on 12 june 1864 union forces under the command of general david hunter shelled and burned the institute as part of the valley campaigns of 1864. the destruction was almost complete and vmi had to temporarily hold classes at the alms house in richmond, virginia. in april 1865 richmond was evacuated due to the impending fall of petersburg and the vmi corps of cadets was disbanded. the lexington campus reopened for classes on 17 october 1865. one of the reasons that confederate general jubal a. early burned the town of chambersburg, pennsylvania was in retaliation for the shelling of vmi. following the war, matthew fontaine maury, the pioneering oceanographer known as the "pathfinder of the seas", accepted a teaching position at vmi, holding the physics chair. following the war, david hunter strother, who was chief of staff to general hunter and had advised the destruction of the institute, served as adjutant general of the virginia militia and member of the vmi board of visitors; in that position he promoted and worked actively for the reconstruction.