Cadet Life at West Point

by Hugh T. Reed

Room Orderly.—Is responsible for the cleanliness and ventilation of the room, and that articles for joint use are in place.

After having folded and arranged my possessions according to the Blue Book, as I understood from a hasty perusal of it, I looked out of the window down into the Area of Barracks, where I saw old cadets passing to and fro. They carried themselves so very erect that we could not help but admire them and wish that we too were as straight and walked as well as they. We observed what small waists they had, and we wondered if they laced. Another thing we observed was that the cadets looked so much alike. I had unbuttoned my coat while arranging my effects, and forgot to button it again, when I heard a quick walk in the hall and then a sharp, firm, single rap on the door. We all sprang promptly to attention, palms to the front. Cadet Hood entered and began: “Button your coat, Mr. R⸺d.” He moved several piles on the clothes-press and disarranged my bedding, too, saying, “Not folded properly. Why don’t you study the Blue Book? Mr. Howard, fill your water bucket the first thing every morning. Get the water from one of the hydrants[8] in the Area. The floor is very dirty; sweep it properly, invert your wash bowl, and don’t let me have occasion to speak about these things again.”

The first call for dinner sounded and then we heard, “Candidates, turn out promptly.” We hastened downstairs. The old cadets were gathering in four different groups, while the candidates were being put into another one. Cadets Hood, Allen and Macfarlan were on the watch for candidates, and they began thus:

“Button that coat. Get down here lively. ‘Fall in.’ Fall in in the rear; don’t you know better than to get in front of anybody? Palms to the front. Fix your eyes on the seam of the coat collar of the man in front of you, and at the second call, face to the left.” Some of the candidates faced one way and some another, but we were soon straightened out, and then, “Eyes to the front! What do you mean gazing about in ranks? Each candidate, as his name is called, will answer ‘Here’ in a clear and audible tone of voice.” The roll of the candidates was then called. “Why don’t you answer, Mr. H⸺? Well, then, speak up so that you can be heard. Mr. ⸺, don’t shout,” and so on till the last name was called. We were told how to “count fours,” and after the command came something like this: “Stop counting. Try it over. Count fours. Steady, Mr. ⸺; wait till the man on your right counts. Eyes to the front. Why don’t you count, Mr. ⸺! Speak out. Eyes to the front,” and so on. We were now told how to “wheel by fours,” and at the command, “March,” to step off with the left foot first. There was a great time after the command, “Fours right, march,” was given. The cadets on duty over us were kept busy shouting at and pulling in place, first one candidate and then another, but after a fashion we got started and followed the cadets to the Mess Hall, and those on duty over us were kept busy all the way correcting mistakes made by the candidates.

While en route to dinner we were directed to remove our caps just before entering the Mess Hall and to put them on again just after leaving it. Of course we made blunders, and were gently (?) corrected for them. Upon entering the hall we were directed to certain tables, but told not to sit down until the command, “Candidates, take seats,” was given. When each one found a place behind an iron stool (that in my day resembled an hour glass in shape), the command, “A Company, take seats,” was given, and then the members of A Company all sat down promptly; then came “B Company, take seats,” “C Company, take seats,” “D Company, take seats,” and then “Candidates, take seats.” Immediately after the last command something like this came: “Sit down promptly. Do you want to be all day about it? Eat your dinner, and don’t leave the table until the command, ‘Candidates, rise.’”

Dinner was on the table, and there were a good many tables in the big hall. Each table had seats for twenty-two persons, ten on a side and one at either end. There were tablecloths, but no napkins, and one waiter for every two long tables; the waiters did not pass anything, but brought water, bread, etc., when needed. The cadets (and candidates) at the ends of the tables did the carving, while those at the center of the long tables poured the water. At supper and breakfast there were no tablecloths. Tablecloths and napkins are now furnished for all meals, and there are cane seat chairs instead of the old iron stools. The tables of the cadets were divided crosswise in the center by an imaginary line into two parts, and each part was called a table. The cadets had seats according to rank, and they always sat in the same seats. First classmen sat near the end called the head of the table, second classmen next, third classmen (except the corporals) next, and then fourth classmen, the latter being at the center of the long tables. The corporals at the ends of the tables were the carvers, and the fourth classmen poured the water.[9]

After dinner we were marched back to barracks, and before being dismissed the candidates were informed that they could do as they pleased until the bugle sounded “Call to quarters” at 2 o’clock, and then they must repair promptly to quarters, that is, to their own rooms in the barracks. All the time that we were in ranks the usual volleys were fired at us, such as: “Eyes to the front. Head erect and chin in.” After we were dismissed we were constantly reminded to “carry palms of the hands to the front,” notwithstanding the fact that we had been told to go where we pleased for a whole half hour. Some of the candidates went to the sink (i. e., water closet),[10] and some of the old cadets went there, too. A number of them surrounded a poor candidate, called him a plebe or an animal, and fired dozens of questions at him at once. The madder the plebe got the more fun it was for the old cadets. As the candidates were not acquainted with one another, and as they dreaded to meet the old cadets, they naturally drifted to their quarters, thinking that the safest place to be, but, alas! some of the old cadets called upon them there. While they did not mention their names, something like this generally occurred: “‘Shun, squad. Come to attention, plebes. Palms to the front. What’s your name? Spell it; spell it backwards. What state are you from? Who’s your predecessor?’ Say ‘Mr. ⸺.’ Do you think you can pass the ‘prelim’? Where is Newburg? Don’t know? How do you expect to get in here if you don’t know where Newburg is? Climb up on that mantel and be lively about it, too. Now move your arms and say ‘Caw, caw.’ Stop that laughing. Eyes to the front.” And so on, till the old cadets would slip out in time to go to their rooms for “Call to quarters.”

At two o’clock came the call, “Candidates, turn out promptly,” and every candidate turned out and “fell in.” A number were sent back for towels, and upon returning to the Area were sent to the bathrooms, then in the basement of D Company quarters. After bathing, some were sent to the Cadet Hospital for physical examination, and were there told to strip to the skin, then called one at a time before three Army Surgeons, in full uniform, who examined the lungs, eyes, ears, teeth and feet, made the candidates hop first on one foot, then on the other, raise their hands high above the head, cough, bend over forward, etc. When my turn came I did not mention anything about ever having been troubled with my eyes.

Upon returning to the barracks we were sent to the Commissary, where each candidate was given the articles necessary for his own immediate use. As near as I now remember, I got a chair, a pillow, a piece of soap, an arithmetic, a slate, a copybook, a quire of “uniform” paper, a history, a grammar and a geography. Other candidates who, like myself, had brought the articles marked “Thus*” received the same as I, while those who had not brought them got two blankets in addition to what the rest of us got. The books mentioned above are not now issued to candidates. Cadet H⸺d saw to it that candidates rooming together were provided with a wash bowl, a mirror, two buckets, etc. When all were fitted out we took up our loads and returned with them to Barracks, carrying them in our hands or on our shoulders, as was most convenient. This trip from the Commissary store across the grassy plain to Barracks has been described thus: