United States Military Academy West Point - Howitzer Yearbook (West Point, NY)

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- Ill? E EIIEIII I E :W . 'I M st. , ,- --ff V . I ' itll Dil' , , ve. 'y'r'.'ff 4 .... it fa ..,. 5 it i- li Iii ? 231 H , 5- i I I li? - -f' f2 If-i' ,, '- b. 1,30 I L: ' .5 fa, ,,, ,-5 ,rs Q' j .wr ' at . ' 1-s v,. - . '-f e -f., -N - - -, ,- -- r.v. Q..,-.+,,.-,-,ss - Q, 5,51-, , - 4-:row 1-IE .-4, 2'-QRYEI:-.-f ,H 51. ' .5-Q' -Maw - '- - - ,. ...,,.A v , .,.. M.. .. ..., . ... -.. ..... .. . . ' icfxa- Ilii . H ,-- . . ss : i. TX A I 'I x I-Iierald into my hand, saying, 'Read it to them, . Go to your and then passed on I . quarters, gentlemen, ordered the officer-in-charge, hastening from the guardhouse door. Never before or since have I known that official to be u-t-terly ignored by the Corps of cadets. By this time from every one of the eight divisionsothers came rushing to join the throng, and by this time, too, I had mounted the old stone pedestal of the 1-Ong-mis-sing sun dial, and was reading aloud from the hrst of -the awful, black- bordered columns. Go at once to your quar-ters! You can do no good, heref' again said the offvcer-in-cliarge, yet himself, in another second, stood listening, for he had apparently forgotten his own words in those of that fearful story, and not one man obeyed him. A few days later we formed line parallel with the railway over at Garrisons, and with our drums and colors draped in black, stood at the present, as the day was dying and a long funeral train rolled slowly by. On the platforms, and at the car windows, were generals famous in song and story, but we had eyes for only that solemn pile on which was laid all that was mortal of him who had become immortal, whose words and whose wisdom gain in reunited peop worth and power with every added year., the inspiration of a le so long as the flag shall float and the nation live. 1221. ki ' ' Q T11-f-f2Ag'.2?rifzf2.:sz, i ' .1 i -.5Z55??Zf.1afL, 2 J- ,421--f1A':'2? ' ..- r-' ff' fa- , ' i A ' , . f -il 32,-'.-v -21, va, z. XL C. 1222.-if-' fvf'-ff-U ' 292552-' -' f ' W ' .., ., 'I'-31-If-if -i jf-t -gi.', :x p. jg- , ii- ' - - x we - we ---1-5 ' .-to,-. -Gi'-1 -fa-1- 4--:a,-ff-,M.---T:-1,-. -,,,,,,,w,,-.1-1-for-3 -. - -.1.-r-1--1-ffw sr-. ..,-L.-:rua - as -ill? -1, 1 i ffl. '5 if - 5-1 ,. 'He-,zgf iii-ia- ffri-f5.'i?3-3311-.' - :if -Bfgivisfafi:- 1'-1' ',ff51 -:ifiz-51553 ze ..f.-.a1-4'-f:2:-.-4.-:- 1.- - 1.-x 1 '-' L'-1 L -f' w f' - ' E If Vzgivif 1 U Q , .F gr-77-sits.- if ,zfgfi-,gq-N f - 5 -11 ' ' - Sal A .. ' N - f 1 Z' 1 ff I M ' ' . fee J - - if ..-:'- Wi --.ia iq?--. 10.5 U1 2 -1 ' 1. -I-p . ' P51 w - f. . --we , We-:t'fr..ffu,'a fy' ' Q2 4 ' 'V+' -MJT .-naswaw rluwfl.-fff,-a -iw, ..a,'wf2 N git-f. 1! f , ' e- . -Q-r 'i Hi- - ' f f -. s, ,ga ww ' .I W fill..-- .wp . 1, 1' N-' e -1 ?yiTl:-:- T .fp-g:., ,L , -N QE' X 1 'Milt 4 : ,, Jig-,-1, -- '. N- - - - 2' Qs. , 'f - -A 5' 1 1'-J JH! if ' -l I5-11-I 4- f - . 'F x.-I ..-??,24e!-'lff . 1? , f-N,--,g1.5es,s--2' sa-If Jiglqu, f - 'N .f -I - if ' aff y -- - -Ja -Q f--,mi ' ffff--Nfxfg ggi.-fh'1Lfw1'w-f. 1 : 4 4 x e W ffm ' . wifi' 7 A581 'usda ,ML-w-fre Q P? wfltafif-f11 .fvx'--''-I 1 551- -24: xatasiabisgvf F' Q5 --rm.. llfi lc-alll.-If-fit-,-l' ,r an -4. -0:12-'A Tia ax ' leaf- ,md Us-1-Q2'1.L:-1' fi-t i ki! Huff fx 'x v'53?-W'-A' -535'-. if NV-yJi?i'?2,?5h9'? 'r ull? NV' fa.-4, K, 51 J 2.62. tif. :iii-rf e ' E?f fffgfigj Alf ' Wag, ..v. :age--., .. Us . Q f Thx .V ff, 4- , .. .Wie 17soS!TQf.r ,.l .,h..r., -- -, ' ff V N., f'ilP'.t G-dee f 1 li N - 'frifaznat - fe-llecfw 1. P- -, -at-wg-iw F.-.lu 41 1- '1 fl-Mill'-P .- ' Yagi- 41-Q' .- fi'-TMI-5'-.-ESX!!-else: -'- 9l'fA--UNITY'lb-t'f3zW':x'l'xl1v' 'Mill lxltplh - 223.-93,- pg:.:Ri sl-AIN-2-: --Wim 3-O21-,'.p,' :..,lNXYte-'-t-gc-ASM!-125:-lKilled-ll -luv ,Wi --1-.-:Walsh --'-wttltqxef-I writ' -Wt fra-will ml -:ww-, 1- -crown?-A' xr 1 il:-'lr',-att-xl,v.ui, lv, FORT PUTNAM BEFORE ITS- RESTORATION k 21 i

