The Holly chieftain., 1906-12-28
West Point Story

GeLeral Buell., whose timely arrival
at Shiloh, some military critics hold,
saved General Grant from de.eat, was
known In the old army as ''the man
who can't laugh" General Buell. was
not grave merely; he was grim. Yet
two ycarling cadets at West Point
made General Buell. break record.
1t was hot GU the plateau above the
waters Of the Hudson, hotter than the
cheek of II fieldpiece that has been in
action, SO hot that the leaves on the
elm tree shriveled and the feet of the
pacing sentries burned from contact
with the only paved path on the gov
ernment reservation.
The plebes had reported and were
quartereI In two divisions of barracks,
the upper class men having been turn
ed out to share quarters with their
comrades In the other divisions.
The June examinations We're on.
The board of visitors. Of which Gen
eral Buell. was member, had paid its
perfunctory visits to mess hall, to aca-
demic building and to barracks 1t
was 10 O'Clock in the morning. Two
cadets had been thrown by fate and
by the arrival of the plebes into the
same room Of the fifth division Of bar
racks. The thermometer in the shade
of the guardhouse registered 90 de-
gress In the room in which the two
cadets We're quartered doubtless it
stood 10 degrees higher.
There had been one morning inspec-
tion of quarters by an army officer, and
the two yearlings. gasping for breath
In room into which the sun beat with
no regard for cadet feelings, had every
reason to believe that there would be
no further inspections that morning.
They Ind stood the ordeal of the exam
inging board at o'clock, and; with no
studies In hand, they thought they were
safe until the first call for dinner
BY the law Of the academy every
cadet In quarters was to be in full dress
uniform until II o'clock. He was not
allowed to smoke. His bedding was to
be neatly piled at the head Of his bunk
In other words, the cadet room and the
cadets person were to be properly or
dered and properly arrayed for inspec-
tion.
ats hot" said the cadet who was to
become an artillery officer.
"It's hotter than that" said his COM
rade.
"Let's strip" said the one.
"Done," said the other.
And forthwith they stripped. Then
the mattresses were pulled from the
hunks and thrown under the window,
through which occasionally came a
Whit of breeze grateful though heat
laden.
"I'd like to SMOKE" said the future
artilleryman as he threw himself on
one of the mattresses.
"I'm going to smoke" said his COM
rade.
And instanter pipes were lighted, and
the room began filling with fragrant
blue fog.
There was cllnk Of sword heard
in the hallway. Its sound brought con-
sternation. An inspection was on. Be
fore the two yearlings had time to
think there was rap, and the door
was thrown open, and in came. not the
ordinary second lieutenant Inspecting
officer, but Lieutenant Colonel Henry
Major General Don Carlos Buell., Unit
ed States army.
Discipline strikes in. The two cul
prit cadets sprang to attention in
stantly, heels together, arms hanging
naturally and the little fingers where
the seams Of the trousers would have
been II they'd had any trousers on.
The future artIlleryman was clothed
In one sock. and in this attire he was
one sock the better of his comrade.
They stood there rigid. The position
of soldier was never better main
tained. Commandant Lazelle turned
purple with rage at this graceless
breach of discipline actually paraded
before major general Of the United
States army and o member OF the