The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-06-01
THE DAY AT WEST POINT.
CEREMONIES AT THE DEDICATION
OF THE BATTLE MONUMENT

Gen. wilson Presents the Monument to Tn.
Army and zen. schoHeid Accepts n ana
Presents nc TO the Government - sec...
tary Aiser Makes the Acceptance speech.
WEST POINT, May 31.-A crowd of 10, 600 or
$4,000 people assembled hero to-day to witnes,
tho ceremonies in connection with the dodic,.
ton of the battle monument, erected In honor
OF the officers and soldiers Of the regular armv
who fell in battle in the civil war. Tho weather
was all that could DO desired for such an occa.
sion. The showers OF the night and the early
morning cleared away, and rs the hour an.
preached for the ceremony TO begin the sun was
almost uncomfortably warm. Everything con.
spircd to make the dedication n digniacd and
impressive one. There were many distIn.
guishcd Generals and other United Staten
army officers IN attendance. Cons. Schofleld
and Butterheld, for whom q salute was fired.
did not reach hero until It. was nearly time for
the ceremony to begin. Tho Secretary OF War
arrived on Saturday night and during the inter.
val was entertained by the Academic Board n,
tho hotel. Several excursion boats unloaded a
large number of people from tho city and points
along the river. Just before the time for the OK.
crcises to begin the battalion Of cadets, under
command Of Col. Mills. marched across the pa.
rado ground and took a position at the rear OF
the inclosure. In the front row Of seats OF tho
speakers pavilion were Gen. Schoilcld, Col.
Ernst, Secretary Of War Alger, Gen. John NJ.
Wilson, and Justice Brewer. Back OF these sat
Members Of the Board of Visitors, distinguished
army officers, and the Academic Board.
Promptly at 1850 the exercises opened with
an invocation by the Rev. Herbert Shipman.
chaplain of the post, which he ~prefaced with tho
Lords Prayer, and in the delivery of which he
was reverently Joined by those occupying the
platform. In q patriotic and eloquent speech
the monument was then presented to the United
CtnN.. anew, ~. nrir Cav, Jnln At Nt-.l.--
Chief Of Engineers. Tho General paid a beau.
tiful tribute to the deceased comrades in whose
honor the monument was erected. The accept.
ance was by Lieut.. Gen. John NJ. Schofcld,
whose address was greatly relished. by the vet.
Grams OF the war, who occupied seats immediate.
presented the monument TO the general Govern.
ment, and 1t was accepted by Secretary OF War
A! HBy comm IAN" OF Of the President. in whose nam.
I,apPear to-day. ! accept for the Government Of
erected to her honorcd dead. 1t will stand a
lasting memento to those men who gave their
lives to save this nation from destruction when
the question Of Its existence was given over 10
tho a~rbitrament, OF arms; This Is the fttesi
spot in the land for It's abiding place. Here Is
for. the classic beauty OF, its snrroundings.
and sanctiaed by its association with the names
Government which educated them to the profcs.
sion Of arms. and whose loyalty to the flag,
taught to love. have brought imperishable re.
nown to the country OF their devotion. This, too,
and dedication, for It is the day set a apart by the
people and BY lay for popular tribute to those
sacrifice upon the altar of loyalty and liberty.
Now a, word to you young men gathered here
to-day, whose profession is war. The spotlcss
integrity Of the men who have graduated at this
great academy in their official and daily lives is
q guide for you. and wherever you may be
fict, remember that you are marked men, the
successors Of those whose names must live i'm.
passed away. Should I name these men n tho
REsu ~ , would do quicken w and the SrI ElSSFrs of It the old
beacon light. Go forward then, in life. young
men; 6 a9 Ho oSo that d@a Is you n. have the the prayers ray n,d and =.
the world that which sSmbol i&s fr Sades q
I purify. has nar never been i nntur Hsf' i R' fro0t Of II any ny
Toe but to prevail, nor viii it in the time that is
American in every land at whatever cost. Guard
we'll then your heritage. and keep ever before
impulse in the world, that the good that men do
always lives. and he who Is never swerved BY
crown of American manhood"
Al the conclusion Of the Secretary address
"star-spansied Banner" BY the band. At the
suggestion OF Secretary Alger the audience
arose and with heads uncovered Joined in three
By Th Pss f Gan' b ths p r. b2sw Q, the S.. asE; ae 5s y
abounded in wholesome advice to those who are
Just entering l,EE;h upon their military careers. He
1T is fitting that this memorial to the officers
the recent war should be here, for this is tho
military centre of the nation, the great school
manders; and it is well that the lessons Of those
patriotic and heroic lives should ever be present
t GSt9ps !as to s1 taRe t Ie0 places saSas G thes II 4ii RfdfP snd
glorihed. 1t was fitting also that this work
should have been undertaken and carried
diers of the army, for it is their com
rades' memory that is thus preserved: Here let
TO the coming generations the great occasion
and the great truths which have caused it to be.
passes and floats elrSiE It toward the commercial re a
metropolis of the nation. bear from its lips to
the tomb where sleeps the coffined dust of tho
great commander the assurance of the unvary-
Ing loyalty of the army of the United States now
and hereafter TO the heroic ideas and ideals of
to ALL
The benediction by Chaplain shipman closed
the exercises of the day, and by 8 o'clock West
Point presented its customary aspect.
Tomorrow the annual examinations begin.
exercises: June /. escort OF the coiors and re-
view; june 2. cavalry school of the troop; June
2 g;, military i t .cb bridge 6s ,S SSn trooTsIo M !PGntop a, bPHrid ts1;
airy; juno 8 heavy artillery drill 'ses coast
of the sword and bayonet. military gymnastics;
J INNS .; hssNfScS %Hriiliery drill c. g; m T% srI,
in extended order lsham battleD.
The first class viii graduate on June IL
tcrnoon an exhibition drill was given in cavalry
tactics by members OF the first class of cadets.
was done at the express Sp Wish OF the Secretary Of
War. AT 5 o'clock there was q grand review of
the corp of cadets on the parade ground, and
closed the exercises OF the day.