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alligwll I ll T ..1:Ja,. :..,. :ta-L ,,..1 .... Q ' ..... Fl boxes, pails-anything that would promote trouble, and noise, and unlimited blasphemy when the Corps, startled from sleep by the roar of the alarm drum, would come rush- ing from their rooms and down the dimly-lighted stairs. The perpetrators, of course, would be snoring in their blankets by the time the officer-of-the-day could get out. So through a winter and spring to the summer that should have been our furlough summer-to second class camp. It was not the happiest of camps for us-that of '64, but it was far more gay than its predecessor. The First and Third classes were full of dancing men-society men-and the Point was hlled with pretty girls. When the list of officers was announced I had had quite a raise, being assigned as first duty sergeant of Company B, Adams, head of the class, being named our Top, but he left for furlough the very next day, I therefore became acting lirst sergeant of the company, held it until july 28th, went home to a household of womenfolk and wounded kinsmen for three wonderful weeks, and the night after our return, when the list was revised, was astonished to hear the adjutant read out my name as first sergeant, and Adams as second. Adams was the first man-indeed, the only man- to say he was glad of it. VVe were pinched on our pay again all the winter of '64, for gold had soared to 290, prices had risen in proportion, our board bills were the highest when our fare was the worst, and the war seemed as endless as ever. The election had gone for our great President as against McClellan. Sheridan had won some success in the Shenan- doah, but Grant was still held in front of the goal. Heavens, how at last we cheered the news of Nashville, the first really great and decisive victory. General Cullum ordered the held battery manned, and, most unusual thing, a salute fired long after dark. Lancaster trotted the yearlings out over the glistening, snow-covered plain, and waked the echoes of the Highlands with the roar of the light twelves. It was the hrst note of hope or rejoicing that I can remember hearing from our cannon since the outbreak in '61. But it was a mere whisper as compared with the thunderous uproar that bellowed along the Hudson the soft April day that brought us the tidings of the close of the cam- paign. It seems to me now that every shootable gun of every size was manned, and at a given signal tthe hring of a lield piece away up on Fort Putnamj, all the batteries turned loose at once, and presently the gray battlements of the beautiful old Point were wreathed and shrouded in sulphur smoke. VVe of the Second Class had been detailed to the old siege guns of Battery Knox. The seniors had been sent to the huge Columbiads and Parrots at the Sea Coast, while the third and fourth classes handled the Napoleons and 'fthree-inch ordnance. Fancy the uproar when all got going together. NfVe were still aglow with rejoicing when, live days thereafter, we were suddenly stricken dumb. It was another soft April morning. The tower clock had tolled offthe hour of nine, when a drum boy orderly brought to my room a paper referred for remark and return. It took a few minutes to write thejnecessary reply, and just about 9.20 I had started with it over to the CO11111119.I'1ClE11lt,S office across the area of barracks. meeting big john Rodman of the 'third class, going in his white gloves, as etiquette then required, to see the Supef' Something, I've forgotten what, detained me a moment or two at the guardhouse. The area of barracks at the moment was empty, and all of a sudden Rodman came running back-running in from round the east end of barracks-his line face as White as his gloves. My God! he panted, the President is murdered-and so is Secretary Seward-and so is,- but then his voice broke, and for a few seconds I don't know just what happened. Out from the west door of the Academic building, section affter section came presently pouring, elattering speechless down the wooden stairway and surging over toward the guardhouse. No bugle had sounded. The Superintendent had sent orders to dismiss at once, and, bewildered and troubled, members of all four classes came crowding about us. An officer, hurrying up from the mess hall, his face a picture of dismay, thrust a copy of the New Y-ork Q0 'sc--s - ..,ti.a5 f2- Q afstze. ' . . Sei ' Ili ssllil 1 n ag: . . .-... .... HE li .,,... ,, .... . .-f ir' .... -.,. . .,, .. I . ,,, M, ,.,, .,f., , , ,,. ,, 5. ' ' ' ' ' I 'T l1U.U 'll ' - ' 'C ' . , 1 ' 1 ---------1,- ' f'ff'f-1,541-rf F ff, 'N -2 11 3, F, . if , , 1 . fl I , ,. 1 1 , fr J , 1 ,... .1,. . .... . - ---v-1 ....-...--:c a..: Mg.. 1 . . 2 L 33. A ffl 1

