New-York tribune., 1868-06-16
WEST POINT.
MOVEMENTS OF GEN. GRANT.
THE GRADUATING CEREMoNIEs-sPEECH Of Dh'
CoPPEE-LIsT OF GRADUATEs-THE HOP

fleet Gen. Grant is seated IN corner 9i tho ne ny
daughter and he is laughing heartily at sometnS h she s
mas hi sfd az tS 70 Hudson i lingering ray ds FOR moment
chnrch spre that rises above the trees and now the
opm %I R King The long shadows fan across the water
The green range OF the shawangunk in the distance
is iss6 isst anG dP tRe runs % of the @ old fort the
hin look grim and Rhinellke. A purple eioua ;ds -
with It's sa apPg Loosely bark points Of o sRd sRSggY run
down into the water. Old Gro Nest Is uark anu re
The bat and nighthawk fly among the cedars IheIo 10
heard the sound of trumpet fiom on board tne hagsp
IN the stream below The WatSn s ,ond single
star '"i"Aics And An an ali tss ar solemn ues, holds
lamp swings in the rigging of yacht In the cove A
stroke boatputs off from the Macedonian WIN esuachh h
the shore It's keel CRATES the beach the oars arc
tossed" and officer leaps lightly ashore ipo phana
light on the point where Andre and Arnold met reIns
the spirit Of The traitor haunts the place where MS treason
was consummated. and the shadow OF cuhp VI Wt
falling across the point makes phantom OF the WS
riding at anchor beyond The cannon on me mound looS
like giant soldiers asleep and t1e re1 n aSouse
the sleepers The roll of drums is heard disturbing my
reverios and calling the cadets to quarters lno "oo"
has risen and the promenade begins,
The moon look, down on qsi ,;. Gro To- ns', s,.,.
n hne y@1 ,iy@' eas % 'osi os EEs E slSs @ Gsssi ''
Ills sides broken by spots ofshade'
b iIs Trough oa.i bs "iqsR eius,snSs branches dark
GErmsrs and die. the Gre ay's spark
Lille starry twnkles that momeptly break
iThe Culprit FsJl
s.
Of the hotel Many from their conehes anu loUd &
lug out Of their windows. witnessed scene I9Vey hu
picturesque In the extreme. Nature seemed WakIne
RON snnber At the first touch OF sunlight the fog was
lifted from the hills and the romantic region oi vs.
Point, fairly glowing with beauty was reVealea leIo
was good breeze stirring, ard the oops datlnS rom
side TO side, seemed playing at cross Tag, WHio m
island Precisely at "a salute of 81 guns was
fired by the fleet, and 1t was returned gun s i9r
gun from Battery Knox. At eleven o'clock the ON
GERS gathered the residence OF Gen Pitcher supeln
cndcnt the Post TO receive the officers OF the nee
AT the gate by Pitcher. All the officers now entered
parlos, where they were received by Gen rcner
wife and Miss -. a stepsister OF Admiral farragut
The Superincndents house - situated in the rear OF
grove. In front Is the vide green parade grouniu, ~
their rlch uniforms, with slttcrng swords ana ePaues
moving TO and fro ON the balcony made scene oi VIZ
usual briancy Gen. Grant seen for Few minutes
IN te efo~ueG ~ nan bc ifhGrew and held G1iet con
versation with old army friends on the piazza No
cadet dares 70 venture remark TO him, and the Kind
rsn0ue Of the General j., sure the young
fecy az ease, and the conversation ls maintained uu
some new person is presented \ casSmate OF the
Cadet Grant was quiet, ploddmg' hard'workns' ever
The midshpmen seemed to enjoy themselves on shore
Yesterday Their uniform Is dark blue donble'br.sStsa
same material They display weakness for green kld
gloves It's grand thing 10 have the sailor pOyS ana e
soldier boys become acquainted WITH each oher AsunB
friendshps may thus De formed. IL Is sad that 80
squarerigged manof-war has a,cended ihe hudson ~
far West Point since the Revolution, MARI h az n %
mirals salute Is fired The steamer Henry smyth ap,
proaches the Point having on board the french AaI,S
OF the feet of Newiork with many OF ms onceIH' hn-
miral Godon Of the United states Navy Major pan
BuIterheld ana stan aud MJor-Gen Fulus lnsS.s anu
staff They land amid laundering Of cannon ana are re-
ccvcd 40 the post It's grand gaia DAY mere. ga army
friends, who have been separated II hstio Ger
fight their battles and hunt thc puh'io ~
again. The grounds are cr0"ded VIII peo'
Al "a O'Clock the cadets in full uniform and under th9
command of Col BacA preceded by Their Daha, %
