CHAPTER II.

YOUNG GRANT'S LIFE AND EXPERIENCE AT WEST POINT

ACADEMY.

The Young Cadet leaves Home for the banks of the Hudson.-Passes the Examination. The Situation of the Military Academy.-Course of Instruction.— Examinations.-Crimes and Penalties.-Restraints.-Order of Duties.-The Drill and Parade.-Encampment.-U. S. Grant's Experience in the Academy.

WITH the advent of the summer of 1839, the candidate for academic discipline and honors left his humble abode on the banks of the Ohio for the Highlands of the Hudson.

Reaching West Point, he addressed himself at once to the preparation for the severe and dreaded examination, scarcely taking leisure to look out upon the landscape, in impressive contrast with that along the rivers of the West.

A description of the remarkably attractive scenery, and some account of the Academy, where the military character of Grant, Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas, and other less distinguished, but gallant and successful officers of the Union army was formed, cannot fail to interest the reader. West Point is in the town of Cornwall, Orange County, New York, fifty-two miles from the great metropolis. Fort Putnam is more than four hundred feet higher, and looks down upon it. One beautiful plat of land is known as Kosciusko's Garden, in which stands the fine monument of this Polish refugee and patriot, who commanded the post at one time during the Revolution. Here a massive chain was stretched across the river, to keep the enemy's boats from passing.

The Academy was established by act of Congress, in 1780. There is, perhaps, no better general view of the region than that given by the Rev. Dr. Dwight, in 1778, afterward President of Yale College, and then Chaplain in the Revolutionary War, and stationed at West Point. This fact gives to the pen-picture additional value. The

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"house deserted by its inhabitants" he refers to, was the "Beverly House," taken by the Government from Colonel Beverly Robinson, a Scotchman, because he joined the loyalists against the rising republic.

Wrote the excellent and distinguished Dwight:

"Yesterday afternoon, in company with Major Humphreys, I went up to the summit of Sugar Loaf-a mountain near Colonel Robinson's house. We ascended it with some difficulty, from the steepness of the acclivity, and from the loose stones, which, frequently sliding from under our feet, exposed us to imminent hazard of falling. From the summit we were presented with an extensive and interesting prospect, comprising the objects which I have heretofore mentioned, and many others which I had never seen. The point of view was remarkably happy, the mountain being so situated as to bring within our reach the greatest number of objects in the surrounding region, and to exhibit them to the highest advantage. What is almost a singularity, there was not a cheerful object within our horizon. Every thing which we beheld was majestic, solemn, wild, and melancholy.

"The northern division of our prospect was almost entirely bounded by two great mountains, named Butter Hill and Breakneck; the former on the west, the latter on the east side of the Hudson. Both abut so directly upon the river, that their rude, lofty cliffs form a part of its banks. These mountains ascend at the distance of perhaps six miles from the spot where we surveyed them, and extend northward to the valley of Fishkill.

"From Breakneck stretches a range of inferior magnitude, at the distance of half a mile, one, and two miles from the Eastern shore of the Hudson, the ground between them and the river being generally level, and capable of cultivation. It contains a small number of other houses besides that of Colonel Robinson. Of this range SugarLoaf is the termination, its southern limit being the river.

"Still eastward of this range ascend others, terminating also on the Hudson. The southernmost which is in sight on the eastern side, and indeed the southernmost of the whole cluster, is Anthony's Nose, a noble bluff, whose

cliffs rise almost perpendicularly from the water's edge, to the height of perhaps fifteen hundred feet, with a sublimity which I believe is not often rivaled.

"On the western side runs a rude range of mountains, commencing at Butter Hill, and terminating, to the eye, at a point opposite to Anthony's Nose. The three loftiest

summits in the range are the Crow's Nest-a fine, sharp cone, Bear Hill-and the Donderbarrak, or Thunder Hill. At the foot of these commences a plain, of no great breadth; if I may be permitted to call that a plain which, while it approaches generally toward a level surface, is undulating, rocky, and wild, throughout a great part of its extent. This tract reaches northward to West Point, and southward near to Anthony's Nose. Directly north, the Hudson, here a mile in breadth, and twice as wide higher up, is seen descending from a great distance, and making its way between the magnificent cliffs of the two great mountains, Butter Hill and Breakneck. The grandeur of this scene defies description. Through the opening here, called the Wey-Gat, or Wind-Gate, because the wind often blows through it with great violence, is visible the cultivated country at New Windsor, throughout a considerable extent. Beyond this, at the distance of about forty miles, rise the Catskill Mountains, whose blue summits were at this time lost in the clouds. In this reach of the river lies an island, to the eye a mere bird's nest; and near it were two boats, resembling in size those which children make

of paper.