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Mgt X512 F29 L Y ,. 'r ., .g, , . BDU l i ' U Fl west ibuint in the iehenties By EUGENE I. SPENcER CClass of '82j ,V gz i , pi is 4' M - -E -'a ' . M FFI2 . - -- w -:ei I Ill 5 2 attllilll 2 -1 thi Dill A ,. ,A -'v-ry:-W ,A f., ..f..fer. .1 1. 1 Mfr: u -a . : SSW r 1 'Air ---- 1- r-.f:'-----e li fji, 4--f-'f.rr'::,'aF 5i .1 2.3, gr 5, 1- X '- ' ' ' - in 1.215 ' ,L : -'ay- i ff 'ig ' f ax- - t K. ' 1- - 1 'if fl . f , - a 5: ni -:Q if 1- 9 4- ,,- w - 1 V . . . . . 41 K . U -s , -i '9.'?f '1i'T - yi-1 'E' rf A 7 1 x, 1 -ex.-,J x Imax? .M ,1 ,... , , J-..,.4.a... 4. , -.9 1 . mst -' --1: . :.s..::w , '. 1, - '- 1 E ' ?5Eif'F-1, - -4 -- '- . Ei ..,. - .s---- If a-:e ' V It ' ,, ,... .. ,. X ng-'S .. . V : L if- A -Tl HE spirit of the old West Point of 1862, so well described by General Schaff, still dominated the VVest Point of 1878. The glamour of the Civil War still pervaded all departmentsg for in none, administrative, academic or tactical, were there lacking men whose high rank or titles by brevet commission had been won in that four years' struggle. Much of old VVest Point's predominance as a technical school was still in evidence in 1878. Davies, Professor of Mathematics to 1837, had been followed by Church, who held the chair of this department until his death just before our entrance tb the Academy. Bartlett, equally famous for his text books in Mechanics, had given way to Michie, but the latter had largely clung to the Bartlett text, Professor VVeir, for 42 years at the head of the Department of Drawing, had been displaced but two years before our arrival by Professor Larned. Agnel, in French since 1848, had given way to General Andrews in 18715 but Delanon continued in Spanish until after our graduation. The la-tter we remember with gratitude for not skinning us for a practical joke by his Spanish section. Immediately following the report All present, Sir by the Section Marcher, one youth asked, Professor, wh'at is :section dismissed' in Span- ish? and the instant Dejanon answered, the section arose as one man, moved out, 'was marched back to the area and broke ranks. Professor Tillman had recently taken hold as head of the Chemistry Department, and early experienced a serious fall from the dignity of his new position. He con- tinued the personal instruction of the first section. W'e were starting recitations in frictional electricity. A battery of twelve Leyden jars stood conveniently near to the plate machine. 'VVe always expected F- of our section to put his hands on everything that came along. Wliile he was up on questions the cadet required to discuss the plate machine loaded up the jars. As P- was relieved he did as had been expected- and for a moment fondled the bright brass terminal-only for a moment!-for the ground came on a circuit entirely unexpected by the section. The Professor was standing twenty feet away at the other end of the table and was leaning barehanded upon the lead-covered table top, while also standing upon the leaden floor apron. The Professor was always an optimist, and never charged us with malicious mischief. Lieber was Professor in Law and of course was proud of that monument to his father's ability, to wit: G. O. 100. It was issued to us in pamphlet -form and someway my copy went astray. For this reason I did not look once at this pamphlet before going up for nnal examination, which was then conducted orally, in the Library before the Board of Visitors. Of course, it was my luck to draw G. O. 100 for my recitation! What I did to neutrals and non-combatants, was too horrible for the lawyers on the Board of Visitors to listen to. I-Iow well I remember the moment of my arrival at the corner of the Academic Building on my way to the hotel! Adjutant's call had sounded. The companies were Q2