The New York herald., 1869-06-12
WEST POINT.

Reception Of the President by the Academic
stnG-He Surrenders TO the Ladics-The
Boat Race to Come OF Saturday After.
noon-A Display Of Pyrotechnics.
WEST POINT June II, 1859.
The presence Of General Grant in our midst is, of
course the sensation Of the hour. 1t may be that
Washington city is 80 used TO the thing that it
look upon President at any time without going
into ecstasies but live Presidents not met with
every day in the year IN these parts, and 1t is no
wonder therefore, that everybody on the post and
everybody In the village surrounding the post to-day
made the most of the only opportunity they may
have for many years to come OF getting OF their sur
plus stock Of patriotism the presence Of the Chief
Magistrate himself. General Grant was made
miserable accordingly.
RECEPTION OF THE PRESIDENT.
After the cadets had fired a salute OF twenty-one
guns In his honor early in the forenoon, his son
Frederick acting as one OF the cannoneers his re-
ception 10y the academic stan took place In the par.
lors of the hotel, which consisted simply IN an inter-
change Of good wishes all round, accompanied by
the usual amount Of handshaking. Then began the
poor mans trials On leaving the parlor he took out
a cigar from his cigar case, and after lighting 1t,
made his way to the piazza OF the hotel feeling,
doubtless, that he had gone through the rough work
by the way, need not be taken as renecton on Coz
zens'-for he had no sooner made his appear.
ance than he beset upon all sides by
crowd Of the fair SEX young and DID, all armed for
the fight with bewitchlng smiles and looks of ad-
mlration. IL was IN vain thar IN making his way
carefully through silks ana satins, he tried to hold
his beloved cigar IN one hand and take his hat oil
with the other and bow every time lady spoke to
him. for they gathered about him aud insisted upon
introducing one another and shaking hands with
him fve or six times piece, just though they all
| circumstances unconditional surrender was his
avn IL By ook
from the General that ought TO have brought tears to
his conquerors' eyes. But It didn't, for they were
rfinn thair rbf A M A
| handshaking as followed their victory When the
victim was nrst surrounded the piazza seemed
| swarming with fair ones, but no sooner had one
bevy shaken hands and introduced all their friends
and their friends introduced oil theirs, than the num-
alarming proportions. Grant was in for 1t, however,
and lie knew It, and he kept the thing going quite
AND And there "H Certainly would have been no
| end TO IL had the General not perceived that
many OF the delightful creatures whose palms he
among the fresh arrivals TO get squeezed again.
This was too much even for his good nature, SO he
gradually bowed his way out OF the crowd until he
had reached the office door, through which he disap
peared from view. Now the ladies who dress In silks
fashions at the hotels, and the little school girls who
| were marshaled out before the General by anti
quated ''marms' to add to his handshaking woe,
were not the only ones who pestered him almost to
death with their opportunities. The country people
from tne mountains came IN saeF pess aha ,h
plains to from the hotel Indeed party OF several
ladies from Cold Spring village actually came over
1
| afternoon near the hotel until they got chance to
| see the quiet little man go by pufrIng his cigar
contentedly as though he had not been compelled
few hours before TO surrender to crowd Of vote
less female patriots at the expense oil first class
| Havana. Should Grant not be President four years
from now and come here on a visit wonder how
many persons would dog mis- steps after this
| fashion,
| DRILL AND MORTAR PRACTICE BY THE SECOND CLASS
In honor Of the arrival Of the President the second
class dfilled about eight O'Clock tonight with the
| mortar battery west OF the hotel. Ordinary bomb
shells were fred at lighted target about 200 yards
on the opposite side OF the river, and shells known
as pasteboard bombs, which explode when at an
| immense height IN the air. were also thrown from
| the mortars. The night was very dark, which rem
dered tho general effect OF the bursting OF the shells
| all the more magnificent. The bombs used were
manufactured by the present graduating class. Cen
eral Grant was present. and seemed TO be very much
| pleased with the exhibition.
! A SQUADRON DRILL.
There was squadron cavalry drill on the plains
this afternoon which was concluded strange to say,
without single cadet having been hung almost
into kingdom come during the charge. There was
an immense crowd OF spectators present
tHE BOAT RACE
between the first three classes win take place TO.
morrow afternoOh at five O'Clock, should the
weather continue fine. General Grant seems TO he
like Admiral Portev In his belief that to encourage
boat racing In the United states academies between
the various classes IL Of the very best things in
the world TO make the cadets strong men a. well as
good students. He desires very much that the con.
test should take place before his departure: and N IL
| should the winning crew Will have the honor Of re.
| ceivlng the prize from his hands. The crew of the
first class are In excellent condition, ana seem TO be
quite confident OF victory; and the second and third
classes are equally as confident that they viii win
the fog The third class, II Is conceded on all sides