Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-08-03
The West Point MiItaary Academy.

He sleeps on the barrcks, in n room
with one other; at five O'Clock in the morn
ing, in summer. and half past FIVE in the
winter, the reveille awakens him he i'm
"nhediately rises, doubles up his blankets
and matrass, and places them on the head
OF hrs iron bedstead; he studies until Sc
ven o'clock; at that hour the drum beats
for breakfast and the cadets fall into rank
sad proceed to the mess hall. Twenty
minutes is the usual time spent for break
fast. Guard mounting takes place at half
past seven, and twenty=four are placed on
guard every day. AT eight o'clock the
bugle sounds, aud rectations commence.
AT one o'clock the bugle again sounds, the
professors dismiss their respective sections,
the cadets form ranks opposite the barracks
and march to dinner. Between eleven
and one part of the cadets are occupied
in riding and others in fencing, daily. AT
ter dinner they have until two o'clock for
recreation, and from two until four they
are employed at recitations.
AT four o'clock the bugle sounds, and
they 60 either to battalion or light artille-
ry drill. The exercise last an hour and a
half. After that they devote the time to
recreatiou until parade, which takes place
in front of the barracks, and the names of.
the delinquents are read by an officer of.
the cadets. Supper next, and after sup
per recitation until eight o'clock, when
the bugle sounds the call to quarters, and
every cadet must be found in his room
within few minutes at study, and must
remain there thus employed till half past
nine. At half past nine the bugle again
l., f,fto 0DI Of tny
the drum taps, and every cadet must then
be i'll bed, having his light eXtinguished,
and must remain there until morning. If
during the night a cadet is found more
than thirty minutes absent from his room
and does not give satisfactory account of
himself, charges are perferred against
him, and he is court martiallcd.
The use ofintoxicating drink and of to-
bacco is strictly repudiated; SO are playing
chess, wearing whiskers and great ma
ny other things. The punishment to
which cadets are liable are provocation of
recreation, &c, extra tours of duty reprl-
mands, arrests or confinement to his roQGa
or tent; confinement in light prison, con-
inemcnt in dark prison, dismission with
the privilege of resigniug and public dis
mission.
Through the months Of July and Au
gust the cadets are encamped and during
the encampment the instruction is exclu-
sively military.
The only furlough allowed to cadets !
is two months when they are in the third
class.
The pay of the cadet is twenty four dol
lars per month, and his board costs him
ten Of this. From the balance he is re-
quired to dress and defray his other ex-
penses, and he is prohibited from con-
tracing debts without permission.
As the reward for all his labor and de-
privation, the cadet acquires an excellent
education-in mathematics better proba-
bly,, than he can get in any other institu-
ton in the country. Training here Of
both body and mind is very thorough and
complete"
One OF the exercise is described as fol-
lows:
"That part of cavalry exercise called
running at the heads ring, was attended
by the Board of Examiners and many other
spectators. This exercise takes place in
large hall in the basement of the acade-
mic building. This hall is very dark, dis
NAL looking place, with row of columns
only few feet apart, through the centre,
extending its entire length and is utterly |
unfit for the purpose for which it is used.
Twenty-eight horses, properly equip
ped, are led in the hall. Lieutenant Sack
ct, the instructor in this department, sits
near one side of the room, mounted on a
splendid white charger. Twenty eight |
cadets, members of the graduating class,
march in, and at the command oft in
structor, all are instantly mounted. Posts
are placed along near the sides of the hall, |
and on the top of them balls of stuffed
canvas about a foot in diameter, and
called, heads are put. On the arms
of some other posts much higher, rings are
hung. The cadets ride round and cut, |
various ways, at these heads and rings, |
with their horses on q fast galIop. The
lieutenant sets the example. Not stroke
of his we'll aimed sabre misses; but 10 as
he completes the round, in Consequence
of the curb chain fhis bride brea.ing, his
horse plunges forward against the Yard
fence. directly in front of the ladies', All
down he goes fiat upon his side, and his
immensely heavy rider falls with him.
For an instant there is half suppressed
sbriek. when the rider and horse are both
seen to have arisen, and the promptly 81
zen, order, Next" ELECTS round OF ap-
Soon after anorneE= .s-----.l;r,,od with a
cadet at the opposite end of the nan. -
am told that owing to the total unsuitable
ness Of the hall, accidents are of frequent
occurrence. But the cadets acquitted them
selves in this exercise in a manner most
credita6te to themselves and their instruc-
tor. In spite of all the disadvantages,
from the imperfections of the hall, under
which they labored. all the evolutions
and the numerous feats. dificnlt of ner-