New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-18
THE VEST POINT MOUYT4Iy ENcAMruEyZ

WEST POINT, Aug. 1.-THE picturesque
grounds Of the Military Academy now wear lonely and
desoate look deserted they by tho cadets, who
have wendell their way into the mountains, where they
are now encamped, and here they will probably remain
for 10 days or more. To make the place eth more
wretched and gloomy ram began to descend few min
utes after the revee had sounded and the cadets de-
parted thick mist enyeloped the surrounding hills,
making every living thing feel damp and disagreeabe
The immense Of the various buildings look Ike
banquet halls deserted" The dimyghted stables APP
pear gloomy with their vacant stalls, and only an
sentinel walking his solitary beat relieves the
loneliness Of the The countless pools Of water
formed by the rain which skirt the serpentine walks,
ruihed by the chill wind, and the huge
pieces OF ordnance, covered with snowwhite canvas,
like giants forms their funeral shrOuds Gushing
maidens and their anxious seated the hotel
piazza wrapped their waterproofs and wOolens,
a sad and detected air POrters and walters bal.
ancing themselves wooden railing, setting the
trunks Of departing guests whistng and knocking their
heels while gazing out on the deserted plain The cause
Of all the gloom and weight OF woe was easily accounted
for when 1t was ascertaned that the cadets. each and
every one, like the Arabs, though not so steahily.
folded their tents and silently stole away" The sigh
ana regret o. many fair damsel painful 90 listen
TO- when they nourHed the fact that through the dense
foliage covering Filtration Walk tile moon would throw
its patches Of silver light only vacant benches The
order desert the old camp ground emanated from tue
War Department, Cen Pitcher having feeeNed IN
strucOns TO have the tents pitched on the mountains
where the cadets might have "a more tnOrOugh
knowledge Of soldiers life the frontier
OF In tine field, and where they might experience
some the vcisstudes well the pleasures OF camp
life In this age OF progress military encainpment on
unobstrucJed plain, surrounded 10y spacious hOles
stately ediees and asefuly laid out grounds pretty
generally considered farce such has been camp e at
West Point except IA the year 1898 when the cadets
marched from West Point Boston. which occupied sew
days Or this occasion they took with them their
camp enupage and went into encampmcnt every night
while elI route Cox Black, tho gentenanly and cOur-
Instructor Of the cadets 10 all OF whom he is the
soldier, 10 have fully eOmprehended
the Commanding Generals idea. Judging from the ap
peaaDce OF the locality on which he has pitched the
grandeur Gf scenery and perfect Isolation
from bricks mortar better spot could have been
found one might here almOste to meet the spirits
that were said TO have hobnobbed with Rip Van Wrinkle
deathy quiet the spot the only sound 10 break the
stiffness being the twittcr Of birds or the dismal caWing
OF flock Of crows flying down the mountain
side. During the past two weeks the Engineer
Corps, consisting OF enlisted men, have been
Tec0nstfucting the road which leads MP Tie
Highlands iu the ui West Point. 10 D. now iuNy
cnIuneel ind cOmslrlrl " DO VI Tho uNst nOlu-