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

Page 7 text:

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Ihr Zllinnnhing nf mimi uint I HE earliest proposal for a military school for the United States was made by Brigadier General Henry Knox, Chief of Artillery, in May, 1776. His plans were heartily seconded by Colonel Alexander Hamilton and approved by General Washington, though they were not adopted in the form suggested until 18QQ. The constant sup- port lent by General VVashington to the carrying out of this project, even to the day of his death, has caused the Father of His Country to be justly considered the Founder of the Military Academy. In a letter written to Alexander Hamilton two days before our first president died, he said: HI have duly received your letter of the 28th ultimo, enclosing a copy of what you had Written to the Secretary of Wlar on the subject of a Military Academy. The establishment of an institution of this kind, upon a respectable and extensive basis, has ever been considered by me as an object of primary impor- tance to this countryg and While I was in the Chair of Government, I omitted no proper opportunity of recommending it, in my public speeches and otherways, to the attention of the Legislature. A I sincerely hope that the subject will meet with due attention, and that the reasons for its establishment which you have so clearly pointed out in your letter to the Secretary, will prevail upon the Legislature to place it upon a permanent and respectable footing. 'i In accordance with an Act of Congress, a Corps of Invalids was organized in July, 1777, 'cto serve as a- military school for young gentlemen previous to their being appointed to marching regiments. In 1781. this corps was marched from Philadelphia to form part of the garrison at YVest Point, which had been a military post since 1778 and already pos- sessed an engineer school, a library, and a laboratory. In 1783, after thecessation of hostilities, WVasl1ington laid the matter of a Military Academy before his officers at Newburg. In his message on December 3, 1793, he again referred to the plan, strongly urging upon Congress the necessity of establishing a perma- nent institution where young men might be Htted to be officers in the army. On his recom- mendation, a school for artillerists and engineers and for the cadets attached to the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers was established at Wlest Point in 17941. The grade of cadet', first appeared in the American Army at that time. Owing to the destruction of its buildings by fire, in 1796, this school was suspended. Finally, in 180Q, Congress authorized a Corps of Engineers,to consist of five officers and ten cadets, and provided that it should be stationed at Wlest Point, in the State of N ew York, and should constitute a Military Academy. The Academy, with ten cadets present, was formally opened on July 41, 1802, and that date is considered as marking the actual beginning of VV est Point as a true lVIilitary Academy. During the Hrst decade of its existence, conditions at the Academy were, to say the least, uncertain. At times, there were no cadets present at allg at other times, there was an equal absence of instructors. During the whole period both ofhcers and cadets experi- enced difficulty in obtaining their pay. In this time a total of eighty-eight cadets were grad- uatedg they had entered Without examination of any kind, at all.ages from twelve to thirty-four, and at various times during the year. In 1819, Congress passed an act reorganizing the Academy and furnishing the general principles upon which the hlilitary Academy has since been conducted and controlled. In 1817, Major Sylvanus Thayer, Corps of Engineers, became Superintendent, and under his able direction the present era in the history of the Academy opened. The results of Thayer's labors to put the Academy on a sound and permanent footing have proved so lasting and so excellent in every way that he has come to be regardedfas' the K'Father of the Military Academyf' At the expiration of his term as Superintendent, the institution Was firmly established on a sound basis and the foundation of the customs, principles and ideals which have lasted to this day had been laid. - ' 10