The New York herald., 1869-06-03
WEST PorlT.
Ccnnaeneealens Of the FxssRinatioBs-Tbe Are
rival of fhe "Piehe'>-His Competition and
Aprearnnce-A Tr0aper's Drill.


the examination OF the Graduating Glass was
commenced this morning before the fun Board Of
Examiners and The Board OF Visitors. II Is consid-
cred OF the duties OF tie latter be present at
the examinations during the entire day, but they
have 10 vote nor voice whatever y making out the
standing OF any one OF Ge cadets. Their particular
province Is TO SIT before a table and be ediAed by
what they hear, If the.y possibly can take as many
notes as they Ike aboir what they understand and
they see it, write out, for future use, their opin
ions on the various subjects about which they under.
stand nothing wD atever. Although at first blush
this part OF their duties would seem TO convey the
Idea that they would, in strictly fulfilling
them, be gou lg beyond their depth in many
abstruse pro- Jlems 1t should be understood
that what the Board OF Visitors have done in former
years the BOZ ard OF Visitors Of the present day can
DO again. ithout giving any very painful evidence
OF theu oW ignorance as TO any particular SUBJECT
There Is 0thing sweet to some official people as
the prac sce OF rigldly adherng to whatever their
predec9 sors have done before them, and the Board
os Vxstors are as consistent now as they ever were
Iheeommencement Of an examination here differs
very materially from the commencement Of an ex-
animation In many other institutions in the country
No formal speechmaking or powwow OF any kind
takes places but the cadets, as soon as the exam.
liners take their seats, are called into the library
rooms py sections, graded according to their stand
ing In their various studies and the whole affair is
carried ont rs seriously may De- with crowd OF
giggling young ladies ogling the gray coats from
She time they make their appearance until they
return to the barracks. The first two sections
and one half of the first section of the class
were examined to-day in engineering. This particu-
lar branch OF their studies Includes Of course civil
rs well as military engineering, and the science OF
war, as illustrated in the constitution OF field fort
nf rorff
stereotomy, advanced guard and outpos,s and me-
chanics OF engineering. During the examination
many OF the most famous OF ancient and modern
campaigns were, 10 speak, fought over again by
several OF the graduates all OF whom are supposed
to have thoroughly studied the various details or
almost every noted battle that has been
fought, since the First Napoleons time at least
During the cross-questionngs which were had con-
cerning several OF the battles fought during the late
war the graduates were required 10 point out what
ledge OF the science Of war~they regarded a. Ger
rors, not TO say bunders OF the commanding gene
rails The answers in more than one instance, feel
certain would have been rather annoying TO certain
parties now high in power If they had only heard
them The following named cadets were examined
on the subjects given opposite their names. The
aforementioned subjects are the practical illustra-
tons done on the blackboard, and the second those
upon which they were questioned
FIRST sRCTIos,
Hun, L. G-srans on different parts OF roof
Bsrsiand Reverse dehlement of permanent works
En6lading and batteries.
Iiiman, 5. E.-Pneumatic pile OF using, &C.
sGrans Of The deresa arms Of the ~ serves
Price, r; M-Genersl Shermans campaign in Georgia
-. Harris u. Front OF Antwerp permanent fortiaca
Hardy, A s.-oampaisn of 1914 NapOleons)- Founda-
woias s''en''' Of the United
Lsyor Mssrans M on different parts of king and queen
Rea c. H.-Reveue defement of held works--Founda-
osgood, w.compsrlson relave advsnagesl Of baston,
.enAIe snd polygonal system Of Military posi-
Ausur j. A. Preliminary and the battle of
aettysburg-Attack aud defence of dehles.
Lyle, D. ANspoeon's campaign OF 1s05-Entlading and
Porter o E.Battle of Austetz ouworks OF permanent
..Lesseii, W. w.-simple work tete,-dupont
nsld works (d,Herent kinds,.
Aspinwaliseven wesks' eampaiSn in Bobema-ps. Of
s,SsssT$s dsisnss ssTins PERIODS y .ss.
The defence during the three periods Of siege.
movements and osscs Of desshmen on
Rourke, G.-Csmpagn OF Pope in Central Virginia aud
xeason, p: Construction Of snalading and bat
raemas, Sinking shafts, estimating the shaft interval
Bacon, q R".Deiences s o. aF New 7 York % RsrDor
smith, ". F.-Battls OF Nashville.
TIE "PLEBEs-
Although, as a general thing, the indescribable
honors OF 'pebe'' life does not begin here until the
middle of the present month"; the several youngsters
who hope day TO make their mark In the military
wsrd have arrived ready to report yet not quite as
willing TO face the terrors Of their new career as
they might be, were the notority OF 'yanking" new
comers not quite extensive as 1t L. believe the
verest stranger who comes up here to spend day
hotels at first sight, for he is certainly very
strange being, take him all in ALL Whether In his
be esSa nf nG s5sn he ys Word
amount OF common sense generally conceded
70 nine moTa Spt ,Ssn o, an %e% no ne,e are
sbouts Gan well decide; but that he Is a
unique character in his way, everybody who ever
Taking II for granted that he Is not vegetable and
that he was one, II may be reasonable TO sup
pose that after the usual amount OF boyhood suffer-
ings and Joys he has reached the age OF sixteen or
seventeen without breaking his neck IL vain effort
attained TO this period Of his lifetime he is set down
IN Os fathers or somebody else's fathers eve 1t
sob ect for West Point honors How or by what
inca rs he or his abettors ever succeed in having
him sent to the Academy is matter OF
wash ngton wirepulllng solely, but that he
Is AN indubitable fact-indeed, very often a
marvel GUS circumstance when IL is taken into con-
o"w.s'd, ws When he travels among strangers bs
rail or W. uer. When he arrives here he Il overflow
ing with Rs'ions q very extrsynsans orGer
beside him sell with envy. OF course In coming
here he has 70 leave behind him papa or mamma
w no as ma &c him the pet OF the family circle, and
ns natural consequence, even with all the attrac-
lions which , he military has for HIM, IL takes him
great Wmle ScurV iv,s'ns ~ ,u0 nSsu Pvtr vi
he has been fed nom infancy. Lake great
many other IL sl oi unDVunueu ainpluon ne iook-
back upon tn , past WIN regret, ungen sometimes
with exuaor tat his present prospects, and feels,
in his inmost tOl tnat ne II entitled 70 an Immense
degree OF respet a. IN tlat ne may one uay pe 'he
el the army; When ne puts III
an sppcaranse on the plains for the first
time he colness like q soldier stripped for
fhe 6sbt-with no baggage whatever. True,
ne sometimes brin v 2cafpetbag containing an eAtls
paper collar or tw and shrt bosom 10 match. bat
u Is he brn u NOR Tor the show Of the thing than
AM nything elae W. feiher the gentlemen who write
ssM c.; after their tlrnes take particular delight
I'm appointing youth ,of very backward description
aud Of surpr, sing Ndsncy, Tor the simple reason
fbat We,t Poi. lt is y place where IN four years. a
gcntlen,an can e carr ed out Of block OF wood Is
mystery; but thu the .pieeer partakes OF these
:, rai dsacen., q to alarming extent no one
Nv nas 90 90, sea,, the ttlce itself can doubt for
moment. Coming to We Point with ssarpe;;eas in
sn san'' M .s ,nIss ne we coined by the cadets and
ac 20 see things in thai he probably never