The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1881-07-01
United States military Academy.

from the cadets themselves. The corps
are divided into four companies, A, b, g
and ID. A and ID companies are COM
posed of large men and q and b of
small men. The commandment of cadets |
has the rank of colonel in the regular
army. He is assisted by four lieutenants
of the regular army, who act as tactical
officers of cadet companies, one being
assigned to each company. The rest
of the officers in the corps are cadets.
There are chosen from the first class,
four captains, adjutant, quarter master,
twelve lieutenants; from the second
class, sergeant major, quartermaster
sergeant, four first.sergeants, color SER
geant and eleven other sergeants; fiom
the third class, sixteen corporals.
Every day the commandant assigns one
of the tactical officers to be officers i'm
charge, a cadet of the first class TO be
officer of the day and two cadets of the
first class to be officers of the guard.
By the time the drums stop beating
at reveille, every cadet private must be
in ranks, and tie cadet officers in their
proper place. The first sergeants call
their rolls, report to the captains of
their companies and dismiss their com
panies. The captains report to the
officers Of the day, This is the formula
of every roll-call. If any man is absent
the officer of the day hunts him up i'm
mediately and finds out the cause of the
absence. Immediately after reyeille is
police call, when all cadets have to pile
their bedding and sweep their rooms or
tents. In twenty minutes there is a
police inspection by cadet officer. If
any one has failed to sweep out his
room or pile his bedding he is reported
for it. Shortly after police inspection
is breakfast. The companies are formed
and roll called. If any one doesn't want
to go to meal he isn't obliged to. lie
has to be present at roll-cal but can
fall ont after the first sergeant has re-
ported. In the mess hall every one
has his proper seat, which he takes at
command of the first lieutenant of his
company. Twenty-Five men sit at q
table, but table is divided in two, of
eleven men each. Each table has q
cadet commandant and cadet carver.
There is one waiter for each double
table. The senior cadet captain (cap-
tain of A company is superintendent
of the mess hall. lie allows no unnec-
essarily loud noise of any kind, and
sible at all times for the department. of
cadets at their table. At the close of
the meal, senior captain inspects TO see
that there has been no waste of food.
The companies rise aud leave the mess
hall at command. OF course any
offence against mess hall regulations is
reported.
In barracks there is call to quarters
a NJ nln n
and another at 8 p. m. The tactical Of
ficers usually inspect the quarters of
their companies twice a day, once dur
ing forenoon call to quarters and once
during evening call to quarters. The
officer of the day always inspects twice
day, once in the forenoon and once in
in the afternoon. OF course, no one
knows at exactly what time these i'll
spections are to be, so has to be prepar-
ed for them all the while. There is
Just such way provided to be arranged
in a room, and every thing has to be
done in just such way, and if it is not
done in that way, somebody is called
to an account for it. In barracks there
are three inspections during the eve
ming by Isentinels. At ten is "taps,"
when with few exceptions, every one
must have his lights out and be in bed.
There is an inspection at taps to see that
all are in and lights out. There is often
an inspection during the night by tao
teal officer, but no one can tell when
thcrc Is to be such I'LL Inspection.
In barracks there is a grand muster
ise, sd ain and d-ees parade every
afternoon, and in camp there is also a |
dress parade in the morning. At time |
for recitations the sections are formed. |
rolls called, and cadets have to march
to and from the Rotations. If anytbing
is done improperly at drill or parade,
or at any formation, somebody is re.
ported for it. 1t is just SO in the Sec
ton room. And if cadet doesn't
know his lesson, and cannot offer some
very satisfactory excuse, he is reported
for 1t. These reports are all recorded,
together with the name of the cadet re.
ported and the name of the reporting
officer. A list of these reports is post.
ed where cadets can 60 and see them
any time during release from quarters;
besides this, they are all read before the
battalion by the cadet adjutant at
parade. To be sure, a man is often
reported for something he is not to
blame for. But he is at liberty to write
an explanation for any report he has
received. II the explanation is satisfa.-
tory, the report is removed; otherwise
It "sticks." Reports give all the way II
from one 10 seven dement's each. A
''late" gives one demerit; "slow exc
cutting manual at parade" two dement's
mot prepared on lessons of the day."
three dement's and three confinemcnts
an "absence" not willful, four dement's
and number of confinements or ex-
sras; "off limits" five dement's and tbir-
or a number of extras.
Il cadet officer or sentinel is reported
Tor neglect of duty he receives six or
seven dement's and some heavy punish ,
nent. A cadet who willfully absents
himself from any duty receives seven
and at least twenty tours of ,
Extra duty. A man is even liable TO !
20 dismissed for an offence of this I
lind.
If man gets over q certain number I
If dement's in six months, he is dis
missed. The dement's are taken into {
lccount in making up the class standing, {
md affect ones class rank a great deal. Q
A confinement in barracks compels !
me TO stay in his room during release
rom quarters. In camp it confines Is
lin to his tent and the company street
n which he lives. 1t takes one from s
o'clock in the morning until the next =
o serve one confinement In camp, ex-
ept on Saturdays, when he serves two. =
70 walk an "extra tour" or "extrav =
me walks in full dress with gun on his =,
boulder, in area of barracks, for two ),
ours. The new superintendent is :,
bout to abolish extra tours and sgbsti- y
ute confinements instead, except in =
ase of very severe punishment. The y
fiicer of the day or an officer of the =,