| Chapter. | Page. | |
| I. | The Appointment | [13] |
| II. | The Preparation | [21] |
| III. | The Candidate | [27] |
| IV. | The Plebe in Camp | [65] |
| V. | The Plebe in Barracks | [87] |
| VI. | The Yearling | [125] |
| VII. | The Furloughman | [153] |
| VIII. | The Graduate | [179] |
| IX. | The United States Military Academy | [259] |
| X. | The Appendix | [287] |
ILLUSTRATIONS.
| The Author | [Frontispiece] |
| Might Be a Cadet | [15] |
| Topographical Sketch of West Point | [25] |
| Setting-up Exercises | [41] |
| Hop Invitation—Camp McPherson | [63] |
| Hop Invitation—I. O. C. B. | [81] |
| Cadet Warrant | [111] |
| Hop Invitation—Camp Geo. H. Thomas | [123] |
| Hop Invitation—Camp Belknap | [151] |
| Graduating Hop Invitation—Class of 1872 | [163] |
| Cadet Captain’s Chevron | [175] |
| Bell Button for Civilian Coats | [176] |
| Badge | [176] |
| Hop Invitation—Camp Thayer | [177] |
| Inaugural Ball Invitation | [198-9] |
| Graduating Hop Invitation—Class of 1873 | [203] |
| Bird’s Eye View of West Point as It May Be in 1912 | [209] |
| Diploma | [211] |
| Bird’s Eye View of West Point in 1902 | [213] |
| West Point in 1848 | [215] |
| West Point in 1825 | [217] |
| Guard Mount in Camp | [219] |
| Color Line | [219] |
| Seal of the United States Military Academy | [221] |
| Cadet Hospital | [221] |
| Superintendent’s Quarters | [221] |
| Battery Knox | [223] |
| Sea Coast Battery | [223] |
| Siege Battery | [223] |
| The Academic Building | [225] |
| Mess Hall | [227] |
| Dining Room | [227] |
| South Cadet Barracks | [227] |
| Cavalry Drill | [229] |
| Battalion Marching from Camp to Barracks | [229] |
| Cadet Tent | [231] |
| Group of First Classmen | [233] |
| Group of Furloughmen | [233] |
| The Old Cadet Chapel | [233] |
| Cadet Room | [233] |
| Professors’ Row | [235] |
| Flirtation Walk | [235] |
| Kosciuszco’s Garden | [235] |
| The Old Riding Hall | [237] |
| Battle Monument | [237] |
| Ponton Bridge | [237] |
| Cadet Camp—World’s Fair, 1893 | [239] |
| Officers’ Quarters Above Old North Gate in 1910 | [241] |
| Officers’ Quarters Below Old South Gate in 1910 | [241] |
| Bachelor Officers’ Quarters in 1910 | [241] |
| The New Cadet Chapel in 1910 | [243] |
| The North Cadet Barracks in 1910 | [243] |
| The Old Washington Headquarters | [245] |
| Officers’ Mess in 1910 | [245] |
| Cullum Memorial Hall | [245] |
| Coat of Arms of the United States Military Academy | [247] |
| Library | [247] |
| Siege Battery Drill in 1910 | [249] |
| Artillery and Cavalry Group in 1910 | [249] |
| The New Gymnasium in 1910 | [249] |
| Proposed Staff Quarters | [251] |
| Headquarters Building | [251] |
| Inspection in Camp | [253] |
| Light Artillery Drill | [253] |
| Sedgwick’s Monument | [255] |
| Professors’ Row | [255] |
| Cadet Monument | [255] |
| Looking East from the New Chapel in 1910 | [257] |
| Perspective View from River on the East | [257] |
| Interior of New Riding Hall | [315] |
CADET LIFE AT WEST POINT
CHAPTER I.
THE APPOINTMENT.
I was not more than eight years old when I first heard about West Point, and then I was told that it was Uncle Sam’s Military School; that the young men there were called cadets; that they were soldiers, and that they wore pretty uniforms with brass buttons on them. The impression made upon me at the time was such that I never tired talking and asking questions about West Point. I soon learned to indicate the site on the map, and I longed to go there, that I might be a cadet and wear brass buttons. I talked about it so much that my good mother made me a coat generous with brass buttons. I called it my cadet coat, and wore it constantly. Ah! for the day I should be a big boy and be a real cadet. With a wooden gun I played soldier, and when the war broke out and the soldiers camped in our old fair grounds, I was in their camp at every opportunity. The camp was about half-way between our home farm and father’s store in town, and many is the time I have been scolded for being so much at the camp. My only regret at that time was that I was not old enough to enlist, for I loved to watch the drills and linger around the camp-fires, listening to stories of the war.
I learned a good deal from the soldiers about West Point. They told me that I could not go there until I was seventeen years old, and not then unless I was appointed as a cadet by my congressman. They also told me that I must be a good boy at school and study hard, for the reason that after securing the appointment I would have to pass a rigid examination at West Point before admission. This was bad news to me, because we farm boys never attended school longer than four or five months in a year. Fortunately, however, the family moved to “town” when I was fourteen years old. I was then assured that I would have my wish, and I never missed a day at school. I was so anxious to learn rapidly that I overtaxed my eyes, and was in a dark room for nearly a year. Still I did not give up hope, and when my eyesight permitted I returned to school again.
I found out that there could be only one cadet at a time at West Point from the same congressional district, and also that there was then a young man there from my district; still I had hopes of getting there myself before I got too old, that is, over twenty-one.[1] Then there was no book published about West Point, and magazines and newspapers never described it.