician, and served as a Union major general in the American Civil War.-Early life:...
and burned VMI. Shipp was then sent to Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
to aid Maj. Gen. Jubal A. Early in defense of that city, then to Richmond with the VMI Cadets where they served in the defensive trenches around the capital until the Corps disbanded in 1865.
Later life
Shipp retired from VMI in 1907 with the title of Superintendent EmeritusEmeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
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 Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery in Lexington.
Further reading
- Wise, Jennings C. The Military History of the Virginia Military Institute from 1839 to 1865. Lynchburg, VA: J.P. Bell Company, Inc., 1915.
- Wise, Jennings C. Personal Memoir of the Life and Service of Scott Shipp. Lexington, VA: np, 1915.
