New-York tribune., 1902-06-10
WEST POINT CENTENNIAL.
THE OLD ACADEMY THRONGED WITH
GRADUATES-AN ECHO OF SANTIAGO.

West Point N V June s-The centennial ami
versary exercises the establishment of the United
States Military Academy began to-day, and will con-
tinue until Thursday, when the present first class
Of cadets, fifty-four members, will be graduated
Among the visitors to arrive early were Generals
Joseph c. Breckenridge, John Saunders, NJ "
Sheridan and John Mooney. and Colonels John NJ
Carson and Asa Bird Gardiner: General Wanser.
commanding National Guard Of the State of New
Jersey; General Frost, commanding Connecticut
National Guard: General Tamm, Rhode Island Ma
tional Guard; Brigader General G. H Harries
commanding National Guard OF the District OF
Columbia; Generals Henry c. Corbin and James
Longstreet. Captain Chadwick Of the Naval War
College; General Bates, commanding Department
Of Missouri: General Greely, chief signal officer:
QuaItermaster General Ludngton and the follow
ing the retired list: Generals Sickles Bell Car
penter, Daggett. Grferson, Hankins Mills. Patter-
son and Sternberg.
The first and second classes of cadets demon
strated to the board of visitors to-day the manner
of pontoon and spar bridge building
General Nelson A Miles arrived at o'clock and
honored with a salute. A luncheon was served
in the assembly room of the Memorial Hall for the
graduates and former cadets of the Military
Academy.
The graduates met in the Assembly Hail. and at
o'clock marched to Thayer Hall. preceded by the
superintendent and the president of the Association
of Graduates. The other graduates in the order Of
classes followed The class of 81 and all preceding
classes provided with seats on the stage.
Other classes seated together in the body OF
the hall The meeting called to order by Cen
eral John S. McCoimont a graduate of the class OF
~ Then followed prayer by the Rev. George
Deshon, of NewYork City. After q selection, the
Stars and Stripes" by the Academy band General
John NJ Schohed, of the class OF '45. president Of
the Association of Graduates delivered a well re-
ceived address, in which he described the rise and
growth Of the Academy and enjoined particular
attention to the maintenance Of the high record OF
the cadets for honor and character.
After General Schoields address the band played
'Tenting the Old Camp Ground after which
General Thomas J. Wood, class of 45, a veteran Of
the Mexican War, delivered an address, in which
he alluded to incidents Of that memorable period
Then followed addresses by General T. H. Ruger.
class of "a (Union), and General E. Porter Aexan-
der, class of '57 (Confederate).
General Alexander's topic THE Confederate
Veteran and he prefaced his address with these
lines:
Once more the light of Jackson's sword
There Hampton rides. and there once more
The toss Of Stuart's plume.
Oh. life eg goes back through years to-day.
And we are men once more,
And that old hill is Arlington.
And there the alien shore.
And over yonder the heights
The hostile camp fires culver;
And suddenly us
Flows by Potomac's river.
After recitng the verses the General continued:
The Confederate Veteran: With these words does
1neteoric army, which over forty years ago sprang
nd 2 out Of Of oar se
e m brilliant III sns or ana vs e5 onDos S
blood b Vabshed from % earth as utterly as if it had
And noW generaen Gr has passed away The
smoke of civil Conflict has vanished forever from
conditions evolved in its four years struggle hnds
successful rivalry with the greatest nations Of the
earth.
recognize the blessing it is to himself and TO his
ng 90 hTe IN an his fat m ie wao
ton It YOU'D hold in the ne world we're were it deeared S
America? To ask these questions is to answer
that it was best for the South that the cause was
lost" The right to secede. the stake for which
we fought desperately. were it now offered US as
of Suicide.
In his address General Alexander casually
toned the name Of General Longstreet. and the
large audience went wild with enthusiasm, the
cheering lasting for nearly minute.
After the address of General Ruger the band
played Rally Round the Flag" and Dixie
after that of General Alexander.
The next speaker was Major E J. McCler-
nand, class of 10 veteran of the Spanish-Ameri-
can War. After emphasizing the importance of
being able to provide large army, with its
sary supplies, short notice, and renarkng the
lack of means to do this which the Spanish-Ameri-
War showed, the speaker gave a glimpse of
the battle of San Juan Hill. as follows:
stream. on what was afterward called Kettle Hill.
was driven back only after the utmost gallantry
Wheeler's division found the Spaniards close by at
Kettle Bill, Kent had a wide bottom in his front,
along the crest OF which the enemy was strongly
intTenehed % Nothing daunted the gallant @ m men l, OF
the dons from their chosen position 9fieers
laid down their lives in cheering their on to
close with the foe and to the living none but
war dc Ofn iCa S1re 70 will not
out will content ourselves with saying that words
fail to DO nus Justice to the aa % f6 or
had placed them In POSITION IT Was after all ths
men that carried colors to the crest of San
Juan and thus sealed the fate of Santiago. AS the
here and there to fire. and then again rushing on.
the general effect was that OF uniform form advance
the hand and fiuttering in gentle breeze. One
portions moment before in the rear. An attache
of one of the great powers. speaking more to him
self than to me, said: The world never saw bet
ter % Ana be of bae thrills the mind even
in after days but the battlefield also leaves pain
ton here an incident that painfully affected me.
his face was covered by bloody cloth; he was
rnotionIess. and thought, perhaps dead. friend
%as oa OF %ahg harE 6S said No he is not dead but Il
he lives he will never see The hioooy @ ,es esandage
pleasure and with eongratulatio1s M that sight
guished superintendent of this academy.
In regard to the war in the Philippines. Major
McClernand said:
General Otis had deal with one Of the most
was different from that encountered In cuba Tor
definitely announced, and We possessed the friend
ship and had the assistance OF me PsoDe as a lar
In the Philippines found enmity, engendered by
po ths the ignoranoe an Of Their connrymen No one
ha