The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-07-13
some Facts About wos. Point.

We have been permitted to make few
extracts from a letter from Cadet John A.
Towers. now at West Point, n. V, the
National Military School, to his father.
Mr.. A. Il. Towers, of this city, which our
readers will find interesting. The letter
is dated June 20, and in speaking of his ar.
rival Mt West Point on the 10th, Mr.. Towers
says:
Il had my physical examination that
evening, passed all right and went into
barracks that night. There were I4S can.
didates here, and los passed the examina.
ton. e., The mental examination. A few
had already failed on physique, so that there
were about l55 here in all. We were quar-
tered in separate part Of barracks from
the adetS, and suffered no inter ference
froii. hem. except when we met them or.
side, when we would be subjected to quite
number of questions, such us. WHAT'S
your name? Where are you from? Who
was your predecessor? &c. A great deal Of
merrment would be excited whenever I
told mine, [Whittaker]. A Captain. 8
lieutenants and Corporals were detailed
for our government. Everything had to be
reported TO them. For instance, if within
| the time allowed for the purpose wished
| to go to walk, it was necessary for me to 20
| to tie office, walk in and say '.Mr. Towers
| reports his departure for walk, Sir. The
| first year you call every one Mr., and every
| one calls you Mr.. The second aud succeed
ing years you drop the titles, except when
you are speaking to those in their first year.
IL Our examination commenced on
Tuesday. On that day we had arithmetic
| and geography, on Wednesday history and
grammar, on Thursday spelling and writing
and on Saturday reading. The results were
| announced On Monday at dinner.
I'VE drill about three hours :per day
trntll n = nt,sN. l.
minutes in which to dress and be down to
| answer 10 our names. In twenty-five min
utes attcrward there is an inspection of
rooms, at which time we must have our
beds made up, clothes put away and room
swept out We have breakfast at n. m,
drill from $50 to 7.45, and from 10 to IL
dinner at p. m, drill from to and sup
per at Z. Tattoo beats ut $50 p. m, and
| taps at 10. We can not go to bed before
tattoo and must be III bed with the light
out at taps. / room with II. s. Legare, Of
Charleston, s: c. We will not go
| in now, and have been since tho first of last
week. We expect a pretty ro4gh time in
camp, as that is the place where most of the
hazing is done.
""We have very good fare. On Sunday be-
| fore examination we had for dinner, first,
oyster sonp then meats, &C., and fo- dessert
| ice cream, Strawberries, cake, nuts and
French candy. OF course it is not this
good every day, but we have soup and des-
sert every day. The bread is splendid. We
have to pay our board out of the money
we receive.
"Mondey, the 18th, was the day of the
graduation exercises. Thirty-seven were
successful. Gen. Sherman was present, but
| the President and Secretary OF War were
| both absent. The hotel here and out at
| Cranston's, about mile distact, were
crowded with people from all parts Of the
| country"
Under date OF juno 24th, Mr.. TowerS,
continuing his letter, says:
II wrote til above several days ago, but
did not have "y stamps and could not
send it. When l reported had to deposit
] all my money, and don't believe they al
| low us to draw any. We have to mako
out orders TO the Commissary Store for any
| thing we want. For new Cadets there are
/, certain times TO make out these orders, and
as forgot it the first time had 10 wait be-
| fore could get them. The U. S. NJ.
| A. Band is the finest l. ever heard. 1t mas
about 80 pieces in it, and discourses delight
ful music.
"Excurzions come up here from New
| York very frequently, aud without boast
ing in the least, 1 can say that we are the
greatest attraction to visitors that they seem
to find about the place. To see them you
would imagine they were at a circus. They
gaze at the Iedas through the bars OF the
Windows, gaze q. them in the GtTeet process