Henry Ossian Flipper, the Colored Cadet at West Point Part 12

Was, in Mathematics.........No. 48 " French..............No. 48 " Spanish,............No. 37 " Drawing.............No. 40

His demerit for the month is 2, and since the commencement of the academic half year, 23.

Robt. H. Hall, Captain 10th Infantry, Adjutant Military Academy.

REGULATIONS FOR THE MILITARY ACADEMY.

Par. 71.--When any Cadet shall have a total of numbers [of demerit] thus recorded, exceeding one hundred in six months, he shall be declared deficient in discipline.

Par. 153.--No Cadet shall apply for, or receive money, or any other supplies from his parents, or from any person whomsoever, without permission of the Superintendent.

Note.--The attention of Parents and Guardians is invited to the foregoing Regulations. The permission referred to in paragraph 153 must be obtained before the shipment to the cadet of the supplies desired.

[Tables omitted.]

CHAPTER VII.

YEARLING CAMP.

IN this chapter I shall describe only those phases of cadet life which are experienced by "yearlings"

in their "yearling camp."

Beginning July 5th, or as soon after as practicable, the third cla.s.s receive practical instruction in the nomenclature and manual of the field-piece. This drill continues till August 1st, when they begin the "School of the Battery."

The cla.s.s attend dancing daily. Attendance at dancing is optional with that part of the third cla.s.s called "yearlings," and compulsory for the "Seps," who of course do not become yearlings till the following September. The third cla.s.s also receive instruction in the duties of a military laboratory, and "target practice." These instructions are not always given during camp. They may be given in the autumn or spring.

Another delight of the yearling is to "bone colors."

Immediately in front of camp proper is a narrow path extending entirely across the ground, and known as the "color line." On the 1st of August--sometimes before-- the "color line" is established, this name being applied also to the purpose of the color line. This ceremony consists in stacking arms just in rear of the color line, and placing the colors on the two stacks nearest the centre of the line.

From the privates of the guard three are chosen to guard the stacks and to require every one who crosses the color line or pa.s.ses within fifteen paces of the colors to salute them. These three sentinels are known as the "colors," or "color men," and are numbered "first," "second," and "third."

Those are chosen who are neatest and most soldierlike in their appearance. Cadets prepare themselves specially for this, and they toss up their guns to the adjutant at guard-mounting. This signifies that they intend competing for "colors." The adjutant falls them out after the guard has marched to its post, and inspects them. Absolute cleanliness is necessary. Any spot of dirt, dust, or any thing unclean will often defeat one. Yearlings "bone" their guns and accoutrements for "colors," and sometimes get them every time they toss up.

A "color man" must use only those equipments issued to him. He cannot borrow those of a man who has "boned them up" and expect to get colors. Sometimes-- but rarely--plebes compete and win.

The inducement for this extra labor is simply this: Instead of being on duty twenty-four hours, color men are relieved from 4 P. M. till 8 A. M. the next day, when they march off. They of course enjoy all other privileges given the "Old Guard."

"Sentinels for the Color Line.--The sentinels for the color line will be permitted to go to their tents from the time the stacks are broken till 8 A.M. the following morning, when they will rejoin the guard. They will be excused from marching to meals, but will report to the officer of the guard at the roll-call for each meal, and also at tattoo and reveille."--(From Resume of Existing Orders, U. S. C. C.)

It is the yearling who does most of the hazing. Just emerged from his chrysalis state, having the year before received similar treatment at the hands of other yearlings, he retaliates, so to speak, upon the now plebe, and finds in such retaliation his share of enjoyment.

The practice, however, is losing ground. The cadets are more generous, and, with few exceptions, never interfere with a plebe. This is certainly an advance in the right direction; for although hazing does comprise some good, it is, notwithstanding, a low practice, one which manliness alone should condemn.

None need information and a.s.sistance more than plebes, and it is unkind to refuse it ; nay, it is even not humane to refuse it and also to haze the asker. Such conduct, more than any thing else, discourages and disheartens him. It takes from him all desire to do and earn, to study or strive for success. At best it can be defended only as being effective where regulations are not, viz., in the cases of rough specimens who now not infrequently manage to win their appointments.

Formerly in yearling camp the corporals were all "acting sergeants." They were so acting in the absence of the de facto sergeants. These corporals got the idea into their heads that to retain their appointments they had to do a certain amount of "skinning," and often "skins" were more fancied than real. This was a rather sad condition of affairs. Plebes would find their demerits acc.u.mulating and become disheartened. It was all due to this unnecessary rigor, and "being military,"

which some of the yearling corporals affected. No one bears, or rather did bear, such a reputation as the yearling corporal. As such he was disliked by everybody, and plebes have frequently fought them for their unmanly treatment. This, however, was. It is no more. We have no yearling corporals, and plebes fare better generally than ever before.

