The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-06-17
West Point,
Correspondence of the Herald

WEST IolNT, MOnudy evening June ION.
n Blast Preliminary Routine Of Life at WestPoint|
4 The Charms and Desagremmts of a Cadets
h Academ'cal Career-No Accommodation for Mani
or Horse-1Ae Library, Aysenal, Laboratory and
Stores-Lnprovement in the Science of Var
Mesmeriing
In the name of God, amen. Your correspondent
having awakened in state Of bodily health, and inI
Apossesson of all his mental faculties from the ten
&days quiescence just past is desirois to renew the
{ relations of amity and intimacy hitherto existng-I
q And yet although in state of complacence and
&composure, it is perfectly understood that this place.
not without its proportion of trials, many of which,
could recaptuate having occurred since my last
letter As a specimen, ! may mention my trial to|
Hclimb to that peering hill called the Crow's-Nest,
which Immediately overlooks West Point, and ex-
7perienced failure. To look at it, you would be in
acllned to put down Its distance not more than al
&mle; whereas the pedestrian who is lured to at
9,tempt gaining its summit finds 1t over three
land that OF the toughest and most untractable
! was cool, albeit, alternating with the heat when
III set out but twas only passing cloud that inter
accepted the solar rays, which burst forth upon me
with all their fervor, In the ancient but recorded bat
s4tle between the North wind and the East SUM- for
8the sceptre OF power over the Grecan traveller
Again have tried to trace the outlines Of the old
lortlcations around and about here, including Fort
futNdH1, anu cOulQ not, winch may he falrIV set
sSdown in the list of trials have tried by trigo
&nometrica observation to take the altitude of Gene
aral Scott-to get something to drink besides water
'8and thin potations-to be one of any number less
1t nght-all these things have tried to no purpose \
wherefore, it is not going too far to say that the
E3trlals OF life, here IN thus happy spot are by no
sameans strangers But had almost forgotten
n mong the most striking trials, may be reckoned
those of Ryder. to please those who come here for
3long time or short, and it is nothing but good
i9generaship that enables him, with very Ii
II Z tied house, to find toerable accommodations
Hand night coming to West Point Hotel 1t has been
Aaready made the subject OF some weil-grounded re-
approaches to government, that they do not extend
sNthis concern, which they insist on keeping under
,3rules and regulations contormabe 10 military views
I4and discipline. No one will say that if the safety
;Sand efficacy of their establishment here requires this
3modited, but if, on the other hand, public conve-
i&nience, comfort and liberty curtaed by these
Sresent short quarters provided they ought to make
them adequate to the wants of the public, or resign
her claim to dictate terms to it. There little reason
ato doubt that there ladies' and gentlemen
4furnished with apartments to the ordinary out
Xof this house, as now stands it would be worth
3keeping, that because government pleases to say
3so citizens not to sleep in single bedded rooms
|aat West Point; perhaps they desire to promote mat
Srimony in halfway if SO, they count without their
'ahost; let them annex Texas and leave us to our
.3selves
81 From all this, you may at once infer, what have
Xnot yet but proposed say that our visitors here
;3abound amazngly.. Yesterday was comparatively
3tranqui, it is suitable the day of rest should be
3bu let it be well understood that the extensive de-
parures Of the day before had far to do in pro-
1duclng this repose, than plety or the fear of the
5Lord, which Solomon saith is the beginning OF
Edwisdom. Fear who the devil would be afraid on
sAthese impenetrabe battements-these ramparts and
I3rocks, bristling with cannon, mortars howitzers,
sjcarronades, and every appliance of defensive war
sjfare and more than all that, half dozen generals,
hDx vyNa prINs oIc
i3tains, NC, all of the regular army? The day then
5went quietly past IN pursuit of its predecessors, and
S9the North America arrived in the evening hardly less
s5regulary with few New Workers to augment
i3our ranks. Next day, being this on which / now
3write, the Niagara bore several hundred passengers
this place. but by piece of good fortune few OF
them persisted IN stopping more than half an hour.
siaer which they re-embarked, and removed our APP
fprehenslons of spontaneous combustion, from such
ian accumulation as would have been here tonight
lhad they stopped.
lBaron Gerolt, a Prussian, Of high military rank,
1and think a distinguished member, If recolect
wright, OF the corps didomatique; Senator Evans,
4Tc. Further do not choose to extend the list for
jalthough there may be whole host of fair, passa-
$be, decent persons, they small fish, and unfit
s4expose in the market.
4 Ihave been here since the very first day of the ex
Examination, and will remain till they close which
Twill be in few days now. You know | am Of a
3more rowing than sedentary habit, and so may sus
pect, am ready to quit. Well, in my case, this is
s1st true, and yet situated am here has enough
lot attraction for me, despite the nconveniences
3have spoken OF, TO be agreeable to for week or
1.-TWO yet. West Point is place sui generis. What
Il paradise appears to mortal eyes early in the morn
imodestly, and the Hudson is more silvery, and the
lperfume Of the sweet exhaations ascend like incense
Ito the world above: If blessed with health the
breakfast bell is welcome to A beautiful
land choice table is spread out before us; do de-
flight in walking paths tempt in all directions
land in we social, there variety of COM
ipany that cannot fail to supply means for our graft
1fcatlon. There are among the multitude fair share
5o girls, whose movements do not in any way belle
sAthe observation that ascribes to them decl-
Sded and uncomfortable leaning to military
iamen--or as some say, military dress. Two
or three out of them would pass the scrutiny of one
las hard to please in questions of beauty as am-,he
crest are very mediocre, making due allowance for
3the charms borrowed from cosmetics, Circassan
4cream, bears grease, bergamot, and the cunning re-
7sources OF the toilet in general o mother Of grace
Awhere we to find bloom, and beauty, and grace |
4and innocence like that dream Of, hear spoken oil
Gin venerable stories, or which adorns the paradiseI
by Allah for the faithful AS part of our,
fadurnal occupation, dinner is trifng event Lett
ame tell you that good dinner is often spoiled in the
Heating as well as cooking but neither takes place.
saherc. The cook does isduty well, and conscien-;
1wth the resolution of doing THEIRS and that with no;
3stlll or formal stand off, but in easy and joyous|
,3manuer We talk freely to each other, and the,
1hour Of conversation is kept up with animation Toi
5be sure IT is pretty much iummery, and conusedj
when mixed up together. Yet 1t indicates al
9degrec OF enjoyment that pleasing to observe abei
terrible bore to JOIN in, provided the individual bel
unaccustomed to publicspeaking Of that description
Dor no. possessed OF the knack ofinduslng in that per
.lshable commodity called ''piebald chat" In the|
sAevenings, the cadets parade; occasionally areI
aamused with review, and Artillery, Infantry OIL
Cavary practice, and in the evenings the band plays
9on the green, that there is no lack Of variety all
3West Point. The musicians are principally men
Gin or past the prime of life, and perform no Other
7duty. They comprise men from almost every nation
lin chrisendom, and one Of them, aFrenchman, was
I'm his day solderin the grand army Of Napoleon
1served under the King of Sardinia, whence he was
induced to go into the Turkish service; and
3his black eye wrinkles with as much vivacity az
in the glorious days when he used to salute the EN-
dperor.. The drum-major is Prussian, and bears
Jhimself most marally, as he leads the marching CO.