In the organization and movements of the armed forces of the Colonies, the officers were trained in the military service of the mother country.
In the War of Independence, the general spirit of the people supplied for a time the want of trained soldiers and officers, beyond the small force which had been schooled in the French and Indian Wars; but the necessities of the service compelled Congress to authorize its accredited agents abroad to offer commissions, especially to engineer and artillery officers; and at the close of the war we find nearly all the prominent officers in the artillery and engineer departments had been trained abroad. Nearly all the fortifications were planned by them and erected under their supervision. The names of Steuben, Kosciusko, Du Portail, Radière, Romans, Vincent, Rochefontaine, Toussard, Revardi, L’Enfant, Villefranche, and others of later date, will suggest to any reader of the military history of the country, the extent of our obligations to foreign military schools.
The sources of systematic professional instruction and training for officers of the armed forces of the United States, are—
I. The National Military Academy at West Point, for the general scientific instruction of officers of all arms.
II. The Practical School of Artillery at Fortress Monroe.
III. The Engineer Battalion School of Practice at Hunter’s Point.
IV. The Company and Regimental Drill of various Volunteer Corps in the larger cities of the country.
V. The Cadet Corps in various Military and Scientific Schools in different States.
The gradual development of the military Academy at West Point, and the present condition of Military Education will now be given.