The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1906-11-30
A WEST POINT STORY
ODD INCIDENT THAT MADE GENERAL
BUELL. BREAK A RECORD.
A Fragrant Breach of Discipline That
Was Grotesaue Enough to Make the
General Who Never Laughed Roar
In spite of His Grimness.

Mt Shiloh, some military Critics nOIu,
saved General Grant from defeat, was
known in the old army as THE man
who can't laugh" General Buell. was
not grave merely he was grim. Yet
two yearling cadets at West Point
made General Buell. break a record
1t was hot on the plateau above the
waters of the Hudson. hotter than the
cheek Of a fieldpiece that has been III
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
ouartered 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 a 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 10y 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 % de-
gress. In the room In which the two
cadets were quartered doubtless 1t
stood 10 degrees higher.
There had been one morning inspec-
ton OF quarters by an army officer, ana
the two yearlings. gaspng for breath
In n 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 had stood the ordeal of the exam
inging board at 8 O'clock, and. with no
studies in hand, they thought they were
bafe 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 Mt the head OF his bunk.
In other words the cadet room ana the
cadets person were TO be properly or
dered and properly orrayed for inspec-
ton.
"It's hot" said the cadet who was to
become an artillery officer.
"It's hotter than 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 n
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 clink OF n sword heard
In the hallway. It's sound brought con
sternation. An inspection was on. Be
fore the two yearings had time to
think there was a rap, and the door
was thrown open, and In came, not the
ordinary second lieutenant inspecting
officer. but Lieutenant Colonel Henry
NJ. Iazelle. commandant OF cadets, and
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 If they'd had any trousers on.
The future artillcryman 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 LaZcllc turned
purple with rage at this gracclcss
breach of discipline actually paraded
before n major general of the United
States army and n 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 a soldiers stolidity, and he emit
ted a very boylke "Ouch"
General Don Carlos Buell. took in the
spectacle and all the glorious humor
of the situation. His grimncsS was
not proof against such sight as this.
He leaned back against n table and
roared, and not even the wrath in the
commandants face could check his
roaring.
"Come, general" said the comman-
dant; "let us go. l shall report these
young men for three fragrant viola-
tions Of the rules of the academy"
General Buell. looked at the guilty
ones and roared 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 a sort of chuckling echo from
the Office Of the guardhouSe.
The culprits were confronted with
the probability Of about three months
n. a.. ,..I II.