The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-06-16
The Art OF Was. West pol.s
Aeadesny

The Board Of Visitors appointed by the
President TO attend the examination Of the
Cadets ut West Point--ibe future officers
and commanders Of our army--have entered
upon their duties. The Courier aud Ia.
qu,rsr complains tina, these annual cxa,pina.
tons do not excite the attention from The
public which they deserve. because some
people do not believe the institution such n
valuable one rs II really Ia, while many are
satisfied with knowing that II exists. The
time when mere courage and power Of
endurance were the sole essential quaIiilca.
tions of soldier, and the principal attri.
butes Of an officer, have passed away, and
the same paper very justly says'
The Mexican War proved most conclu
sivcly that officers are not found ready made
by nature, and that while our coun,rymen
can soon be taught the ordinary duties Of n
soldier, and IN lighting can hardly be ex-
celled, yet TO expect that they can he con.
trollcd, cared for aud properly handled in u
fight. by men ignorant ofthe science Of war,
and oi the other duties Of an officer, Is sim
ply ridiculous. Any man Of ordinary CON.
mon sense can lead men into fight, but his
ignorance Of bis duty may cause him 10 NJ.
cri6ce twice the number necessary.
The charge at Balaklava wins, az the
French General remarked, magnificent. but
II was not war. Mere lighting, however. 10
but n small part Of Az officers duty. The
officer must not only know how 10 nse men
when 10 fight, but he must also know how
to take care 0f them when out Of II, aud
simple as this duty may appear there ARE
but few who can perform II without instruc.
ton, or without having acquired informa.
ton by dearly bough, experience.
Had the siege Of Sebasiopol been con-
Quoted by officers unscqoainied with their
duties, the result would have been lar diff.
ierest Az il was, the Ioss OF III. from ex-
posarc and from other incidents Of war, was
great. but under incompetent officers II
would have been greater. Yet il WA much
greater thsn il should have been. The
EngIish system was detective 10 many res.
poets, and the kooSledge that was here
gained, and which rendered England a. the
close Of the wsr IN far better condition Tor
prosecuting II than she was nj the begin.
ming, was dearly bought.
The French entered upon the war with
the result Of their experience 10 the cam
pagns d Algeria. Al their appointments
were IN every respect M near perfection ~
possible. Their men did not suffer from
want u proper food. nor from tents 10 pro-
tect them. Everything was conducted on
the best system. and 10 the opinion Of one
OF our officers, they understood conducting
"a seige, the making the approaches, better
than their allies.
Now the Academy at West Point u m
Institution In which the cadet ia taught
everything that can be taught in any Insti-
tuition Of the kind The Professors arc gen
tlcnen thoroughly acquainted with their
da,y, and the object Of having q Board 70
attend the annual examinations, which are
thoroughly searching. 10 not only 10 test the
proficiency VI the cadets IN the studas Of the
course, bat also 10 recommend such change
ss may he deemed DecesssIy 70 keep the In
stitaiion IN tho most efficient state. II "
fair to presume, Therefore. that the young
man when graduating here Ia thoroughly
posted 10 oil the theoretical aud many oil the
practical duties of biz profession.
-Four years have heretofore been the term
required M the completion u the course u