The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-01
GRANT AT WEST POINT.
A Letter Giving His Impressions of the Place
and Its Rigid Discipline,

and Its Rigid Discipline,
Cincinnati Times-Star
In a trip to Bavaria a correspondent Of the
Times Star found an old letter written by Gen
eral Grant when boy at West Point. It was
written to his cousin McKinstry Griffith who
still holds it as a treasure
The letter is the more remarkable because it
has been saved through the years of soldiers
comparative obscurity. 1t is written an old
fashioned sheet of English paper: is covered
with marginal messages and sealed with wafer.
The penmanship is 1ather rough and scrawling,
indicating the schoolboy's fdgety hand But
there are no flourishes-plain and unpretentious,
like the life that followed. On the back is
marked 'singe," and the figure 49," the price
of postage in those days The letter reads:
MILITARY ACADEMY, WEST POINT. N. Y.,}
Sept. %, 1889 {
Dear Coz:-I was Just thinking that you
would be right glad to hear from OF your re-
lations who is SO far away as am SO | have
nut away my algebra and French, and am going
to tell you long story about this prettiest of
places-West Point So far as it regards nat
ural attractions it is decidedly the most beauti-
full place that have ever seen; here are hills
and dales, rocks and river, all pleasant to look
upon. From I'll Q window near | the
Hudson. that far famed, that beautiful river,
with Its bosom studded with hundreds Of snowy
sails
Again, if look another way can see Fort
Pitt, frowning far above, stern monument
of a sterner age, which seems placed there on
purpose to tell us of the glorious deeds of our
fathers, and to bid us to remember their suffer
ings-to follow their example.
In short this is the best of places, the place of
all places Cor an institution like this 1 have not
told you half it's attractions. Here is the house
Washington used to live in-there Kosc;usko
used to walk and think of his country and of
ours Over the river we are shown the dwelling
house of Arnold the base and heartless traitor
to his country and his God. / do love the place
it seems though could live here forever, if
my friends would only come too. You might
search the wide world over and then not find
better. Now, all this sounds nice, very nice;
what happy fellow you are; but | am not ono
to show false colors or the brightest side of the
picture, so | will tell you about some of the
drawbacks. First, slept for two months upon
one single pair of blankets. Now this sounds
romantic, and you may think it very easy; but
l tell you what, Coz, it is tremendous hard.
Suppose you try it by way of experiment for q
night or two. / am pretty sure that you would
be perfectly satisfied that it is easy matter,
but glad am these things are over We are
now in our quarters. l have a splendid bed and
get along very we'll Our pay is nominally about
$28 month"; but we never one cent of it.
If we wish anything from shoestring to a coat,
we must 90 to the commandant of the post and
get an order for 1t or we cannot have it. We
have tremendous long and hard lessons 10 get in
both French und algebra. 1 study hard and
hope to get along as to pass the examination
in January. This examination is hard one,
they say, but am not frightened yet. If l am
successful here you will not see me for two long
years. 1t seems a long while to me- but time
passes off very fast 1t seems but few days
since / came here 1t is because every
hour has its duty which must
be performed. On the whole | like
the place very much-so much that would not
go away OH any account The fact is, if a man
graduates here he is safe for life, let MIN go
where he Will There is much to dislike, but
more to like l to study hard and stay if
it be possible; if can not, very well, the world
is wide. / have been here about four
months and have not single familiar face
or spoken to single lady. | wish some Of the
pretty girls of Bethel were here just SO might
look at them But fudge! confound the girls
l have seen great men, plenty of them let us
see-General Scott, Mr. Van Buren, Secretary of
War aud Navy, Washington Irving and lots OF
other big bugs If l were to come homo now,
with my uniform on the way you would laugh
at my appearance would be curious My pants
set as tight TO my skin as the bark to tree, ant
If do not walk military-that is, if bend over
quickly or run, they are very apt to crack with
o report as loud as pistol My coat must
always DO buttoned up tight to the chin.
It ia made of Sleeps gray CLOTH all covered
with big round buttons. 1t makes ono look very