the mdsipiuen under the command OF Lieut. cut o, ,5i
Inander Matthews, were soon on shore ana iooh upn
uozffi on
opened ranks aud the mldshlpmen paeaed 'nIuuhh,
t6e cadets presenting arms and the bands playing
lively oirz The salor.boys now halt, open ranks,
the soldiers pass through tako up up pU,rc puaich
on the right OF line, and the hhe oI luIlcn .,,
Is taken up with bands playing. The cadets win helr
guests march up the hill 10 the parade ground hsd ion
i'm the shape Of an ocagon. While forming tue Miltay
Academy Band play the delicious music oi hDO@t tc
Dq6e The graduating class now advance IN me. 'en
Grant, in uniform, Breyet Brig-Gen. fItChel, h
teudent Of Post, and Major Boynton AOutant oi lhe
Post, advance tO desk on which b plesu tue plo
Each cadet advances uncovered az H, His nam" vi -
called, receives ms diploma Iroih ,teh uItnt, Mno
compliments INN, after which the cddet DOVE ne
band upon some stealnboatpn pSS1y t1 ios - , IoSn
from the parade ground, plays HAL Columbia, slowly,
and the strains are borne up TO tH1 plrgut ~
as II the very air was iadel WIN patlosu
Many OF the officers Of the French irigcs ylhg III New
ceremony OF delivering the diplomas cominetr,ii zen @
Grant retires TO the military visitors po,llo anu zen
Pitcher introduces Prof Henry Coppee the orator OF The
2e,.' Gr1HL Gen Patchen Ladies and Gentlemen, and
Ieiiou. Code ot ne Graduating Ci1ss Among hli ihe
places endearcd TO by assocauon the place 0i ms
BIRTH his childhood, Of his cducato OF ms cOIshp
the earth TO the last glorious translguraon ana
over which he has shed tears which was only checked by
a Christian hOpe-there is M personal experience one
which dcarer than any other when Dlhds MN more
strongly, at which the lengthcnins ., enaln nam OF
attraction which he carries In his lfe-wander-
ings Is locked and the key lost forever Gentle
men, such is West Point to the old cndel, t suen
We back, men OF years, TO this beauu pln upon
which we marched as Doysi WIN tn1 SS @ ~ heot
warm with the old cadet feeling as we look upon YOU
and recognizing resemblances 70 our former comrades
aro 4 IN cal
When we hear the command TO fall M we start 10 nnd
nnr naces and look with some msgvings your
Instructor go by not quite that there may not be
some negligence in US TO report We nave go"n ~ bsal
respect for your distinguished professors, and for
would recur during your recent examination, lor
tnry ago In brief fellow-cadets, In the long life OF
brotherhood, feel almost as mneh one OF you ouay ~
n carried musBet fourished sword, and with God
to helm me hope TO be in spirit until that supreme
change shall come, which will unfortunately ohly iack
West Pointer who loved his cherishng riondy ana
devotedly the end. speak THIS not egouSIcay or
f"r yon speak It with the voice Of gratitude,
acknowledgements OF service pou%Eeu % i"i id scc
I'm all periods of the nations exgency she mas pni her
trust ia West Point as an element OF hohoT ana powe
and the voice of the oracle has never glea ~
You have all been taught the value of west ROM ,i, our
Revolutionary War Will not dealn you ny history OF
its rise aud progress, AZ my iflend nDo poyo & W ao
academic Sta has already given MS ful ahd interest
Ing record. Its success ana the fame Qi us PHps Pup nave
formed shining mark for denagogue ~ a 'nv ne
fnl periods of It's history The most persistent ana da
attack was made IN l5ii, Jus DcioIe 1nc ''h
raT WREN the Legislature of four States u VIII not dls.
erace them by mentioning their nanes -lnstruce0 teir
tors and requested their Representatives 10 vote or
% bolition of tho Academy, and when petition with
norc than 900 names presented M congress aShR
~, came Nav. uOre there majority OF tne MIL
nry Commtce in favor Of the abolition, but the exer
tons of a few men, among whom ~1s y0uII
uon5 uiI,or the Hon Hamilton Fish, dissipated
that iYi9uity and saved the Academy AT length,
after so years OF peace diversified only by cohiics
wifi ,Le Indians i'm Florida. and during which dem
sgegues prepared to destroy IT, West Point was again
brought prominently forward I'D tnc is,toms ~ ne
Chief tbe immortal Scott was one OF MS most ar,
dent admirers and constant champions, ana thhil
never forget the glow OF pride and pleasure with