June 1872.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE GRADUATE.
After the June examinations were over we went into camp again at the usual place. This year it was named “Camp Thayer” in honor of a former superintendent of the Academy, and as first classmen have precedence over all other cadets, it was “our camp.” Among the young lady visitors were many who had been to the Point for several summers. They seemed like old friends and the pleasure of meeting again was mutual. The first thing of importance for us to do was to arrange for the celebration of the Fourth of July and for a special hop that evening. We elected officers to conduct the holiday exercises and to have charge of the special hop. It was not obligatory upon any one to attend those festivities, but as the weather was perfect and as there were no other inviting places to go, everybody who could be present attended the exercises held in the morning in the pretty little chapel,[57] and in the evening some witnessed the handsome pyrotechnic display, while others attended the hop, and as usual the Mess Hall was beautifully decorated and used for the special hop.[58]
In my day, by special dispensation, twelve cadets of the first class were permitted to take meals at the Misses Thompson, who lived in General Washington’s old log Headquarter House, in Professor’s Row. These ladies were quite old when I knew them; the oldest of the three sisters died of old age shortly before I went there to board. It was not easy to get a seat at the Misses Thompson’s table, and when a cadet secured one without any conditions imposed he generally “willed it to his plebe.” And this is the way I obtained mine. My predecessor had a seat there and he willed it to me, but as I could not go there until I became a first classman certain members of the three classes ahead of me had the seat on condition that it should come to me when I became eligible. But this was not all, as may be seen from the following (old form) permit:
West Point, New York, June 19, 1872.
Cadet R⸺d, Private 2nd Class “C” Co., has permission to take his meals at the Misses Thompson (to have the seat last occupied by Cadet R⸺p), his name having been proposed and accepted.
J. F. S⸺h,
Com’d’g Co. “C.”