New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-03
MEMORIES OF WEST POINT.
REVIVED BY SOME OLD GRADUATES.
GOVERNOR BUcKSER, OF KENTUCKY. AT TIE
AcApBMY-rHE BOARD OF VISITORS SEE
THE SIGHTS AND NOTE THE PRO
GREss OF THE INSTITUTION.

THE SIGHTS AND NOTE THE PRO-
GREss OF THE INSTITUTION.
West Point June (special).-The martial figure ana
white mutache and goatee Of Governor simon bohVar
Buckner of Kentucky, elected general admiration ron
the fair occupants Of the porch seats al lhe ho'e'
this morning, when he drove up with MIS- bccKner
from the station. The Governor comes here unin
yed and simply as an interested spectator lie passed
before the awful examiners candidate forty
seven years ago. and received his diploma as the
eleventh dn class OF twenty five. Among bis class
mates were Winfield Scott Hancock and Alfred Pleas
anton who was afterward noted rs Union cavalry
general In the Civil War; After graduation. the Gov
ernor was appointed lieutenant Of infantry, and
subsequently served with distinction In Mexico. But
for nine months he was on duty at the Academy as
Instructor Of geography, history and ethics so that
to him the place must Re consecrated with OLD memo
RES Governor Buckner and his lovely young wife
were 10 have witnessed the heavy artillery drill at
the battery tho river front this after
But at about the time the gunners should have
been loading there was heavier cannonading In the
dark clouds overhanging storm King and the rain
poured down In bucketsful. so the drill was In
definitely postponed
The Academy, by the way, is not remarkably well
equipped with ordnance and the Board of Visitors may
insert suggestions the subject in their report
The "seacOast battery" comprises two ffteenInch
Rodman smoothbores, three eght-lnch rifle Parrots
converted from smoothbores, aud thirteen-inch NOR
tar 10 ancient that the memory Of does not run
back TO the date OF its manufacture 1t Is known to
have done hard service during the Calling
and a Hotchldss rapid firing gun form part Of the
artillery equipment, but there is urgent need for new
weapons. The last Congress. which has been so much
abused in some quarters, has received nothing but
praise here. The generous appropriations Tor ne"
buildings are held to indicate enlightened apprecia
ton Of the country's military needs, and the married
officers, whose six families crowded into three
Aattn Oft hQ
liberal representatives The Visitors report this year
will also contain recommendation for the reorganza
ton Of the Academy band, which recently re-
duced from thirty-one TO twenty four pieces The
musicians pay inadequate, the principal induccment
TO continued Service being the prospect Of ulti-
mate retirement on half pay relief bill was on the
calendar Of the last Congress- but never reached vote
Judge Waymre telegTapls that he has been delayed
az Chicago His arrival tomorrow from California
will complete the membership Of the Board Of Visitors.
This morning the other members began an informal
tour OF inspection One party, consisting Of Congress
man Samuel T. Lanham, Of Texas; the Rev. Frank A.
O'Brien CT Kalamazoo; David W. Payne, OF fhinlr"
Colonel j. T. Murfee, Of Alabama and General Iheouoo
S. Peck visited all the principal buildings They
were outspolen in their expressions OF approval MT
Payne is himself an old West Pointer. Colonel Muriee
was a brave Confederate warrior and General feoh anu
Mr. Lanhan fought opposite sides at epot'syNn'''
as lads OF seventeen and eighteen. Their tour was
therefore
thing arose to revive old "reminiscences Inc hrse
building entered was the library. Here tho bnght
lights of the graduating class were standing poiore
the Dackboards and executing the higher mysteries Vi
the science OF engineering to the edihcation OF the
semtcrcle Of uniformed examiners and the unoounded
wonderment OF several admiring slsOers anu ns"0i'
who occupied seats near the door.
By a curious coincidence THE Battle OF opoVuyl
vanias was the topic treated OF by one OF the cadets
but 10 naturally excited extreme interest among the
visitors General Peck's handsome face Lit up as ne
nudo6 Congressman Lanham, and that gentleman
stroked his flowing goatee and nodded approval
"Twelfth of May 1864 they cried, simultaneously
The cadet was unaware OF the expert chaiacVer Oh
A part Of his civilian audience, and told on Hancochs
determined effort to break the Confederate horseshoe
without falterlng A successor was asked how long
he thought IL would take to dig line Of entrcncn-
ments.
About half an hour" he replied.
ave used to do 1t quicker than tna1' "hisporeu
General Peck .
Ayes , assented hts neighoor. "we'n use bayonets
and snt canteens at pinch" This afterward LED 10
story OF Texan who hesated 10 throw up earuh"orKs
but declared after the battle, that he ddnt oesruuso
nary shovelfuL' -.
From the library the Board crossed to the gray act
eemic building passed through the gymnasium, where
49,, ,rr+b class In mathematics sat at desks In long
limos IN undress uniform and then entered the military
museum Hero the fine display OF torn oaule nays,
cohon mortars brass mountain howitze s. gaVhhss anu
other trophies inspired fresh anecdotes "eherA ro0n
romembered how the savage revovers used 10 20 Oh
rpaxnectedlv and damage tho Vermont cavalrymen MI
Ianham eyed fondly the heavy brass " KeDel Vohey
c,r with a mouth pierced like watering pot CoioneI
SIurfee scrrtnzed the ragged conical she'll laoeieu
The first shot fred into Sumter" MI Payne measuoo
with his eve the Sumter flagstaff and the stump Vi V'
from Fort Wagner and Father OBrien ACKNOWLEDGED oil
interest in the fish torpedo and the Cerro uouo O"V
flags and the brass plated sticks from which the Mexican
hammers once Haunted futile defiance at Palo A0'
C,n+sros and Chapultepec In the racks against the
walls were found engineers rowel bayonets reviewers
~ ALL patterns and shapes belmouthed oluhue'ouoSe
all kinds of swords including two-edged weapon WIN
brass gauntlet hilt taken from giant Hlhooo ao oo
battle of Delhi, and every type OF rhe except 'ho
Lebel .-
Then the visitors crossed over 30 the headquarters
buildng. ard were piloted thence by Major "iuAHi
F. spurgln the popular treasurer. Quartsmaster anu
con,mtssarv who for ten years has controed tho
expenditures on account of the cadets lot all oo"'
cevable purposes. In the mess hall, Mr. Payne Won
dered at the change from the bare tables ana Iron
stools OF his day the present tableclothS ana OeE
wood chairs and the silver napkin rings from Tliiany
on which the name OF each cadeowner is engraved
and which he hands down. according to the Major 10
his children or az he has none, To his grandchhoh
Tho party glanced into the rergerators as roony as
An ordinary NewYOrk 6at, saw the wonderful potato
masher TINT sQueezes the vegetable ln'o huo "oi
and the bake ovcn where loaves and fuel are shoveed
I'm through the same door, and dived into gloomy
catacombs where mental service Is performed. Inen
thov looked 1T the officers messroom, with It's hne
buffalo and moose heads and interesting portraits ana
whom last seen were disappearing in the direction OF
the hospital and stOrehouse.
Major Spurgn Is one OF Colonel wilson's most
efficient aides and his reform in the cadets com
missarat should cnttle him to their lasting gratitude
For breakfast to-day the cadets had California cracked
wheat brOlled ham, scrambled eggs French fried
potatoes hot French rolls, cocoa MILK coffee ea'
Tread and syrup They dined of barley soup, cOcum
hers pickles. sauces roast veal, boiled rice, baked
and mashed potatoes. bread pudding and cream sauce
For supper they had cold roast beef and bologna
sausage baked potatoes apple sauce hot ruSks TEA