The herald., 1895-11-03
BUELL'S LAUGH
SAVED A CADET FROM
A DISGRACE


General Don Carlos Buell., VINO by q
timely arrival with 10000 troops turned
the tide at Shiloh and made federal vic
tory possible, was known as the man who
never laughed. All through his West
Point course and through the Mexican
war service the best joke of the quarters
or mess would fail to send smile over
his grave face. He may have enjoyed
things inwardly, but if he did he could
mask his feelings as we'll ds old General
ridball could mask battery.
Buell. did laugh once, though, and that
laugh saved one West Point cadet from
FORGETTING part OF his furlough and an
other from confinement to camp during
the jolly hop season, and both from an
unknown nun Der OF tours OF extra guard
duty. 1t was timely laugh. that one of
the grave general.
1t was June, 1881, and the examinations
at the academy were in progress. The
"plebs'' had reported, and in order to
make room for them IN barracks d COM
pany had hen turned out to seek quarters
for the few days prior to going into
camp in the rooms of the other oompa-
MES. This arrangements threw a year
ling" and second classman who were
great friends together IN one room. Each
had finished his examination and did not
expect to be called out. 1t was hot-so
not that tie guard had been ordered into
duck clothing and allowed to SEEK the
shade. A scorcbing breath had been
coming over the Fort Putnam road for
two days. The cavalry plain was baked
and the cannon at Trophy Point bnrned
the hand at the touch. In barracks it
was hard WORK to breathe.
Cadets were obliged to remain in full
dress when in quarters until IL o'clock in
the morning. Then they were allowed
to change the dress coat for a shell jack
ct, but to change nothing else. Smoking
was not allowed in quarters except dur
ing release hours. The bedding was to
be piisd 1T the head of the bunk at all
times except at night.
The ''yearline' and his roommate
came to the conclusion that examination
being ON there would be no inspection OF
quarters. and having finished the years
work themselves they thought they
would take it easy. 1t was just 10 o'clock.
and after trying to get breath at the
window without success each threw his
bedding on the floor, stripped off every
stitch of clothes he had on, and loaded
and lighted his pipe. 1t was deliciously
cool on the floor. A draft olew in
through the big crack under the door,
refreshing the smokers, and lifting the
smoke until it hung in great clouds at the
ceiling.
GOOD thing for us there are no inspec-
lions of quarters during examinations,
said the second classnan, who is now an
officer of the Second artillery.
You made no mistake, SAID the year.
ling, who is now n civilian.
So they smoked and talked. Footsteps
we're heard in the hall
Fellows getting back" said the year
ling.
There was tap at the door-that un-
mistakaple military, rap whicih, means
stand, attention, I'm coming
The door opened ana in walked, not
the ordinary inspecting officer, but the
commandment OF the cadets, Col. Henry
NJ. Lazelle, and Maj. Gen. Don Carlos
Buell.. U. S. A.
Force of habit and discipline sent both
Attention" Their little fingers were
where the seams Of their trousers ought
to have been. Their feet were turned out
at an angle of go degrees. their chests
were thrown out, their chins in, and
their eyes we're straight ahead. One of
the delinquents mad one sock on. He
was better dressed than the other. The
pipe,' contents were slowly burning
holes in the bedding which smelled to
heaven.
The commandant was furious. He had
counted on finding the barrsacks in per.
feet order and the cadets in perfect disci
pine during the season when the board
of visitors was persent. He started a
reprimand which would doubtless have
wound up by an order placing both cul-
prits in close arrest, but Gen. Buell. had
been looking at the stripping aoldiers
staruing there gravely and ,igidly at
attention. and as naked as were Pri-
Yates Mulvaney and Ortherls at the mem
orable stormlng. The ludcrous side of
tne thing struck him and smiles began
running over his face. Then he laughed
lightly. In jumping to attention one Of
the cadets had put his toe perilously
near the burning tobacco. The fire had
reached him and even cadet discipline
could not stand that. H lifted his leg with
smothered snort. Then Buell. broke
out. All the laughs that he ought to
have laughed during all the years gone
By came out. He fairly doubled up. He
laughed, chuckled, laughed again, and
finally cried and laughed together. The
commandant was Disguised. He knew
Buell. as all officers knew him, for a
strict disci plinarian. The commandant
was a dscplinarian himself. 1t was his
have his rule interfered with. But that
laugh killed everything. They left the
room, Buell. saying he bad inspected
enough for one day. The last thing the
cadets heard was the generals laugh as
he entered headquarters beyond the area
of barracks.
The next night when the delinquency
list was read the names of the two cadets
who had SO offended instead Of leading
ali the rest" did not appear at all. The
laugh of the general had saved Them