The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1892-07-27
Soldiers Budget.
Grant as 4 Cadet.

recently had the same business quarters
in the basement of the hotel that all
previous boards had, said West Point
special to the New York Recorder.
Probably the most famous board ever
here was in 1867. 1t was largely made
up of men who were cadets when Grant
was cadet. He was here in the last
of June in that year, when he was gen.
eral of the army, and he spent many q
pleasant evening with his old friends
in that basement room. Among them
were General William B. Franklin,
Professor Cope of Pennsylvania Uni
versity, and Professor Peck of Column
bia College. One evening Grant sat
smoking his cigar while the others were
doing the talking. The conversation
drifted into "reminiscences of cadet
days, and some very amusing stories
were told. One was about General
Hancock, just after he had budded
from "plebedom into the dignity of
the gray uniform and bell buttons.
Plebes," as the new corners are called,
and it seems that Hancock did not es-
cape. He was awakened one morning
in the "wee hours" by one of the
mischief-makers of the upper class when
the cadets were in camp and told that
one of the tests of soldierly qualities
was to do unhesitatingly what he was
told to do by "a cadet in full uniform"
In his sight, as in the sight of all
"plebes," cadet who was an "old
timer" was a commander with full
powers. Well, Hancock was ordered
to climb tree in his night toggery and
there remain in dead silence until
called down by the officer of the day.
Meanwhile, he was to make mental
note of everything he saw in the tent
street for recitation" on some ex-
animation day. The sentinel somehow
did not find out what had been done
with the poor young man until daylight
revealed him to his astonished vision
and, of course, TO the vision of the
whole camp.
The conversation of Grant and his
old friends of academy days and after
ward of field-day practice on the bloody
battleields dealt upon the chevrons
worn by cadet officials. Governor
Franklin's eyes twinkled as he suddenly
remarked: "Grant, when you were a
cadet you were corporal or sergeant,
weren't your"
The general pulled away at his cigar
and muttered gloomily, eyes, for some
time-a very short time" Evidently
there was story about those chevrons
that his old cadet friends had some re-
collection of, for they drew the chairs
closer to the table and looked at the
general quizzically. They were once
more boys, all of them, and Franklin
was persistent to get Grant to talk.
WE'LL" the great warrior remarked,
in his slow, deliberate way, Zone even
ing on dress parade the adjutant an
nounced, among other things, Cadet
Grant promoted corporal Company B.
or words to that effect"
That ended the story to Grants sat-
isfaction, apparently, for he resumed
his smoking in silence.
"You got the chevrons, didn't you,
Grant," asked Professor Peck.
A quiet smile passed over the great
soldiers countenance, as he remarked:
81 got the chevrons put on"
Felt rather proud, didn't your"
queried Franklin.
Grant looked at the stalwart man be.
fore him steadily, shrugged his shout
ders and went on smoking.
Come to remember, they became
you well. Let me see, did you feel
nervous when you saw that gold lace
on your arm?" continued Franklin.
Grant made no answer.
"By the way" Franklin went on,
with laugh, "you must have felt like
all good cadets feel when they become
cadet officers-a bigger fellow than the
ordinary mortal. How about that?"
AS he hadn't heard word that was
and, leaning backward in his chair
looking fondly at the ceiling as he was
talking, he remarked slowly: Next
evening after I was made corporal, had
chevrons Oh, took my proper place at
dress parade, adjutant read out several
interesting orders-very. One was:
Corporal Grant reduced to the ranks
or words to that effect"
While a general laugh was going
round the table, in which Grant Joined
in his quiet way, the hero laid his cigar
down on the tray before him, and said,
as solemnly as though he was deliver
ing funeral oration " l kind o. thought
they made mistake when they made
me corporal"
This coming from a man then rank
ing as one of the greatest generals of
modern times, made even his old COM
rades roar. What had made his cadet
career 30 short with the chevrons on
was not revealed. Some ordinary "de-
merit" probably, for, as ProfessoriPeck
afterwards said: "Grant didn't grad.
uate near the head of his class, but he
was always great thinker when he
was cadet While we other cadets
would be enjoying a walk together in
pairs he would be quietly roaming
about alone, looking at things that's
what he used to call it. Who knows
but he was then, when looking at
things in the old fort or in Fort
Put on the mountain side, studying
out some battle problems he made up
as he went along, and which, looming
up in grave realities when he was
general, he was able to solve with
aaoaO1t