New-York tribune., 1890-06-13
GRADUATES AT WEST POINT.
A CLASS OF FIFTYFOUR YOUNG MEN
LEAVES THE ACADEMY
THE DIPLOMAS GIVEN BY SECRETARY PROCTOR
GENERAL SHERMAN CRITIClSES
BENNY HAVENSn
" BENNY HAvENS.

/
BENNY HAvENsn
West Point June 12 (speclaD.-The graduating
ercses over, the final benedction has been pro-
nounced, and fifty -four young men have gone forth
from the academy to future that none can tell, as
Grant, sherman, Sheridan Custer and Lee went FORTH
II the past is light by which the darkness Of the
future may be pierced some of them have gone TO
make history and names read with careless eye on
the roll of graduates may day become names to
conjure with.
The mountains around this historic plain, which for
nearly a century have seen young men go out beyond
their green walls to death and glory looked down to-day
from mistwreathed SUBMITS upon the gray and white
battalion which marched at 10 AS from the cadet bar
racks to the appointed place in front OF the library
| where the final exercises to take place. The
frivolities Of last nights ball swept away and
swallowed up in the seriousness OF the present. on
the face Of each young cadet that high ideal look
which all too soon will be dimmed by the routine and
coarseness of actual fe for This day will sink its
| spark immortal Under the trees a platform had
been erected and it were the Board OF Visitors. the
superintendent of the academy Chaplain Postlethwaite
| the Secretary Of War, General sherman and few
other distinguished guests There were seats placed
for the graduating class in front of the platform and TO
them the graduating class escorted by the corps
of cadets of the Commandant Of Cadets
The corps stood around the seated class and outside OF
them was throng of spectators. Chaplain Postle-
thwaite offered prayer, beseechng the blessing ana
guidance of Heaven the young soldiers. The rain,
which had been falling heavily all the morning ceased
but clouds and mist hung the plain. 1t was an
impressive scene as the young soldiers with bowed
heads listened to the prayer The mountains ooned
through the mist huge and ghostly. and the deep
silence broken only by the strong voice OF nm
who prayed. At the close of the cEaplan's prayer
the grand strains OF "Old Hundred" came from The
band.
r1o 10 duran Ha addressed
the graduating class When Scott died at AbbOstord,
with the ripple of the Tweed sounding in his ears, his
last words Lockhart were, Be good man, my
dear; be a good man." Dr. Hae's address to the
graduating class to-day by the flowing waters OF the
Hudson was one for which he might have taken Sir
Walters words as a text lie told the graduates 10
love their country they loved their mother and to
obey her orders and her unquestioningly," TO
| keep their arms unsued and their lives pure ana
| spotless. He impressed upon them that he thai
| subdueth himself is greater than he that taHeih
cityn His address was impromptu, and was eloquent
and well delivered. At the close of his address the
| band played Hail Columbia" The bandnaster sub
sequently explained that no pun on the venerable
| orators name was intended
Then came the awarding of the diplomas by sccre-
| tary Proctor When he gave the parchment which
made him an officer to young Jadwn ne congratulated
| him warmly and said
NV CONGRATULATIONS are not so much because you
have graduated at the head of the class they are
because you have credaby completed the four years
course here"
After the diplomas had all been handed TO the grad
uates the Secretary made short address, full OF that
sound sense which has distinguished his career and OF
good advice to the graduates He reminded them that
| the life upon which they entering was one OF
stern duty and slow promotion and that the romance
of the military calling must give place TO It's proy
details and actualities.
| When the Secretary had finished the tall form OF
| -frafn nf
which Grant the chief, was seen towering among
the people seated the platform, and from the lips
OF the old hero of his characteristic speeches.
II was the fftieth anniversary, he said, Of his own
graduation In speaking Of the slow promotion in the
Army now and the little chance of military distinction
he reminded the graduates that in the history OF the
Republic there had been war once in every forty
years.
"And," said he, "the forty years are nearly up
lie called to mind, also, the fact that though he had
been long in the service when the Civil War broke out
he had only reached the grade OF lieutenant but that
four years had made him General Of the Army.
The band PLAYED The Star Spangled Bannern at the
close of the Generals remarks Then came the final
benedicton by the chaplain and 10 the tunes OF Aud
Lang syne," The Girl Left Behind Me- and Good
by My Lover, Good-by," the cadets marched TO the
roadway in front of the barracks. That old West Point
| tune of Benny Havens" not heard during the
exercises probably for the first time since its compost
| ton This was because General Sherman in his ad-
| dress had said Take higher type than Benny
Havens to sing of and to think Of" Benny Havens,
il will be remembered, was, in the days when most
OF the heroes of the were cadets here man who
kept little resort where intoxicating fluids and hot
cridde cakes used be sold to adventurous cadets
who broke out OF limits at night TO reve in Benny's
shanty down toward Highland Falls. OBren, who
was killed in the Seminole war, wrote the song when
he was a cadet and since then IL has been the song
of songs to West Point cadets, but :" the old order
i,,;r MIA 10 ppvu AZ
general Of the War Of the Rebellion has forgotten the
taste of Benny's fapjacks.'
When the cadets were formed in front Of the bar
racks the cadet officers of the corps for the ensuing
wear were read out by the adjutant The following
the roster of the officers and commissioned Off
GERS Adjutant Echols quartermaster, Glasgow; ser
geantmajor, Dickson; quartermaster-sergeant Jervey
captains McIndoe Sewell, Crosby and Bennett; lieu
tenants, L. S, Lyons, H. o. Williams, Pierce, Wahl
Cordray Horney, Furong, Whitman, c. d. Hine
winans, Morrow and Voorhies; first sergeants. Sum.
neral, Whitney, Prince and Cayanaugh; sergeants
Yates H. NJ. Reeve, Shipton, A. NJ. Davis, Palmer
Rutherford S. b. Arnold, Lazelle, Chase Chamber
Lindsey and Pipes; lance cOrporas, 4. T. Johnston
C. Andrews Ames, Graham 9icd E. W. Clark s4edberg
Howell, Heiner, NJ L.. Walker, Colt, Hazard, Kutz
At O'Clock meeting OF the Society of Graduates
was held in the chapel 1t was presided over by the
ee yas the evening" e Society had d
ner in the mess hall. About sixty graduates were
Tough class left the Point OH the day boat for New
York. Tomorrow night they will be entertained by
the 18th Regiment.
1t curious thing today to see the young
men, who for four years have been braccd up in the
tighthttng uniform OF cadet in citizens clothes
Nothing sticketh quite as close as cadets uniform
il is impossible for cadet in uniform to assume
anything other than military carriage. When they
got into citizens clothes and felt the loosencss and
fulness thereof. every young man acted II he
afraid lie would fall out OF his clothing. However
the day boat bore them away 10 land where they
will soon forget the clasp of cadets uniform
which they wear never again.
There has been some talk and Of pro
posed eulogy on Jefferson Davis. TO be delivered be
fore the Association of Graduates. and much non
sense has been evolved thereon The facts these
jefferson Davis was graduate of West Point and
belonged TO the association Every year the associa
ton issues a pamphlet containing obituary notices OF
the members who have died In the OF the year
some member being assigned 10 write each Of the