New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-08-27


purpose of keeping me from the shop" as
they expected would go. The next morn
ing was put Gin arrest" for "disobedience
OF orders in not fastening down tent wall
when ordered" and "replying in disre-
spectful manner to cadet corporal" &c. :;
and thus the simplest thing was magnified
into very serious offense, for the purpose
of satisfying the desires of few narrow
minded cadets. That an officer of the United
States army would allow his preiudices to
carry him so far as to act in that way to a
subordinate, without giving him chance to
speak a word in his defense-nay. without
allowing him to know what charge had been
made against him, and that he should be up
held in such action by the "powers that be, -
are sufficient proof to my mind of the feelings
which the officers themselves maintained
towards us. While was in ranks, during
parade, and my friends were quietly sitting
down looking at the parade, another model
"officer and gentleman" Capt. Alexander
Piper, Third Artillery-he was president of
my second court-martial-ca up, i'm COM
pany with lady, and ordered my brother
and sister to get up and let him have their
camp stools, and he actually took away the
camp stools and left them standing, while a
different kind of gentleman "Obscure
Citizen" with no aristocratic West Point
dignity to boast of-kindly rendered his camp
stool to my sister.
only wish knew the name of that gen.
tleman /; but could not see him then, or l
should certainly have found it out, though in
answer to my brothers. question as to his
name he simply replied, 81 am an obscure
citizen" What commentary on our lob
gentlemen in something else besides the
name-gentlemen in practice, not only in
theory-and who can say with Burns that
"a man is a man for a. that" whether his
face be as black as midnight or as white as
the driven snow.
There is something in such a man which
elevates him above many others who, having
nothing else to boast of, can only say, 81
am white man, and am therefore your SUI
perior," or, 81 am West Point graduate,
and therefore an officer and a gentleman"
After the usual Investigation" by the
Commandant of Cadets, was sentenced to
be confined to the Company street" until
the 18th of August, about five weeks, so
that could not get out to see my brother
and sister after that, except when was at
drill, and then could not speak to them. 1
tried to get permissionrto see them in the
"Visitor's Tent" the day before they left
the "Point" on their return home, but my
permit was not granted, and they left with
out having the privilege of saying "good
bye"
must say a word in reference to the Com
mandant's method of making ''investiga-
tions." After sending for cadet Corp'l
Tyler and other white cadets, and hearing
their side of the story in reference to the
tent wall and the disrespectful reply, he sent
for ne to hear what had to say, and after 1
had given my version of the affair, he told
me that 1 must surely be mistaken, as my
statement did not coincide with those Of the
other cadets, who were unanimous in saying
that used not only disrespectful, but also
profane language while addressing the Cadet
Corporal. 1 told him that New Cadet Ma
pier and my brother were both there and
heard the conversation, and they would sub
stantiate my statement if allowed to testify.
He said he was convinced that was in the
wrong, and he did not send for either of them.
What sort Of justice is that which can be
metcd out to one without allowing him to de-
fend himself, and even denying him the priv-
lege of calling his evidence? What model
Chief Justice the Commandant Of Cadets
would make, since he can decide upon the
merits of the case as soon as he has heard
one side. Surely he has missed his calling by
entering the army, or else the American peo-
pie cannot appreciate true ability, for that
'officer and gentleman ought now to be
wearing the judicial robe so lately laid down
by the lamented Chase.
In reply to my complaint about the actions
of the soldier in ordering my friends away
from the visitors seats, he said that the SOL
der had misunderstood his orders, as the Su-
perintendent had told him to keep the colored
servants on the "Pont" from coming in front
of the battalion at parade, and that it was
not meant to apply to my friends, who could
come there whenever they wished.
1t seems, though, very strange to me that
the soldier could misunderstood his orders,
when he saw ME sitting there in company
with them, for it is one Of the regulations OF
the Academy which forbids any cadet to
associate with servant, and if 1 had been
seen doing such thing, would have been
court -martialed for "conduct unbecOmng a
cadet and gentleman"
The cadets were, of course, very much re-
joiced at my being Sin arrest" and after my
sentence had been published at parade, they
had quite jubilee over it, and boosted oil
"the skill and tact which Cadet Tyler had
shown in putting the niger out Of the tempt
alton of taking those black wenches to the
hops" They thought, no doubt, that their
getting me into trouble frightened me out Of
any thoughts might have had of attending
the shops ;" but if had any idea OF going
to the 'hops," should have been or'ly more
determined to go, and should have done sc
as soon as my term of confinement was ended.
1 have never thought Of going to the "hops,' -
for it would be very little pleasure to 60 ny
myself, and should most assuredly not have
asked lady to subject herself to the insults
consequent upon going there. Besides, as