The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-22
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY.
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF VISITORS TO THE
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST
POINT

UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST
POINT.
United STATES MILITARY AcADE9r
West Point N. r., June Is, 1858
SIR The board sf visitors appointed TO attend the an
nual examination Of the Military Academy at West
Point have the honor OF submitting the followng re-
port.
On the first day Of June, 1858, the undersigned as
sembled at this place and the following day
ed to organization for the transaction Of business
The president Of the board appointed special committees
to examine into the actual state Of discipline instruc
ton police administration fiscal affairs and other con-
OF the institution and the result Of such cxamina
ton made known at the several meetings Of the board
is imbodied under the different topics Of this report
IxsrRuuraos
The board devoted six hours each day during their
session TO attending the examination Of the cadets The
first or graduating class was examined in engineering
civil and military in ethics and moral philosophy in
constitutional and international law in chemistry min
eogy, and geology, in infantry cavalry and artillery
tactics With the result of the examination of this class
the board were entirely satisfied The promptness in
telgence and skill evinced by the members Of this class
furnshed conclusive evidence Of the excellent
training to which the students at this institution
subject. The examination of the first class hay
ing been completed, the academic corps and the
board Of visitors proceeded with tho examination of
the several other classes Of cadets The board can
not repress the expression of profound admiration
of the examination in philosophy and mathematics The
proficiency of the cadets in these most important branches
Of military education Furnished gratifying proof Of the
fidelity with which the distinguished professors Of these
subjects had discharged their Duties well Of the
great industry and intelligence of the cadets In each
department Of this wide subject the knowledge eyinced
thorough and exact. Tho ability and great expert
of Professors Bartlett and Church. the instructors
natural philosophy and mathematics have rendered their
respective courses theoretically and practically rs per-
feet possible to make any similar Of instruction
In chemistry drawing, Spanish, painting French rhe
t,r,, Ixrs
dences of very creditable attachments upon the part of
the cadets The examinations in each Of these studies
thorough and of character well calculated ascer
tain the proficiency of the student in each branch depart
ment study Among the most interesting exercises of
thoroughly practical character those in the
bayonet and sword They have recently been introduced
and promise to be of great utility the service the
of these weapons will be taught by the graduates of this
institution to the infantry and Dragons of tho regular
army 1t affords the board much pleasure to award to
the academic board great praise for the admirable and
thorough manner in which the examinations con-
dsced of the several classes of cadets well for their
UNIFORM courtesy toward the whole corps Of cadets during
the Progress of the examinations The cavalry artillery
and infantry exercises of the cadets of daily occur
daring the sessions of the board and afforded great
satisfaction Nothing be perfect striking, and
beautiful tan the exercises OF the infantry in the system
of tactics Introduced by the present commandment at this
point There soldiers the world who perform their
military exercises with moro beauty and skill than
the cadets Mt this institution Daily opportunities were
afforded the board during the sfernoon drills Of observ
ing the effect of the admirable instruction which the
cadets receive during the whole period Of their service
here in military tactics There should in our opinion
be appropriation Of SO 900 made for the purchase of
new cavalry horses for the Of the cadets The horses
now here employed Unfortunately for artillery and
cavalry exercises, and many Of them old and almost
worthless Some of the hoses have become dangerous
from decrcpitude and old age and as the cavalry excr-
cises are conducted in the hall Of the riding school, acct
dents arising from the worhlessnes of many Of these
auh t,,;ur
of the cadets
We regard the present course Of instruction in ethics
rhetoric logic, history and literature as sufficiently ex
tcnsvc and it would be difficult in our opinep to make
any material addition the course without trcnciin
upon other and important departments of study
Besides dscharging diligently and faithfully the RESPONSE
BILE duties of chaplain and religious instructor the pres
ent professor of ethics logic history and literature is
law and under the provisions of the five years system
will also teach the law and evidence of courtsmartia
institutions where these subjects well taught they
usually assigned to not less than three professors
who are usually Of profound legal attanlnents
We therefore, recommend the creation of PROBES
sorshp viz that of constitutional and international
law and of the law of courts martial Ii would not be
inudicious to appoint to the professionally some
gentleman familiar by early education and experience
with all that pertains to these subjects.
The experience of the world is eminenty favorable to
the employment of jurists, rather than clegymcn to
teach the r,dnents Of law and we are not advised of
sttuton where the subjects Of constitutional and nterna
tional law well Of the law Of courts martial are
intrusted to the clergy.
ARTrLBnY
in inspecting the military organization Of the Aoa lemy
the board have been impressed with the Importance of
selccn Instructors in the several military depart
ments those officers exclusively who belong to the par
tcuar Of the service whose duties they are called
upon to teach. Thus for example, and especially
in the department of artillery corps regarded in all
other armies second only to that of the
engineers we would suggest modification of the
instruction at the Academy that the subject should be
taught by artillery officers alone that the theory and
practice should be intimately blended by requiring
instruction to be given by those who equally expo
renced in both. We present great inducements for
efficiency in any department by placing it under officer
whose pride in his particular will always urge him
to make the system perfect possible And in this
yiew deem it advisable that the corps Of artillery
efficient branch of military system should be ade-
quaey represented at the academic board by Instructors
selected above mentioned who may there exercise the
influence and force necessary for that department
CIVIL AND MILITARY ESaIN sERrSa.
The result of the examination the subject Of military
and civil engineering entirely satisfactory to the
board. Although most thorough and searching the
members of the graduating class cvinccd exceedingly
crcditabe and prascworthy familiarity with this most
important and essential department Of military cducs-
ton. The board have only to regret that the present
programme of studies at West Point docs not allow suAi
Gent time to the study of the theory and practice of civil
and military engineering. The present very able and
experienced professor in this department and his assist
ants required to teach of studies which, in
all the principal military schools Of Europe assigned to
four distinct fcssoshps In each military school We
convinced that the text books lectures illustrations