Quarter-plate studio portrait daguerrotype. N.p., [ca. 1849]. 

Studio view showcasing three cadets of the Virginia Military Institute. The three young men are posed formally, each wearing standard cadet uniforms with high-standing collars and single-breasted coats. Brass uniform buttons, likely VMI cadet buttons, are clearly visible on each coat front. 

Founded in 1839 in Lexington, Virginia, the Virginia Military Institute is the oldest state-supported military college in the United States. Known for its rigorous academic curriculum and distinctive system of training, VMI commissions officers into all branches of the U.S. armed forces while also preparing graduates for civilian leadership roles in business, law, engineering, and public service.

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