National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-08-15
WEST POINT FROKA BRITISH STAND:
POINT

YIN
It was not until the best OaiCers Of West Point
and especially Generals Grant, Sherman and
Meade, had introduced into the Federal army
the same discipline that prevailed in the Southern
from the FIRST, that the superior strength Of the
North began TO tell upon its weakened opponent.
This consideration leads US naturally to . con-
temptation Of the admirable sagacity with which
the National Military School at West Point was
established by its founders. The principal moral
taught by the American civil war was that reRu-
larly-trsined ofiesrs are enormously superior,
when nations take up arms, to civilians, or, as
they arc scornfully called in the United Staets,
between the United States and Mexico It had
already beer ascertained that politicians" make
contemplate soldiers.
During the terrible disruption Of the Union
which commenced in 1881, there was hardly q
general Of eminence upon either side who had not
learned his business at the national academy at
West Point. Lee, jackson, Longstreet. Sidney
johnson, Beauregad, Joseph E. Johnston, Ripley,
Hood and Stuart were the heroes OF the Confed-
eracyi while Grant, Sherman, Meade, MsePher-
son, Mcclellan, Fitzpatrick, Pleasanton and other
alumni Of West Point, carried away all the hon.
ors on the Northern side. The only two civilians
who distinguished themselves during the war
were, among the FederalS. General Terry, by
whom Fort Fisher was taken; and among the
ConfederRtes, General Forrest, who was popu-
larry believed to have had thirty horses shot
Some Of the best military heads that the United
States have prOduced-and Il is not denied by
those foreigners who are acquainted with the
country that there is nation with greater anti
tude for soldering than our transatlantic breth-
ren-haYs often expressed surprise that England
has not two or three such national schools for
manufacturing oflcers as that which exists at
West Point From the moment when q cadet
Joins the transatlantic Military Academy he Is the
nations property. His friends at home are fer
hidden TO send him any pocket money; he has
pay, fations and uniform assigned to him Is
though he were serving on o campaign, and for
the hrst two out Of four years that he passes at
West Point he is allowed no leave nor holidays.
The result was that few more capable officers
were turned out Of training BY any European
nation than those who graduated st West Point
before the great civil war. While It is notorious
that the French military engtneerg educated at
Ssumur st. OyT and the Lyces Napoleon are
unable to hold their own In the construction Of
railways and bridges against their civilian rivals,
there iI hardly o great WORK within the
area Of the United States which has not
sprung from the brain OF An oficer brought up At
West Point. Some Of the beSt mathstn9ticians
and typographical engineers IN the world bah
from the same lsboriouS seminary. Every well
Htsher 70 the great republic Will rejoice that
President Grant has oveTruled General Sheridan,
and determined that twenty thousand men con-
gtttuted sumcient force for the regular army.
But II tl Of equal Importance that West Point be
maintained In It's dHte-beHum eficisncy, and that
politics should be banlshed from the parade
ground and quarters Of of1cers who, let US hope,
Will never be engaged in antagonists and fra
tsrnRl gtrife.-LOndon Telsqrdph,