Not because all yearling corporals thus subserved their ambition by reporting men for little things that might as well have been overlooked, did they get this bad reputation, but rather because with it they coupled the severest hazing, and sometimes even insults. That was unmanly as well as mean. Hazing could be endured, but not always insults.

Whether for this reason or not I cannot say, the authorities now appoint the corporals from the second cla.s.s, men who are more dignified and courteous in their conduct toward all, and especially toward plebes. The advantages of this system are evident.

One scarcely appreciates cadet life--if such appreciation is possible--till he becomes a yearling. It is not till in yearling camp that a cadet begins to "spoon." Not till then is he permitted to attend the hops, and of course he has but little opportunity to cultivate female society, nor is he expected to do so till then, for to a.s.sume any familiarity with the upper cla.s.ses would be considered rather in advance of his "plebeship's" rights. How then can he--he is little more than a stranger--become acquainted with the fair ones who either dwell at or are visiting West Point. Indeed, knowing "femmes" are quite as p.r.o.ne to haze as the cadets, and most unmercifully cut the unfortunate plebe. Some are also so very haughty: they will admit only first- cla.s.smen to their acquaintance and favor.

But Mr. Plebe, having become a yearling finds that the "Mr." is dropped, and that he is allowed all necessary familiarity. He then begins to enjoy his cadetship, a position which for pleasure and happiness has untold advantages, for what woman can resist those glorious b.u.t.tons? A yearling has another advantage. The furlough cla.s.s is absent, and the plebes--well, they are "plebes." Sufficient, isn't it? The spooneying must all be done, then, by the first and third cla.s.ses.

Often a great number of the first cla.s.s are bachelors, or not inclined to be spooney; and that duty then of course devolves on the more gallant part of that cla.s.s and the yearlings.

The hop managers of the third cla.s.s have been mentioned elsewhere. They enjoy peculiar facilities for pleasure, and, where a good selection has been made, do much to dispel the monotony of academic military life. Indeed, they do very much toward inducing others to cultivate a high sense of gallantry and respect for women. The refining influence of female society has greater play, and its good results are inevitable.

But what a wretched existence was mine when all this was denied me! One would be unwilling to believe I had not, from October, 1875, till May, 1876, spoken to a female of any age, and yet it was so. There was no society for me to enjoy--no friends, male or female, for me to visit, or with whom I could have any social intercourse, so absolute was my isolation.* Indeed, I had friends who often visited me, but they did so only when the weather was favorable. In the winter season, when nature, usually so attractive, presented nothing to amuse or dispel one's gloom, and when, therefore, something or some one suited for that purpose was so desirable, no one of course visited me. But I will not murmur. I suppose this was but another const.i.tuent of that mechanical mixture of ills and anxieties and suspense that characterized my cadet life. At any rate I can console myself in my victory over prejudice, whether that victory be admitted or not. I know I have so lived that they could find in me no fault different from those at least common to themselves, and have thus forced upon their consciences a just and merited recognition whether or not they are disposed to follow conscience and openly accept my claim to their brotherly love.

*I could and did have a pleasant chat every day, more or less, with "Bentz the bugler," the tailor, barber, commissary clerk, the policeman who scrubbed out my room and brought around the mail, the treasurer's clerk, cadets occasionally, and others. The statement made in some of the newspapers, that from one year's end to another I never heard the sound of my own voice, except in the recitation room, is thus seen to be untrue.

CHAPTER VIII.

FIRST-CLa.s.s CAMP.

IT is a common saying among cadets that "first-cla.s.s camp is just like furlough." I rather think the a.s.sertion is an inheritance from former days and the cadets of those days, for the similarity at present between first-cla.s.s camp and furlough is beyond our conception. There is none, or if any it is chimerical, depending entirely on circ.u.mstances. In the case of a small cla.s.s it would be greater than in that of a large one. For instance, in "train drill" a certain number of men are required. No more are necessary. It would be inexpedient to employ a whole cla.s.s when the cla.s.s had more men in it than were required for the drill. In such cases the supernumeraries are instructed in something else, and alternate with those who attend train drill. In the case of a small cla.s.s all attend the same drill daily, and that other duty or drill is reserved for autumn. Thus there is less drill in camp, and it becomes more like furlough when there is none at all.

