The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-17
SCENES At WEST POINT
WHAT IS DONE At THE GREATEST
MILITARY SCHOOL IN THE WORLD.
Evening Dress Parade-Meeting Of
Mars's and Cupid's Representa-
tiyes-Best Drilled Infantry.

w. f. Curtis's West Point Letter in Chi
cago Record
The cadets at the Military Academy
divided into four companies. according to
their stature. All the tall men are in Com
pany A and all the short ones in Company
c. The battalion is commanded by Capt.
Otto Helm, of the First Cavalry, with
brevet of lieutenant colonel, who is said to
be the handsomest man in the United
States army, and he certainly makes a
beautiful picture when he stands like a
statue on the parade grounds to review his
command. with a yellow plume of horse
hair floating from his helmet. Another
handsome man, and some think he even
surpasses Colonel Helm in pulchritude, is
Lieut. Edward Anderson, of the Seventh
Cavalry. in charge of cadet Company d.
Each of the cadet companies has an Of
ficer of the regular army detailed to look
after its discipline, but the active command
is intrusted TO cadets of the first class, who
are selected as captains because of their
efficiency in tactics and solderly conduct.
Scholarship does not enter into the selec-
ton so much as military efficiency. The
other officers of the battalion are chosen
for similar reasons The highest honor in a
military way is the command of Company
A.
Cadet Abbott, from Illinois, stands first in
scholarship in the third class Cadet Sher-
idan is the son of General Sheridan and
stands fifty-one in class of seventy-one
Cadet Hobson is brother OF the hero of
the Merrimac and stands sixty in a class
of seventy-two.
Hence it will be noticed that appoint
ments of cadet officers are not based upon
scholarship. 1t often happens, as in the
cases of Hobson and Sheridan. that cadets
are fine soldiers and poor scholars At the
same time, as in the case of Abbott, cadet
often unites the two qualities and stands
high in military conduct as we'll as scholar
ship.
One of the most beautiful sights to be
seen in all this beautiful world is the even
ing dress parade at the academy. Nature
and landscape gardening have furnished a
splendid stage for the play. The scenery
consists of gloomy range of mountains
behind which the sinking sun throws a
golden glow upon the heavens Nearer
and in the foreground. is a lawn as level
as floor, with turf as lustrous as green
velvet, encircled with stately trees through
which the mullioned windows and the Nor
man towers of the old cadet barracks APP
pear at intervals. On the opposite side is
battery of artillery, mute, parked and
ready for to-morrow's exercises Along
to the left is a majestic monument, erected
in honor of the graduates who fell in the
civil war, surrounded by a collection of
trophies captured by the United States
army in war-guns captured from the Brit
ish in 1860 and 1S12-14. from the Mexicans
and from the Spaniards in 1898. torpedo
taken from a Spanish cruiser lies in the
center, encircled by segment of the great
iron chain that was stretched across the
Hudson to prevent the British ships from
going north during the war of the revo-
| luton. A little nearer is statue in bronze
of General Sedgwick. erected by the Sixth
Army Corps, and the fine old soldier stands
and year, after year, with eyes to the
| east, and has witnessed many beautiful and
impressive sights. Far above him. at the
| top of lofty pole, floats 'old glory
LOVE-MAKING
Along the roadway on the fourth side of
the parade grounds. in front of the resi-
dences of the superintendent and the pro-
fessors. is a row of iron benches, kindly
provided for the comfort of spectators.
who often come afar to the cadets on
parade, and they always go away feeling
that they have been we'll rewarded
| 1t is gratifying to observe that the fierce
| young dogs of war show an amiable dispo-
| stion toward the damsels who come here
to assist in identifying the landscape with
| their dainty hats and their pink and purple
gowns Young women have many privileges
at the Military Academy that they are not
permitted to enjoy at other educational in
sututions. They can attend the recitations
ana the examinations at any time they
md off has 81
| floor or in the galleries that have been
| provided for their especial accommodation
| In the new recitation rooms can hear
| future major generals demonstrating prob
| lens In calculus, describing seacoast de-
| fenses and calculating other subjects that
relate to the art of war. More frequently
| however, they manifest a disposition to sit
on the captured cannon and in more shell
| tered hooks about the grounds and allow
| the cadets TO trife with their affections
during certain hours of the day which are
| described IN the regulations as '.relea Sc
from quarters" If they have a mother or
an aunt or some matronly chaperon with
| influence at headquarters they can visit the
| notei occasionally and continue the siege
| OF hearts on broad balconies that com
| mand beautiful view of the Hudson as n
flows through the Highlands as beautiful
| as any part OF the Rhine.
Visitors at West Point during tba cov,
mencement season will observe certain nhe-
nomena Wherever they see a girl there
| is always cadet to protect her and the
/ the girl the larger the
guard. From any of the porches these
lovely June days you can witness a game
| which began when men and women were
first created. and which some young dam
sells consider the only one that is worth
/ their while to play Here the principal
participants are Mars and Cupid
This game is interrupted at 6:30 O'Clock
| every evening by the blast of trumpets
and the roll of drums beating sounding
| off the adjutant's call and by a rush Of
/ cadets across the campus. Through the
| gloomy passages they enter the quadrangle
| nom which they soon reappear armed and
| in full dress-whte trousers gray coats
| dress caps, white gloves and broad stra ps
! OF white leather crossed upon their breasts
| The officers may be distinguished nv
| plumes of cooked feathers in their hats
devices embroidered with braid upon their
sleeves and swords that hang at their
| sides The captains of companies and the
adJutaat wear crimson seshes over the
shoulder and around the waist.
CALLING THE ROLL.
| They form in companies in front of the
barracks. each man going to his place, and
If he is not there at the instant the drum
stops bes ting demerit mark is placed
against his name. The frst sergeant stands
In front CT his company. shouts '"Ten-
shun? In firm. fierce voice and then
calls the roll from memory. The men in