What's the mystery Civil War monument that may be moved?

Editor's Note: This story was updated from the print version with addition information from a member of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Board of Visitors (BOV) that the memorial in question is, in fact, the Moses Ezekiel one in Arlington National Cemetary covered in the article. There's a new mystery involving the potential move of another monument. The mystery begins with a, somewhat cryptic, entry in the minutes from the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Board of Visitors (BOV) meeting on March 20, 2023 that began circulating as a public document: 6. Mr. Watjen facilitated additional dialogue regarding a recent request to consider relocation of a Moses Ezekiel, VMI Class of 1866 created monument to the Virginia Museum of Civil War, located in New Market, VA; the underway Institute review in terms of possible courses of action; and an anticipated update of the initial internal assessment during the 27 – 29 April 2023 board meeting. [emphais added] Rumors immediately started to run wild with alumni and parents contacting Cadets and each other to identify the mysterious piece of Sir Moses's work. After receiving a number of these inquiries, The Cadet staff decided to compile what we know and give the Corps a chance to become involved. As Sir Winston Churchill once said, it's "A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma." Here is what we know so far: 1. VMI received a request from some, as yet unknown, person or group.2. The monument is one created by Sir Moses Ezekiel, VMI Class of 1866.3. Persons unknown are involved in an "institute review in terms of possible courses of action."4. Whomever at the Institute is doing the review is expected to provide an update of the groups' initial assessment at the upcoming 27 – 29 April BOV meeting.5. No recording of the 20 March 2023 VMI Board of Visitors Executive Committee meeting was made as was the case with other BOV meetings.6. The Cadet's information is that the monument in question is NOT Virginia Mourning Her Dead. 7. At press time for this week's edition of The Cadet, VMI has yet to publish the draft minutes of the 20 March Executive session as is the practice with all BOV minutes.8. An alumnus who submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requesting a copy of the request mentioned in the BOV minutes received the following response from Mr. William Wyatt, VMI Communications and Marketing Director then furnished it to The Cadet, ""There is only one record responsive to your request. This record is being withheld in its entirety as a superintendent working paper in accordance with Va. Code § 2.2-3705.7.(2.). This record is a government relations summary requested by the Superintendent and related to the matter discussed by the Board of Visitors Executive Committee on March 20, 2023." Sources who provided information to The Cadet on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on behalf of the BOV, VMI, or the Commonwealth informed The Cadet that the monument in question is the Sir Ezekiel Moses work in Arlington that the Department of Defense is considering destroying but the Commonwealth seeks to preserve. The statute is an internationally recognized work of art. According to the Arlington National Cemetery website: The history of the Confederate Memorial embodies the complex and contested legacy of the Civil War at Arlington National Cemetery, and in American culture generally. In 1900, Congress authorized Confederate remains to be reinterred at Arlington National Cemetery, which designated a special section for them (in what is now Section 16). The Confederate Memorial was erected there in 1914. By the early 1900s, it had become tradition to establish a new section at Arlington for the dead from a particular war, followed by a commemorative monument. In Section 22, where many soldiers and sailors from the Spanish-American War are buried, the Spanish-American War Monument and the Rough Riders Monument memorialize that conflict. After fallen World War I service members were repatriated and buried in Sections 18 and 19, the Argonne Cross was dedicated in Section 18. In this sense, the creation of a Confederate section and memorial followed customary practice at Arlington. Sculptor Moses Ezekiel was buried at the base of his creation in 1921, after being honored at the first funeral ceremony in the newly built Memorial Amphitheater. Three other Confederate soldiers lie next to him: Lt. Harry C. Marmaduke of the Confederate Navy, Capt. John M. Hickey of the Second Missouri Infantry and Brig. Gen. Marcus J. Wright, who commanded brigades at the battles of Shiloh and Chickamauga. When contacted, Mr. Teddy Gottwald, member of the VMI BOV, confirmed to The Cadet "the statue in question is indeed the Moses Ezekiel one in Arlington." He als indicated that he "not sure that the DoD has made a final decision on removing it yet." Mr. Gottwald told The Cadet it is anticipated Governor Youngkin will make a requst for the monument to be relocated to the Virginia Museum of the Civil War, although according to the BOV minutes obtained by the Cadet, Mr. Watjen stated a request was made, although VMI will not identify the requestor. If the information regarding the Confederate Monument in Arlington being the monument in question proves to be accurate, some questions naturally arise. Among these questions is, Why the secrecy in the BOV minutes, especially after Jackson's statue was relocated to New Market? What will become of Sir Moses' remains? Will he be returned to the Institute? Will he be moved with the monument to a new grave at New Market where he fought in the battle there? Will he be left behind in Arlington? What is the VMI family's view on this? Some of those questions may be answered by the Governor's response in a recent WRVA, Richmond radio interview. Governor Youngkin was asked about the rumor that the reconciliation monument in Arlington national cemetery may be dismantled very soon and asked if Governor Youngkin had an opinionon the subject. GOVERNOR GLENN YOUNGKIN: I have a strong opinion on this and I've expressed that I don't believe that statue should be removed, and for your listeners that aren't familiar with this, this was a statue that was commissioned by Congress in 1900 to be created by one of the most famous sculptures of our time Moses Ezequiel, who was the first Jewish graduate from VMI, in order to bring our country back together, roughly 50 years after the after the Civil War. Presidents for generations have laid a wreath there, including President Obama. This is a reconciliation statue for the country, and it should not be removed. Even more, Moses Ezequiel is buried underneath and by Jewish tradition he cannot be moved. I am upset that this is even being contemplated. I have to say I am worried that the federal government has already made this decision, they didn't listen to me when I was objecting to the mandatory vaccines of the Virginia National Guard for Covid vaccines and I'm worried they're not listening to me now. I'm committed to making sure that if that statue is removed, it is kept in Virginia, and that it is place in a battlefield or in a museum so it can continue to represent the purpose for which it was created. This is another moment where they're trying to airbrush away our history, a history that was created for a specific purpose to bring people together. I am concerned that my wishes won't be honored by the federal government. It is Arlington national cemetery and so it is federal land but we are committed to make sure that statue is not lost and that it is part of Virginia's future so that we can remember our history. Given Sir Moses' love for VMI and his fellow New Market Cadets it seems he would approve and be honored to rest at VMI or New Market, and the relocation of the monument vice destruction of it, would be a reasonable compromise. Cadets and alumni may also voice their opinions on if the monument in question is the Arlington Memorial give their opinions on the potential to relocate the memorial in arlington using the website at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/monument1 or email to info@cadetnewspaper.org. Enter today!