What’s in a name?

“Bro, I failed Latin twice in high school, what’s up with your logo?”

With the greatest of apologies to my liberal arts friends, I’ll give it shot …..

In 1927, a memorial garden was built on the grounds of the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, VA. It included a rampart-style retaining wall that is now adorned with plaques commemorating the sacrifice of VMI alumni who lost their lives in conflicts around the world.

Overlooking the Memorial Garden are six French guns that are rumored to have been part of a 8-gun cache sent to America from France during the Revolutionary War. These six have been part of VMI’s Post since 1863.

The two largest of the VMI guns (bronze 24-pounders) were cast in the seventeenth century during the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715), purchased by Virginia, and arrived in the early 1780’s.

Each cannon weighs over 5,100 pounds, and the length from muzzle to breech is 10 feet 6 ¼ inches. The first reinforce of the cannon feature the symbol of “Sun King” Louis XVI, with the motto NEC PLURIBUS IMPAR. The direct translation is “A match for the whole world,” referring to the king, but historical scholars suggest it means “equal to the task,” “equal to many,” or even “superior to many“. (We’ll go with the latter!)

It should be noted that the circumstances around the complete history of these cannon is to this day, unsettled … just like much of the vast military lore around these parts, and it’s one of the reasons I love living here.

For more of this rabbit-hole of a historical scavenger hunt go HERE.