Cadet Life at West Point

by Hugh T. Reed

Transcriber’s Note: Image is clickable for a larger version.

Topographical Sketch of WEST POINT

CHAPTER III.
THE CANDIDATE.

“As the twig is bent, the tree is inclined.”

It was about ten o’clock in the morning of June 8, 1869, when I stepped from a rowboat on the dock near the Sea Coast Battery at West Point. The weather was perfect, and my heart was light and free. As there was neither any person nor conveyance at the dock, I followed the road winding up the hill to the plain. I stopped to admire the scenery. In front I beheld a level green plain of one hundred acres or more with massive buildings peeping through the large elm trees that fringe two sides of the plain; on either side were high hills; in my rear rolled the majestic Hudson between the Highlands, with Siege Battery at my feet. As I gazed around it was to me then, as it is to me now, the most beautiful of places.

I found my way to the Adjutant’s office in the Administration Building[6] and reported. I was courteously received and handed the “Instructions to Candidates” to read. I stated the fact of my trunk having been put ashore on the south dock and of the Mary Powell carrying me to Cornwall the previous evening, and I was told that my trunk had undoubtedly been taken to the hotel, as there was then (and now is) but one hotel at the Point. And I was also informed that my trunk would be sent to the Cadet Barracks. After I had complied with the instructions, an orderly, at the sound of a bell, entered and was directed to escort me to the barracks. In going through the area we passed some cadets and I overheard such remarks as “He’ll learn to button his coat.” At the orderly’s suggestion I buttoned my coat. He took me into a hall, said “This is the door,” laid down my valise, and left me. The door was the first one on the right of the eighth division—how well I remember it! I knocked on the door, and heard a commanding voice say “Come in!”[7] With valise and umbrella in one hand and cap in the other, I entered. There were two cadets in the room, seated near a table, and before I had a chance to speak, I was greeted about as follows: “Leave your things in the hall. Don’t you know better than to bring them in here?” I stepped into the hall, left the door open, and while looking for a suitable place to put my things (for there was neither a hook nor a table), one of these two cadets cried out: “Lay them on the floor and come in, and don’t be all day about it, either. Move lively, I say. Shut the door. Stand there. Come to attention. Put your heels together, turn out your toes, put your hands by your side, palms to the front, fingers closed, little fingers on the seams of the trousers, head up, chin in, shoulders thrown back, chest out, draw in your belly, and keep your eyes on this tack.” While one cadet was giving commands with great rapidity, the other one fixed my feet, hands, head and shoulders. “What’s your name? Put a Mr. before it. How do you spell it? What’s your first name? Spell it. What’s your middle name? Have none? What state are you from? What part? Put a sir on every answer. Where’s your trunk? Don’t know? Didn’t you bring one? Put on a sir; how often do you want me to speak about it?” I explained how my trunk and I had arrived at different times. “You’re too slow. You’ll never get along here. Keep your eyes on that tack; turn the palms of your hands squarely to the front. Did you bring all of the articles marked ‘thus’? You don’t know what they are? Put on a sir, I tell you. Didn’t you get a circular telling what articles you should bring? Didn’t you read it? Now answer me; did you bring the articles marked ‘thus’? Well, why didn’t you say so at first? Keep your eyes on that tack.” A wagon drove up and put a trunk on the porch near the window. “About face! Turn around the other way. Don’t you know anything? Is that your trunk? It is, is it? Now, let’s see you ‘about face’ properly. Steady. At the word ‘about’ turn on the left heel, turning the left toe to the front, carrying the right foot to the rear, the hollow opposite to and three inches from the left heel, the feet perpendicular to each other. Don’t look at your feet. Head up. Stand at ‘attention’ till I give the command. Now, ‘about’ (one of the cadets fixed my feet); at the word ‘face,’ turn on both heels, raise the toe a little, face to the rear, when the face is nearly completed, raise the right foot and replace it by the left. Now, ‘face.’ Ah! turn on both heels. Fix your eyes on that tack again. Draw in your belly. Throw back your shoulders and stand up like a man. Now, ‘left, face.’ Don’t you know your left hand from your right? Face that door; open it. Ah! why don’t you step off with the left foot first? Pick up your things, follow me, and move lively.” My back was nearly broken, and I was glad to get out of that room. After going a few steps on the broad porch on the area side of barracks, a young man in civilian clothes came out of the next hallway carrying the palms of his hands to the front. “Come here, Mr. Howard, and help your room-mate carry his trunk upstairs; step lively, now.” With that introduction Mr. Howard and I took hold of the trunk. Just then the tall young Tennesseean, whom I knew at Ann Arbor, passed, carrying the palms of his hands to the front. We exchanged knowing winks, but did not venture to speak. “What’s the matter with you? Don’t be all day carrying that trunk upstairs.” Howard and I tugged away and finally got the trunk upstairs and into the room designated. Candidates Howard and Knapp had already been assigned to the same room. “Stand attention, Mr. Knapp. Don’t you know enough to stand attention when I enter the room? Palms to the front. Put the trunk over there. Mr. R⸺d, open your trunk and valise and take out everything and make a list of all you have. Stand attention, Mr. Howard. Take out your things first and make a list afterward. Put the small articles on this part of the clothes-press, hang your clothes on those pegs and put your bedding over there. Study the regulations. Fold your things properly, put them in their places, and the next time I come in I want to see everything in place. What did you bring that umbrella for? You will never need it here. Mr. R⸺d, post your name over there on the ‘alcove,’ put it on the ‘Orderly Board’ under Mr. Knapp’s name, and put it there on the clothes-press. Whenever you hear the command, ‘Candidates, turn out,’ button your coats, hasten downstairs and ‘fall in’ in the Area.” Cadet Hood left the room then, and we sat down, prostrated. Then we proceeded to get acquainted with one another, and on comparing notes we found that each one of us had had about the same reception. As Howard and Knapp had reported the day before, they gave me many pointers, which I appreciated.

The room was good-sized, with two alcoves at the end opposite the window; but, oh! how uninviting it seemed. No bed, no carpet, no curtains, and not even shades. The furniture that was in the room consisted of a clothes-press, that is, shelving arranged for two cadets, but to be used by three or four candidates, two small iron tables, a wash stand, an iron mantel and a steam coil with a marble slab on it. H⸺rd and K⸺p had already carried from the Commissary certain articles for use by all occupants of the room, as follows: A looking-glass, a wash basin, a water bucket, a cocoanut dipper, a slop bucket and a broom. They had also obtained such other articles as were required for their personal use, such as a chair and a pillow.