The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1870-07-14
How a CoIored Cadet is Treated at
''i.'' % West Point. 'W.
The following is the letter written b.
Cadet Smith to Gen. Howard: ''ip' Z

The following Is the letter written Dy
Cadet Smith to Gen. Howard: '''1o =
WEST PorNr, N. Y, juno 80, 1870.
DEAR FRIEND: Youfkind letter Should
have been answered long ere this, but
really have been so harrassed with ex'
animation and the insults and ill-treatlnent
oil these cadets, that I could not write OF
do anything else scarcely l passed tue
examination all right and got In, but my
companion Howard failed aud was re-
iected. Since he went away have beer
lonely indeed. And now these fellows
appear 10 be trying their utmost 70 run
mo oil, and I fear they will succeed II they
continue as theyahaVc begun. We went
into. camp yesterday, and not q moment
has passed since then but some ono oi
them has been cursing and abusing me
All night they were around my tent
cursing and swearing at mo so that ! did
not sleep two honrs all night. It Is just
the same at the table, and what ! get L
eat I must snatch for like q dog. 1don'i
wish to resign II I can get along at all
but l don't Hthink,itiwill be best for mo "a
stay and take oil the abuses and insults
that orc heapel upon me. The examina-
ton was very hard this year-harder than
ever beforehand since have been sue
cessful in getting in Twill stay as long as
l can. One Of the cadets refused TO drill
the squad because was In IL, and they're
luCcd him from q corporal to private
for disobedience Of orders, and they arc all
mad about that Tho one who drills the
squad now Is tho meanest specimen Of hui
mainly ever saw. After marching Us
out 10 tile battle-ground this morn.
ing lie said to me, "Stand off one
side from tho line, you DID black -.
You are too near TINT white man. want
you to remember you arc not on an equal
iooting with the white men in your class,
and what youlearn here you will have to
pick up, for ]. won't teach you d id
thing" And thus he kept me standing until
the captain came around inspecting, when
he pretended that he put me there, to teach
me q movement which / had never prac-
ticed before. And I could say nothing at
all, or I would have been locked up for
disobedibnce Of orders or disrCspect to
superior officers" II 1t ever happens
again I shall deny it 70 his face and then
III complain Of their conduct to the
commandment / must prove the charges, or
nothing Gun be DONE and where am ! to
find one from so many. 10 testify in my be-
halCP IT this afternoons drill Is conduct
cd as this mornings was, you need not be
astonished at hearing that I have resigned,
l have horne insult upon insult until ! am
completely worn out. I have written a
plenty Of bad news, and l wish I had
some good news for yul. but, alas ! II
seems 10 be getting worse and worse. I
forgot TO tell YouItllat out Of SO appointecs
only 80 pissed the examinations They lad
prepared II to fix the colored candidates,
butt proved most disastrous to the whites
]. hope you are all well at homo. l saw a
very fine article relating TO me In the
Hartford C0urGnt, and I feel very grateful
To Mr.. Capron for his kind words concern.
ing me. l hope my brightest hopes will
be realized, but / doubt IL they will ever
be here. III .,.,,l....s.l-,rs
Give my kind regards to all, and write
soon 10 your much benefited and thankful
81 ?. s4There were 81 appOlnlees; i've
failed physically, ~ failed mentally, leav-
Ing 80 admitted. r.