The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-06-10
Alumni Day Services Seet
Many Veterans In
Attendance.
CHEERS FOR GENERAL LONGSTREET
Heroes of Various Wars Gather at the
Academy-Cadets Give an Exhibition
of Bridge BuiIding-Addresse Made
in Memorial Hall.

WEST POINT, n. Y, June 9.-The
celebration of the one hundredth ami
versary of the founding of the United
States Military Academy at West Point
began today The ceremonies will con-
tinue for four days. in accord with
chronological fitness this, the first day.
was alumni day, and there are many
old campaigners here who were gradu-
ated before the academy had reached
its fiftieth birthday.
There is one general here who was
graduated in 1872, sixty years ago this
commencement He is James Long
street, the Confederate general and
! Lees cid war horse" His name heads
the list of graduates. printed for the
centennial program in the order of the
years.
| Sitting beside General Longstreet to-
day on the platform in Memorial Hall
was his classmate.- of 1s4a. Col. James
5. McCalmont. who fought on the other
side
| General Lonsstreet is almost eighty
years old He is very deaf He was
thee-ed today when his name was mon
toned by one OF the orators he could
Rear the cheers. and he had not caught
word OF the speech. not even his own
name. He whispered to Colonel Me-
CaiTont and asked what the graduates
were cheering for.
Colonel McCalmont put his mouth to
General Longstreet's ear trumpet and
SAID:
"Tney are cheering you. general. Gem
erai Alexander 'ust said that Lee called
you his war horse and that you saw hot
work everywhere from Bull Run to APP
pomattox.'
The cadet Of ~ shuffled his feet a
little end changed his cane from one
hand to the ether, but he looked pleased.
General Lcngstreet's hearing was good
enough TWO horrs later at the evening
parade on the Plain to catch the notes
Of the "Star-Spalgled Banner" when the
sunset gun was fired and the colors came
down. and he AID many more veterans
who had fought for that flag and against
it raised their hats and stood with barred
bowed heads.
There are hundreds of graduates here
and the limited hotel capacity of West
Point is taxed to the point of putting
six guests in a room on cots When
President Roosevelt gets here on We'd
mes lay. the big day OF the celebration he
viii be entertained at the house of Col
onel Mills. the superintendent of the
academy. and the other distinguished
guests. who Will be here that day will
put up at the quarters of the various
officers of the post
This morning, in addition to the usual
daily military exercises, there was a
drill in which the cadets NJ
the first and second classes built a
pontoon bridge 225 feet long across the
bay north of the Point. inside of an
hour Early in the afternoon the gradu-
ates had luncheon in the assembly room
of Memorial Hall. and from there they
marched in order of their classes to
Thayer Hall for the alumni day serv-
ices.
The cadets followed the graduates.
Members of he class of 1862, and of all
preceding classes sat on the platform.
There were forty-two OF them entitled
to that honor. all of them gray. and
most of them with hair and boards snow
white Gen. Horace Porter. the United
States ambassador to France, and
West Pointer of the class of 1860. was
one of the youngest looking men on the
platform.
There were veterans of two wars
C.
Down IN front were more veterans of
the two wars, the civil war and the
Spanish. and beyond them younger men
who saw their first service in Cuba and
the Philippines, and way in the back
seats were the cadets OF today, Who,
Just because they are human and husky,
hope that war is not all over forever
The chaplain of the day was the Very
Rev George Deshon, C. S. P, of the
Os NJ SChnfipld ff
the class of 1853. and president of the
Association of Graduates. presided. At
ter his opening address the band played
"Tenting Tonight On the Old Camp
Ground
General Wood, of the class of As,
gave "reminiscences of the civil war, in
which he served in nearly all of the big
battles. The next music was Benny
Havens." which is a prime favorite with
the old graduates as their war song.
There were two addresses by veterans
of the civil war;" whose names were
coupled on the program. They were
Gen. T. NJ. Ruger. of "a, a Union Off
GER. and Gen E. Porter Alexander. of
81. a Confederate. These speeches, es-
pecially General Alexander's, set the
crowd wild with, enthusiasm. After Gen.
eral Ruger got through the band played
Rally Round the Flag" and Marching
Through Georgia" and as soon as the
Northerrers and Southerners stopped
cheering General Alexander the band
played Dixie II was General Alex
ander who set the crowd to cheering
that venerable man OF battles, James
Longstreet.
General Ruger first referred to those
impression of the civil war which,
affecting the feeling and the magma
ton. have remained in force and be-
come stronger in retrospection through
the vista of intervening events. Then.
with reference TO the centennial cele-
bration. General Ruger said:
The question OF utility comes to our
minds today. What are the deeds of
the graduates that Justify this institu-
ton, and what. in their conduct. gives
adequate warrant for it's continuance?
one fact affecting the body of gradu-
atos of major Importance and which YVES
not generally appreciated by the Gov
eminent at the time of the civil war
was the instant return to the military
service of the country of all the gradu-
ates then in civil life.
That return was spontaneous. IL
was not only the result of patriotism.
but because of sense of honor ana
of obligation 10 fulfill duty fostered by
the training of this academy.
This evening there was an illumina-
ton of Memorial Hall and q reception