Again, first-cla.s.smen enjoy more privileges than others, and for this reason their camp is more like furlough. If, however, there are numerous drills, the a.n.a.logy will fail; for how can duty, drills, etc., coexist with privileges such as first-cla.s.s privileges? Time which otherwise would be devoted to enjoyment of privileges is now consumed in drills.

Still there is much in it which makes first-cla.s.s camp the most delightful part of a cadet's life.

There are more privileges, the duties are lighter and more attractive, and make it withal more enjoyable.

First, members of the cla.s.s attend drill both as a.s.sistants and as students. They are detailed as chiefs of platoon, chiefs of section, chiefs of caissons, and as guidons at the light battery; as chiefs of pieces at the several foot batteries; attend themselves at the siege or sea-coast batteries, train drill, pontoon drill, engineering, ordnance, and astronomy, and they are also detailed as officers of the guard. These duties are generally not very difficult nor unpleasant to discharge. Second, from the nature of the privileges allowed first-cla.s.smen, they have more opportunity for pleasure than other cadets, and therefore avoid the rather serious consequences of their monotonous academic military life. A solitary monotonous life is rather apt to engender a dislike for mankind, and no high sense of honor or respect for women.

I deem these privileges of especial importance, as they enable one to avoid that danger and to cultivate the highest possible regard for women, and those virtues and other Christian attributes of which they are the better exponents. A soldier is particularly liable to fall into this sans-souci way of looking at life, and those to whom its pleasures, as well as its ills, are largely due. We are indebted to our fellows for every thing which affects our life as regards its happiness or unhappiness, and this latter misfortune will rarely be ours if we properly appreciate our friends and those who can and will make life less wretched. To shut one's self up in one's self is merely to trust, or rather to set up, one's own judgment as superior to the world's. That cannot be, nor can there be happiness in such false views of our organization as being of and for each other.

At this point of the course many of the first-cla.s.s have attained their majority. They are men, and in one year more will be officers of the army. It becomes them, therefore, to lay aside the ordinary student's role, and a.s.sume a more dignified one, one more in conformity with their age and position. They leave all cadet roles, etc., to the younger cla.s.ses, and put on the proper dignity of men.

There are for them more privileges. They are more independent--more like men; and consequently they find another kind of enjoyment in camp than that of the cadet. It is a general, a proper, a rational sort of pleasure such as one would enjoy at home among relatives or friends, and hence the similarity between first-cla.s.s camp and furlough.

But it is not thus with all first-cla.s.smen. Many, indeed the majority, are cadets till they graduate.

They see every thing as a cadet, enjoy every thing as a cadet, and find the duties, etc., of first-cla.s.s camp as irksome as those of plebe or yearling camp.

Of course such men see no similarity between first- cla.s.s camp and furlough. It is their misfortune. We should enjoy as many things as we can, and not sorrow over them. We should not make our life one of sorrow when it could as well be one of comfort and pleasure.

I don't mean comfort and pleasure in an epicurean sense, but in a moral one. Still first-cla.s.smen do have many duties to perform, but there is withal one consolation at least, there are no upper cla.s.smen to keep the plebe or yearling in his place. There is no feeling of humbleness because of junior rank, for the first cla.s.s is the first in rank, and therefore need humble itself to none other than the proper authorities.

Again, their honor, as "cadets and gentlemen," is relied upon as surety for obedience and regard for regulations. They are not subject to constant watching as plebes are. The rigor of discipline is not so severe upon them as upon others. It was expended upon them during their earlier years at the Academy, and, as a natural consequence, any violation of regulations, etc., by a first-cla.s.sman, merits and receives a severer punishment than would be visited upon a junior cla.s.sman for a like infringement on his part.

The duties of first-cla.s.smen in first-cla.s.s camp are as follows: The officer of the day and two officers of the guard are detailed each day from the cla.s.s.

Their duties are precisely those of similar officers in the regular army. The junior officer of the guard daily reports to the observatory to find the error of the tower clock. Also each day are detailed the necessary a.s.sistants for the several light batteries, who are on foot or mounted, as the case may require.

The remainder of the cla.s.s receive instructions in the service of the siege and sea-coast artillery.

These drills come in the early forenoon. After them come ordnance and engineering.

The entire cla.s.s is divided as equally as may be into two parts, which alternate in attendance at ordnance and engineering.

In ordnance the instructions are on the preparation of military fireworks, fixing of ammunition and packing it, the battery wagon and forge. This instruction is thoroughly practical. The cadets make the cases for rockets, paper sh.e.l.ls, etc., and fill them, leaving them ready for immediate use. The stands of fixed ammunition prepared are the grape and canister, and sh.e.l.l and shot, with their sabots.