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

Page 8 text:

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-ret Ummm Pl' .. . - . . ---, ..,4 ,,,,.: 1 '6- ,- gffvffrrr 4, -34 -. 5.4 s 1 ate. -'w- as -we 1 ' .- 19' -' s, ' tg -bf fe- . 'f 1 : -- z 2- . v,- :f 2 S-.' - 1, '- 1 , a .' g' - :I f: f . 'TE - -e f : 'I '::f- if 24 in .1 1 :5 V an 11 1 -.Q ani, Q I Lef t. lg .Lf 725.5 in Q 1 .,,.. - . A 5,4 i- . V - N 4: -142 - 2:1 1.13 Q-J ' 'ig-s Q. . X 5 1 ' r ,..- , A rf3q.qg., ' , iris: V ..,.,E1,- -,ig ' i :L.'. A Ali' 365-.'-1,,.-. '.....-.l.....-.-1.41. I . ,,,f.2,... .... - 4 ng, ' Q hi F-:mf ' 1 3 fx- . R ia E X 'r Q, it i I Q I by , , X Mir If I i cavm' PRIVATE 1814 tiff ' l A Mandi iitt atila course. All arrangements as to messing, lodging, and so forth, were very crude, so much so that for some years the Academy was regularly abandoned between Decem- ber and March. Colonel Wfilliams had had command for less than a year when a disagreement with the Secretary of VVar as to the authority of an engineer officer brought about his resignation. Followed two years in which only two cadets graduated and none entered. In 1806, at the personal request of the President, Colonel VVilliams again took charge. In the succeeding three years, by hard work at home and continual hammering at Congress, he brought about relatively great improvements. In this period sixty-seven men were appointed and thirty-tive graduated. Then in 1809 all development was halted by the appointment as Secretary of War of a Dr. Eustis, who entertained a bitter hatred toward the Academy. Officially the Secretary had almost complete control over it, as he made appointments and approved grants for supplies. He used his power to full advantage. He began by detailing cadets with lield troops throughout the coun- try, generally in quite subordinate positions, where they could neither command nor learn to command. UThese young men, he wrote to Colonel VVilliams, should put the public to no expense for transportation, quarters, or any other item .... However trivial or manual the service, it holds them to their proper place, and is all they are lit forf' A large majority of the men -then at the Point were thus dispersed throughout the Army. Wfhat remained of the school was starved by lack of money and supplies, The number of instructors was reduced to two. The purchase of books is to be discouragedf, says the Secretary, hsince the advance- ment of science is so rapid as to render them useless, they become obsolete as soon as boughtf' Finally, during his three years, incumbency Dr. Eustis appointed just two cadets, one of whom never reported. His success was remarkable. By 1810 Wfest Point was dead, and for two years it stayed dead. Little instruction was given in that year, and no one was graduated. ln 1811 eighteen cadets, serving with troops in different parts of the United States, were given commissions without examination. ln March of 1812 one of the instruct- ors, Capt. Partridge, wrote that all cadets have been commissioned except Smith, who is a clerk in the VVar Department. In the same year Colonel VV'illiams, utterly discouraged, resigned his position and commission. It was not a particularly healthy policy, this of Dr. Eustis, with a war with England imminentg and the disgraceful results - of that war had a stimulating effect on the na- f - tion. The idea that to hght requires trained - soldiers began to take hold. Late in 1812, just -QQ JE : -sg befori ltheCSecretary resigned, an act was passer Jy onffress concerning the Academ U . The most impgrtant provisioi? was a 325.0370 appropriation for buildings and supplies. Wfest it .gi Q Point began to come to life. By the spring of - .. 1813 there were a dozen cadets, and one grad- 15 4' H uate, George Trescot. He obtained the engi- T -:ga-,,,ifg,I3,.,l5.g1. Q1, C ,L neers without difficulty. . THE ACADEMY KLOOKING SOUTHEAST, 'The next hve years were under the supervi- sion of Capt. Partridge, Commandant of Cadets, 1315-1333 8