The herald., 1895-06-30

old brass field piece which had not spo-
ken since Monterey, was run up three
lights OF stairs and placed on the roof OF
barracks. Then party of ''plebs. "
fourth class men, despoiled one OF the or
namental piles of round shot. and a half
dozen OF the heavy projectiles were taken
up to the 'cockloit' in each division of
the barracks. After taps on the night of
December Both every old smooth bore in
Battery Knox, all the siege guns, and all
the heavv pieces of the seacoast battery
commanding Gro Nest mountain were
cadets when at artillery drill. Next night,
December 31ss, just after dusk, friction
primers were inserted in the vent of each
piece and lanyards were trailed. Men
were chosen by lot to fire the pieces a the
first stroke of midnight from the old
tower clock and then to make dash for
barracks.
There was no sleep that night. The
cadets turned in at taps and lay quiet
until IL 80. Then every man was up and
moving about in his stocking feet. The
battery firing detail went to the river
front. The Mexican piece ON the roof OF
the First division was half filed with
powder and lanyard was traiied down
through the scuttle. Windows opening
to the area in the rear were raised bit
and the sills lined with skyrockets. Ev-
cry man had half dozen roman candles
and bunch OF cannon crackers. Then
there was wait.
The first stroke of 12 sounded from the
academic towers. The whole PLAIN was
shaken with the concussion following the
roar from the river front. The old smooth
bores of Knox, the thirty pound Parrots,
the twenty-ton giant ana the whole sea-
coast battery spoke at once In less than
two minutes twenty-five gray-clad figures
dashed into the barracks. They were
n ofpfu
door was instantly fastened and from all
the windows came streams OF fire. The
cannonading at midnight. thunderous
and unexpected, fairly paralyzed action
for a moment on the part of the officers.
Then in the light from the barrack VIM
dows they could BIZ seen hurryiLg across
the plain from every direction. General
Schoheld ran from his quarters with his
clothes so nastily adjusted that he
brought wake of white linen with him.
The general had just reached the sally
port when the Mexican piece on the roof
flights of ironbound stairs were rolled
round shot by the uozen. They bounded
and ricocheted and made a fearful din.
Three hundred cadets were yelling like
mad. The officers swarmed into the area
with the general at their head. From
every window came bonn bardme mt OF
Roman candles, accurately aimed and
with time fuses nicely adjusted, The
officers beat a retreat to the sally port.
The officers of the day ordered the en-
listed drummer boys to sound long roll.
To disobey this call meant dismis issal for
the cadets. The drummers could not
find their drums. They had been Sc
creted. An attempt was made to get into
the barracks.
The doors could not be forced Finally
all the ammunition was gone. the drums
were found. the long roll sounded and the
cadets fell in ranks. They tried hard to
find the ringleaders, but failed. All had
hand in the thing and ell were pun
ished by being forbidden to see friends
or to make calls at any officers quarters,
or at the hotel for months.