The National tribune., 1888-05-03

~ Il - him that the West
kE - Pointers in our sery-
sd sEa@ ice were not very
49, largely in the majority
OF our commissioned officers.
The whole party Immediately scoted at that
statement rs q Yankee joke.
became somewhat annoyed over the openly
expressed incTcdulity aud as i had my last
years Army Register with me at the hotel
near by. rashly as ! secretly feared them as
serted that not mere than half OF the officers OF
our army had ever seen West Point except as
visitors aud. besides. that nearly 10 per cent.
Of all the officers horne on the list were pro-
NOTED directly from the ranks of the Regular
Army.
An Englishman lays a wager upon every
thing he does aud on every proposition made,
SO a small dinner was wagered on the result,
which il was agreed should be decided by ref
eTence 10 my Register"
soon had the volume before the party, and
opening at the very first page Of names, incl
deutally pointed out the name of Aaj.-Gcn.
Alfred III. Terry the them third in rank in
the army. as one - who had never been at West
Point except as a visitor" On the next page
was Rrig-Gen. Miles. and showed next that
the Aaiatant-Cfeueral had served in the ranks,
ard explained how he had been promoted from
the ranks Of the volunteers directly to take
the place on the army list made vacant when
his gallant brother was killed in Mexico
Then. In the list Of the AdjutaBts- General,
showed them the name of Maj. Theodore
SchNan, a German By birth, who had served
through all the grades Of an enlisted soldier
for ever six years before he wore an officers
sword in the same regiment he had so long
served I'D.
Tie Englishmen began TO weaken at that,
for they were hit hard two Of the strongest
points that could be made. To the British
officer tho Acknowledgements staff is Ike the
priests Of Nishnu TO a deyout Hindoo-to be
even spoken OF almost in whispers; and, again,
such , thing I believe was never known in
the British army since the DAYS Of Waterloo Is
that an enlisted soldier should be gazetted to
tire regiment he mad previously served in.
Page after page was turned until / had
pointed out the names Of 237 officers who had
come direct from the ranks without other
service. ard then fsbed out a recent copy OF
the Army aud Nary Journal which is " official
70 THEM and added 10 more names, making a
total of PIT Tor over 9 per cent. Of the total Of
26ss. while in the grand total there were SOP
officers who had never even seen West Point
except as visitors thus winning my wager
on both propositions, for there were only ,094
Mest Pointers who are graduates and 80 others
that did not graduate, but were appointed in
other ways
am somewhat familiar with the personnel
Of the officers Of cur army. bGt must confess
notice that day that during the rest Of my
Efag there and or the steamer homeward bound
j made a careful analysis which ] think viii
Interest and surprise most old soldiers.
There was, January ], 1857, 2.648 commits
Stoned officers in tho army, and Of these, have
said above 1854 are graduates from West
P0iEt, while ] s502 were never attached 70 the
Academy.
The remaining %, unaccoanted for. are gen.
tleInen who at some time have been Cadets and
failed. for various reasons, TO graduate. Of
these, Eve entered the ranks Of the Regular
Army and were promoted from the ranks; nine
became officers Of volunteers, and one enlisted
FIRST IN the ranks and then became an officer
tEnakIHg JIG from the volunteer servicej, and 81
bided their time and we're appointed from civil
life.
One other point that surprised my British
friends was the fact that So Of the 094 grad
mates that did not claim for | could not see
my Hag clear TO do sol had first served in the
volunteers In our war Of the rebellion before
becOming Cadets al West Point. or these 80
had served only III the ranks; had been Off
Gers and Others had served both as enlisted
meH and comm issiOned officers. They could
not understand how the COrporals aud Ser
Feants could get TO West Point until / told
them. 80 many years have now gone by that
The story may be new to many even Of my Old
comrades.
draRal Of the Cadets from the rebel States, not
enough we're left TO supply the annual demand,
and WhllC each Congressional district i'm the
l1F2l States was allowed an additional Cadet,
the allowance for the rebel districts was appor-
h0Ded 70 the various armies In the field In this
Euzt ner5 Zach separate army was allotted a
certain number from which distinguished en-
listed n1n might be selected 10 fill ANY pri-
Fate Corporal or Sergeant. who had so dis
tinaD8s1ea himself IN any battle, engagement,
action or a4aIr the idea is correct even If I do
moi quote the exact WGrdingl, as to have been
mentioned by name ~ any Official report there
O. Tor such gallant and distinguished conduct /"
&c Has emitted To appear before board Of
Diaifris convened Tor such purpose for eEami-
nation into bis character, habits aud mental
qualification Tor q cadetship, aud from those
passing the required exam nations the allotted
Enmbcr was selected. III a promising Young
solder was not quite Ear enough advanced IN
LIS studies and his q distinguished conduct I"
ETC. had been especially brilliant lac was duly
iarloughed aud packed of home TO bone up .
~ the required standard. Bat 10 failed when
Inc crucial test was applied az West Point, and
X "a q TACT that ln most Instances these gallant
young Ken Led their classes right through the
severe course, and have made the most bril-
liant records IN the service since / forgot 10
write that il was prescribed that candidates
EiBsL DE I've feet -four inches 10 hight aud not
q
Point under special orders, and only discharged
OF receiving their warrants as Cadets.
Amcng these men who gained West Point
commissions by making unto themselves q gal
liant military history before they were Cadets
there are now on the list such officers as Capt
Sears lS5th Ohio, Powell 18th Wis.,. Hoxie
list Iowa Cav, Marshall 10Th Ky Cav. aud
bergiand 57th Ill.,, in The Corps Of Engineers;
Putnam ilst 10th and 1llh r. j. and ShaleI
kl1th Pas Ordnance Corps; Thomas 18th III
Cav, Third Cav, and Godfrey t2Ist Ohio)
Seventh Cav.
OI Lie 1902 that were never Cadets. 2s7. q,
Wriitca above, were promoted from the ranks
81 were enlisted men of volunteers: 3g2 wer,
c-leers. aud 5l9 we're appointed directly from
civil life.
81 promotions from the ranks, - are in III,
several stah corps aud departments "a in th,
cavalry. il ID the artillery, I26 In the infantry
and 80 Oh the retired list
Eniis.ed men of volunteers have SO in til,
staff 55 cavalry, = artillery, l5l infantry anC
102 retired.
taceis Of volunteers: Two general officers
"a stsa. ~ cavalry. y artillery, los infantry
and i9t retired. There arc other general oil
c-E under this and the following head. bu
tleg Gre included ia the number on the retiTeC
hist.
am civil life: 2lI staff, Il cavalry, 2.
elE, 10 infaltTy, and - retired
ib branches OF service these non Yves
-t- lave 596 ia tic stat, los cavalry, 4