The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-07-10
West Point Scholarship and Scholarship.

what further legislation was necessary on feeohsefuc
ton, when the House adjourned until Friday
West Point Scholarship and Scholarship.
From the National Intelligencer.
| 1t is plainly shown that high scholarship and high
sodiership usually found together. There are but
three instances in the whole history of tie acad
| envy in which cadet graduating much below the mid
die of his class has risen to eminencc all able sol
der and in no instance has officer of any note
arisen from the extreme low scholarship of a class
On the other hand the great soldiers all found to
have graduated among the upper third of the classes
while by far the most of the able officers have gradu
ated among the first eight or of their respective
classes It's not asserted that soldier of low or
der of intellect may not be bold and daring, and in
favorable circumstances achieve distinction; is it
claimed that the most mathematical or philosophical
mind always makes the best military officer The po-
stion is, that the cadets who take high rank in the
academy almost always the only members of their
class who show solid abilities in active life either as
military men or in any other calling demanding mind
in which they may engage.
glance at the officers of the corps of engineers,
1 as they stand on the Army Register, shows very
strikngy the correctness of what have Just stated
1t is well known that is into this corps that the best
scholars of each successive class assigned to duty
In the cavalry service also, the best scholars very
largely found because very many Of them prefer this
department of the army to any other 1t will be
that the great preponderance of the West Point gen
two departments of the service. Among othef8hames
in the engineer corps, recall those of Major Gen
erals Barnard, Tower, Wright, Newton, Humphreys
Smith, Foster, Gilmore, Parke, Warren, Wetze,
Wilson, Meade, Pope, Reynolds; and in the cavalry,
the names of Major Generals Ward, Palmer Pleasan-
ton, Merit, Granger Emory, Stanley. Many of the
best scholars by request assigned to the adutant
generals quartermaster, and ordnance departments
and there will be prominence of conspicuous
military capacity in the records.
We recall, have suggested two or three in
stances only in the whole history of West Point in
which cadet who, graduating much below the mid
die of his class, has subsequently commanded much
attention for his force and weight of character. Gen.
Candy graduated the thrtieth in class of hrty-one
and Gen. Sheridan the thirty fourth in class Of fifty
two.
In closing this article already quite long, it WILL
perhaps, be interesting to Of the of the
most distinguished generals in the recent that
found in the West Point catalogues. We find, in ex-
aiming the catalogues from year to year, the follow
ing, which furnish, with the year Of graduation and
the number indicating the class rank in each case
ls22-General Mansfield B. 1s26-Albert Sidney
Johnston, s. ls27-N B. Buford 6; Leonidaa Polk,
8; G. j. Rains, 49, 1S28-R. G. Tigham, 1. 1929
Robert f. Lee, 2. ls3o-John B. Magruder, Is.
1s3l-Jaeob Ammen, IL; A. A. Humphreys, l3 w.
II. Emory IA. 1s32-B S. Ewell, 8; Philip st.
K. Barnard Q; G. W. Cullum, s. Rufus King, a.
1s35-George Morrell, L; George w. Meade, 49,
1S36-Danville Lcadbetter, s. M. G. Megs 5; D. P.
Woodbury. g. 18Th. W. Benham, l Braxton
Bragg, s; Jubal A. Early, IS. 1856. I. Beaure-
gard, 2; Irwin Mcdowell, 2s lssa-Isaac j. Ste
G. Ord, II. 1s4O-W. 7. Sherman, 6 G. f. Thomas,
10; VIM. Hays IS. ls4l-T. B. Tower, /; H. G.
Wright, .; Amiel W. Whipple, 5; Nathaniel Lyon,
II. 1s42-John Newton, 2; G. W. Rains, 3; j. d
Kuntz, 4; VIM. S. Rosecrans, 5; Gustavus W. Smith
s. Mansfield Lowell g. 1843-W B. French, / U.
g Grant 1Sl4-A p,at
ner, i; w. s. Hancock, IS 1876 W F. Smith,
q Thomas ]. Ward 5; Thomas J. Rhett 6; C. r.
Stone, u Fitz John Porter, s. 1846-Geo B. Nc
Clellan, 2; Chas. E. Blunt, s. John G. Foster, 4; J.
L: Reno, s; D. N. Couch, ID; Thos j. jackson,
(Stonewall,) II. 1917 Orlando B. Wilcox, 8; a.
P. Hill Is; A. E. Burnside IS; Charles Griffin %.
1919 A. Gilmore, /; John G. Parke, 2; Absa-
lom Baird, 9; Rufus Saston, Is. 1900. K War
rem, .; W. T. Magruder, II. 1851-A c. Gillen,
II. 1s52-Henry w. Slocum Z. 1s53-James B.
Mcpherson, l; John NJ. schofeld, g. 1876. W.
Gusts Lee, L !; 0. 0. Howard, 4; John Pegram 90
J. E. B Stuart, Is. 1s55-G Weitzel, 2. ls57-J'
c. Palfrey, l; George G. Strong, 5 J. L. Kirby
Smith, 6.
Of the general officers of the army at the present
time Generals Sherman, Halleck, Meade Thomas.
Rosecrans, Pope, schofeld, Howard and Terry stood
high; Generals Grant, Mcdowell, Cooke. Hooker and
Ord stood about the middle while Generals Hancock
Sheridan and Candy stood low in their respective
classes.
The above figures show, beyond any possibility of
doubt that depth and clearness of intellect as indca
ted in the rank at West Point essential to the best
military genius and power. The cadets who went
fresh from West Point into the war in 1861 show the
same results as are in the facts that we have
given of the years before them.
In the June number Of !" The Land We Love
edited by Gen. D. Fl. Hill-we find the following.
We have no fears that Mr.. Stevens scheme Of sno
ilation will be carried out We have the HIGHEST