"South of these two mountains the river bends between West Point and Fort Constitution, and for a short space is invisible. Thence it becomes visible again, and continues in sight till the prospect is terminated by Anthony's Nose on the eastern, and Bear Hill on the western side.

"Directly opposite to us was a mill-stream, which, swollen at this time by the dissolving snows, poured a large sheet of foam, white as snow, over a high ledge of rocks into the Hudson. In other circumstances this object would have been beautiful; now it only enhanced the general solemnity and grandeur, by filling the neighboring region with a loud sound, resembling the distant roar of

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the ocean. This sound was apparently echoed by the numerous torrents which were everywhere rushing down the mountains.

"Beneath us was a house, deserted by its inhabitants— a family possessed, a little while since, of all the enjoyments which this life can furnish; intelligent, refined, and amiable. It is deserted, not improbably to be seen by them no more. Whether the father acted wisely or unwisely, defensibly or indefensibly, I am not interested to inquire. Against the mother and the children, even prejudice can bring no allegation.

"Southward, at the distance of perhaps four miles, were the ruins of Fort Montgomery. Here more than one hundred of our countrymen became victims, a few months since, to the unprincipled claims of avarice and ambition.

*

* * Northward, at about the same distance, was West Point, where the same scenes of slaughter may not improbably be soon acted over again.

* *

"It is a remarkable fact, that the Hudson should have found so fine and safe a bed in a country so rough, and between banks so often formed of mountains or high hills, and to so great an extent abutting upon it in precipices of a stupendous hight. Yet even through the Highlands its navigation is perfectly uninterrupted. *There is a grandeur in the passage of this river through the Highlands, unrivaled by any thing of the same nature within my knowledge. At its entrance particularly, and its exit, the mountains ascend with stupendous precipices immediately from the margin of its waters, appearing as if the chasm between them had been produced by the irresistible force of this mighty current, and the intervening barrier, at each place, had been broken down, and finally carried away into the ocean. These cliffs hang over the river, especially at its exit from the mountains, with a wild and awful sublimity, suited to the grandeur of the river itself; which, speedily after it escapes from these barriers, expands its current to the breadth of three miles, and soon after to that of four, and pours a vast stream two miles wide, and sufficiently deep to waft a seventy-four gun ship, until it is lost in the Bay of New York."

A good common-school education is required for admission to the Academy, with physical soundness, the age to be not less than sixteen years nor over twenty-one, and the proper hight is five feet or more. Each cadet signs an agreement to serve eight years in the army of the United States, and obey all the rules of the institution.

The course of instruction, which occupies four years, embraces military tactics, natural sciences, mathematics, French, history and other English studies, and drawing; to the latter of which great attention is paid. The oldest class is called the first, the next the second, and so on.

The commencement is on the 1st of July. During this and the following month the cadets have the encampment, of which you will have a glimpse from one of their number. The daily allowance of time for study is not less than nine, nor more than ten hours.

The annual examination of classes commences on the first Monday in June, before an Academic Board, which consists of the Superintendent and professors, with a Board of Visitors appointed by the Secretary of War. A careful record of every recitation is kept, and in the Annual Register is published a conduct-roll-a complete statement of the violations of rules.

There are seven grades of crime, whose mark of demerit is from 1 to 10. To give an illustration: Absence from reveille roll-call is 3; bringing ardent spirits into barracks, 8. When the number of demerits in a year exceeds two hundred, the cadet is recommended to the War Department for expulsion from the Academy.

The cadets are allowed but one absence during the four years' course, usually at the end of the second year, and during July and August. But only a quarter of the whole number can go at any one time, and none whose demerit is over one hundred and fifty for the preceding twelve months.

The dress, which is gray, is a coatee, white drilling pants, white gloves, and black dress cap.

The punishments for misconduct are of three kinds : Privation of recreation, extra tours of guard duty, reprimands, or confinement to room or tent; confinement in