Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-08-12
REcOl.f..Ec.rrloNs OF CADET
LIFE.
Rebel cenerals a. Beys ar West PoiI

LIFE.
Rebel cenera,; e. sssys & e. nv West Point
80 .n.s Old Dragoon'' is writing series OF
Interesting sketches for q, Richmond paper,
giving "reminiscences of cadet life at the
West Point Military Academy. The fol-
lowing are extracts
.ss.ssa SIDNEY JOHNSON. ,q .7-.,,,
The first cadet lever heard give the
,word7 of, command was Sidney johnson,
and the impression his appearance made
on me is as clear and distinct now as it was
then. His stalwart form and well devel-
,oped muscles gave him an appearance OF
great strength, while. his gentle manners
and benevolent countenancei indicated a
man of the tendereSt affections, Hard to
arouse to anger, he was ever ready to es-
pouse the cause of the oppressed. His mo-
<bf6 nature endeared him 10 his fellow ca
diets aud his associates in after life. On
s0he OF the fairest pages of history must be
written the deeds of this gallant soldier
NaHd'true patriot. 's1 's.1p =
ha@ 80 'sia' LEoNIDAs POLK,
!. Leonidas Polk, tail and straight as an ar
.rpw,,was the orderly sergeant of my, com
pany. Scrupulously strict in the discharge
Of his duties, retiring in his manners. and
copal Church, he Invariably commanded
the respect of us all. I'm 10 y ~ ,sas.. {
Ne, s.,s ts ROBERT Z. LEE. t,ss5 D .tfin,y
els Robert E. Lee held the two offices in the
CORDS usually filled by the best soldiers of
the sclass-sergeant-major and sadjutant.
He e.diseharged the duties of these offices
with. zeal and fidelity. His personal sp-
pearance surpassed in manly beauty that
of any other cadet in the corps. Though
firm in his position and perfectly erect, he
had none of the stiffness so often assumed
by men who affect strictness in their ideas
of what is military. His limbs, beautiful
and symmetrical, looked as though they
had come from q turning lathe; his step
was as elastic as if he had spurned the
ground upon which he trod. He was noted
in his class as a great student, and as hav-
ling passed through the trying ordeal of
military school without single demerit
mark. q generally got one hundred and
etifty year.) During Bob Lees stay at
q West HoPoinI, 1 am satisfied he never
.swore an oath, tasted drop of ardent spir-
r. Its, nor used tthe weed" in any shape or
form.al The same virtues of abstinence may
7be attributed to Charles Mason; but L think
bssCharley', occasionally let slip an oath; at
least he lookedaas if he did. Mason was in
Lees class, and intellectually had no supe-
rior at the Point. How well can recollect
his. bright. piercing eye,s cleaning and
S'snapping" with excitement as he stood at
the blackboard, demonstrating some in
tricates and beautiful mathematical prob
=
since sought aud gained that distinction in
Ncivil life which his talents and pure char
acter entitled him to. He was for long
time Commissioner of the Patent Office,
chosen for his scientific attainments. and
filed with ability for several years place
on the Supreme Bench of Iowa.
HO B.. w. BRIeE.. -r -, ,,~-t- F
~ Another prominent cadet in Lees class
was B. w. Brice. He was high up as a
soldier, but low down as a student; very
handsome, tull of wit and humor, and al
ways ready for fun and trolic. Every body
liked him, and was glad to call Ben Brice
his friend. He was of sour set;" and con-
he ever reached the position of Paymaster
General United States Army, which he
nowiholds, and the duties of which he dis
charges with masterly ability.
JOE JOHNSTON.
Joseph E. Johnston had great deal OF
the military spirit that pervaded the corps
and which was infused by Major Worth.
He was not remarkable for his studious
= habits, and belonged to fast set, OF which
that set escaped arrest, confinement and
court martial. Joe Johnston was one OF
those genial spirits that gave zest to ca
:. det's life. Full of ambition and desire to
excel, he was yet ever ready to join a
q scouting party to Buttermilk Falls, the
Residence of the immortal Benny Havens.
.aH;s appearance was very military, and
when under arms no man looked more the
soldier. @HeWAsgery expert in the man
-sial of arms, and carried his musket so
perpendicular that it leaned little too
much to the front. Though we recognized
- his talents then, we little dreamed he had
1.-the military genius he has since displayed
as commander. -,-.. -,-r
.ssa . a JOHN b. MAGRUDER.
Nv old fripnd and clacsu,oto Tnhp d
= Magruder. was perhaps the most elegant
and distiRgue cadet at the Academy in that
day, and 1 do not believe that West Point
has ever had his equal. He was tirst-rate
soldier, of fine appearance, and very strict
when on duty as (" officer of the day. new
er falling to report the slightest violation
of regulations, even though the delinquent
was his most intimate friend and room.
mate. This trait in his character I have
reason to know from personal experience
John was tor the corps the "arbiter oi
: things elegant, and the glass of fashion,
A STORY ABOUT wINDER.
sss At the military academy everything was
invariably done in exactly the same way
and the sentiment of the corps" was al
ways decidedly opposed to anything like
innovation upon established forms and GUS
toms. For example, the commander OF the
evening parade took up his position at 8
certain time. about sixty PAGES distant from
the center of. the line. He then folded his
arms across his chest, and remained mo-
tionless as statue until the adjutant in
formed him that the parade was formed
He then, with great deliberation, dropped
r,his arms. and with his right hand grace
gSfully waved the adjutant to his place. AS
soon as the adjutant passed him he drew
his sword, passed it diagonally across his
breast, and clutched it near the point with
his LETT hand. The battalion was ther
carried through the manual, brought tC
an "order arms" the adjutant received
an intimation that he could publish
= the orders and dismiss the pa
rade. Now, the slightest deviation from
81 the established manner of performing al
these details would have brought down up
on the head of the offender the wrath of the
wholeacorps. Lieutenant John Fl. Windel
g (afterward igadier-General Winder, o
q the Confederate States army, whose train
ing had been under totally different sys
tenn, returned to the Point, after an absenc,
of ten or twelve years, as assistant instruc.
tor of tactics. The first evening he tool
1 command of the parade he slounged out ii
his position and assumed aan easy attitude
49, resting himself on one leg, his arms drop
ped by his side.r Instantly murmur be
gan to run through the lines. The Lieu
tenant thereupon braced himself up an,
shouted "Attentionln This for momen
grproduced quiet, and enabled the Adjutan
to proceed with the ceremonies, but tn
. moment Wlnder drew his sword and place
the blade against the hollow of his shoulde
instead of across his breast, and spread hi
feet asunder instead OF having his heels to
q gether on the same line, the corps hrok
-a out into yells and laughter, and such wa
the uproar that nothing the worthy Lieu
10 tenant could do 90 restore order was of an
avail. In vain he shouted, 'If the file
. closers don't do their duty, I'll arrest then
by Cd" This only increased the com
motion, for we were unaccustomed t
swearing IN narada ond fin u ha Uas oh