Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-12-19
A WEST POINT STORY
ODD INCIDENT THAT MADE GENERAL
BUELL. BREAK a RECORD.


General who Never Laughed Roar
Is spite OF HIS criraaess.
General Buell. whose timely arrival
at Shiloh. some military critics hold.
caved General Grant from defeat was
known In the old army as "the man
who can't laugh" General Buell. was
not grave merely; be was grim. Yet
TWO yeariing cadets at West Point
made General Buell. break a record.
IL was hot on the plateau above the
waters OF the Hudson. hotter than the
cheek of u 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
eminent reservation
The plebes had reported and were
quartered 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 were on
The board OF visitors. OF which Gen
eral Buell. was n member had paid its
perfunctory visits 20 mess hall. to aca-
demic building and TO barracks. IL
was 10 O'Clock In the morning. Two
cadets had been thrown by fate and
10y the arrival OF the plebes into the
same room OF the 18th division OF bar
racks. The thermometer In the shade
OF the guardhouse registered 90 de-
gress. In the room in which the two
cadets Were quartereI doubtless II
stood 10 degrees higher.
hssr.r no.
On Of an ''' lv an army officer. and
the two yca.,in-s gas3ing for breath
in room into y &c., g.. Gun beat with
no regard FOR cadet f,.r <. had every
reason TO believe that ,-, would be
no further Inspections th,t morning.
They had stood the or.'c IF the exam
inging board at o o'cl)-L. 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 e. le in full dress
uniform until II o'cl1ct lie was not
allowed To smoke. III fielding was TO
be neatly piled at ire head Of his bunk.
In other words. the cadet room and the
cadets person were TO be properly or
dered and properly arrayed for ihspec-
ton
ats hot" said the cadet who was TO
become an artillery officer.
Its hotter tan that" said his COM
rade.
Lets 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
whiff OF breeze. grateful though heat
laden.
I'D like 20 smoke" said the future
artilleryman - 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 a clnk 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 n rap and the door
WAS thrown open. and I'm came. not the
ordinary second lieutenant inspecting
officer. hut Lieutenant Colonel Henry
NJ. Lazelle. commandment OF cadets. and
Major General Don Carlos Buell., Unit
ed States army.
Discipline strikes I'm. The two cul-
prit cadets Sprang 10 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 I'm this attire he was
one sock the better Of his comrade
They stood there rigid. The position
of n soldier was never better main
tained. COmmandant I.azelle turned
purple with rage at this gracel6ss
breach of discipline actually paraded
before n major general OF the United
States army and a member OF the
board OF visitors.
The cadet who one day was TO com
mand n battery had dropped his pipe.
The hot bowl touched his great toe.
and the burning was too much for
even soldiers stolidity, ana he emit
ted a very boyllke Ouch
General Don Carlos Buell. took in the
spectacle and all the glorious humor
OF the situation. His grimpess was
not proof against such sight rs this.
He leaned back against n table and
rOared. and not even the wrath In the
commandments face coUld check his
roaring.
Come general" said the comman-
dant; "let us so. | shall report these
young men for three fragrant viola
tons OF the rifles Of the academy"
General Buell. looked ut the guilty
ones and roarcd again. The comman-
dant led the way out Of the room. but
the culprits heard the laugh of Buell.
all the way through the hall. across /
the area Of barracks, until finally IL
came as Il sor, Of cEuckling echo from
the Office of the guardhouse.
The culprits were confronted with I
the probability Of ahoCt three months
confinement TO quarters and about 4
fifty tours of extra guard duty as re- I
suit of their disregard for discipline. (
They were in the depths for twenty
four hours. and then the list of the J
days delinQuents was read, and, 10.
their names did not appear!
General Don Carlos Buell. had had I
the laugh OF his lifetime. and because !
Of the joy of 1t he had asked the COM 1
mandant 70 spare the offenders.-Chi /
cagO Post