The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-08-04
THE NEGRO CADET,
A COlOred Boys Career In tho West
Point Academy.

Il = oAhA AGhue"ls
From the New YORK Sun
James w. Smith, the first coloted cadet
appointed 70 tho military academy at
West Point, was dismissed alter the June
examinations, having failed to pass an ex'
animation in some Of his studies. Recent
ly the Sun received letters from South
Carolina charging that the prejudiCes oI
the officers ol the academy led TO his dis
nissal; and 10 ascertain the truth Sun
reporter went to West Point TO investi-
lgAte. BE accosted a soldier thus;
aWere you here before Smith was dis
missed 7"
"Yes, sir; l have been here many years" d"
| "Can you tell me why he was dismiss
ed"
"Well, l believe he didn't pass in phil
0sophy, and some other studies"
"What kind OF fellow was he ?"
"The soldiers thought we'll ot him, but
the cadets didn't They used to laugh and
poke fun at him In riding hall, and In the
artillery drill all of them refused 10 Join
hands with him when the cannonlers were
ordered TO mount. This is dangerous,
once in awhile, for sometimes they mount
when the horses are on fast trot. But
he used 10 run on as plucky as you please,
and always got into his seat without help
Some ol the officers used 10 try 10 make
them carry out the drill, but II was no use.
! never saw one ofthe young fellows give
him q hand 10 make mount He was. 3
proud negro, and had good pluck. /
never heard him complain, but his black
eyes used 10 flash when he was insulted,
and you could sec easy enough that he
was In KILN humor. But after the
first year he kept his temper pretty well,
though he fought hard to do It"
Captain Robert H. Hall, the post adju-
tant, said:
Young Smith was bad boy.
ts7, NATURALLY BAD, E
His temper was hot, and his disposition
not honorable. I can assure you that the
officers Of this post did everything in their
power to help him along in his studies, as
well as to improve his standing with his
comrades. But his temper interGercd
with their efforts in the latter direction,
while his dullness preCluded his passing
through the course Of studies prescribed.
Reporter-He was always spoken Of az
very bright lad. sI q,
Capt. Hall-He was not bright nor
ready. He lacked comprehension. Ia
his first year he was very troublesome.
First came his assault upon, or aaray,
with another young gentleman Cadet
Wilson), but the couTt, OF inquiry deemed
1t inadvisable 10 court martial either Of
them. Then he was insolent to his supe.
rior on drill, and being called upon Tor an
explanation, wrote deliberate talsehoOd.
For this he was court marlialed and SEN
fenced 10 dismissal, but subsequently the
findings OF the court were reversed, and
Cadet Smith was put back one year. This
fact accounts Tor his good standing on the
examination next before the last. You
see, he went over the same studies twice:
Reporter What was Cadet Smith
found deficient inP i IA d o j. 4
Capt. HGll-His worst failure was in
natural and experimental philosophy,
which embraces the higher mathematics,
ldynamics, optics, mechanics, and other
studies. He missed very simple ques-
ton in optics, and the examiners; who
were extremely lenient with him, chiefly,
l believe, because he was colored and not
white, tried him with another, which he
also missed. 90
Reporter-Is optical science deemed an
absolutely essential branch Of learning
for an officer In the army2 art- -' .sF
DEFICIENT IN HIS STUDIES.
Capt. HAll-Iti Is useful to engineers,
for instance. But that is not the Ques.
tion. In most educational Institutions OF
the grade of West Point, the standing Of
student in his studies is decided by q
general average of all the studies in which
he Is examined. Here each branch is con.
sidered separately, and Il the cadet tails
In any one he cannot pass. Twill assure
you once moro that in my opinion Cadet
smith received as fair an examination
as was ever given to any student. If
anything, he was little favored.
Reporter-What was his conduct in
! the last year Of his stay at the academy !?
Captain Hall-Good. he ranked 20. in
a class Of 40 in good discipline. Disci-
pline is decided by the number Of marks
a cadet receives in tho term. II he goes
beyond certain number he Is expelled.
Reporter-This record seems hardly
consistent with his previous turbulent
career.
Captain Hall-oh, in the last years Of
his service he learned to control his tenn
per, but he never seemed happy unless IN
some trouble.
Reporter-Haye you any more colored
cadets? "h h
Captain Hall-Only one-Henry o.
Flipper, Of Georgia. He is a well-built
lad, q mulatto, and Is bright, intelligent
and studous. r..v -.
Reporter-Do e'cadets dislike him as
much as they did Smith, sg ,
Capt, Hall-No, sir. / am told thatlhe
Is more popular. have heard Of no
complaints Of lll.treatment. have no
doubt he will get through all right And
here I will say, that had Mr.. Smith been
white he would not gone 80 lar as he did.
Other officers Of the post concur with
Capt. Hall, but the enlisted men seem 10
sympathize with Smith. One Of them
said, " don't believe the officers will ever
let negro get through. They don't
want them In tho army" lrIr fi i,
CADET Smltns career I0r inc three years
oI his service, was indeed most unhappy
one, but whether that unhsppiuess arose
! from H ~ far..I.ua,
THE NFIRlnTIEs OF TBMPRR
or from the persistent prosecutions Of his
. comrades cannot be Authoritatively said
One officer attributed much Of the pug
nacity which Smith exhibited early In his
course to the injudicious letters sent him
by his friends. In some OF these he was
advised to flight for the honor Of his race y
and others urged him to brook no insult
! at the hands OF white cadets. The me-
nial duties which the "plebeS" are called
upon TO do in their first summer encanp-
/ ment were looked upon by Smith as per-
sonal insults thrust upon him, although
I his comrades made no complaint. Then
, the social ostracism 10 a lad of hissensi-