Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1906-12-20
WEST POINT STORY
ODD INCIDENT THAT MADE GENERAL
5UELL BREAK A RECORD.

st Shiloh. some military critics hold,
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
TIVE yearling cadets at West Point
made General Buell. break a record.
Ii was hot on the plateau above the
waters OF the Hudson, hotter than the
cheek of a heldPiece that has been in
action, so hot that the leaves on the
elm tree shriyeIcd and the feet Of the
pacing sentries burned from contact
with the only paved path on the gov
eminent reservation.
The plehes had reported ana were
quartered In two divisions Of barracks,
the upper class men having been turn
ed out 70 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 % mess hall, to aca-
demic building and 10 barracks. 1t
was 10 O'Clock i'm 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 80 de
gress. In the room in which the two
cadets were quartered doubtless il
stood 40 degrees higher.
There had been one morning inspec-
ton of quarters by an army officer, and
the two yearlings, gasplng for breath
In a 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 . 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 IL o'clock. He was not
be neatly piled at the head of his bunk.
In other words, the cadet room and the
person were TO be properly or
dered and properly arrayed for inspec-
ton.
Its hot" said the cadet who was to
become an artillery officer.
Its 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
"T'd like to smoke" said the future
as he threw himself on
Dne Of the mattresses.
I'm going to smoke" said his COM
rade.
And lnstanter pipes were lighted, and
the Don began filing with fragrant
blue fog.
There was a clink Of a sword heard
the hallway. Its sound brought con-
An inspection was on. Be
fore the two yearlings 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. Lazelle, commandment Of cadets, and
Major General Don Carlos Buell., Unit
ID States army.
Discipline strikes In. The two cul-
prit cadets sprang to attention In
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
n n sock, and In this attire he was
one sock the better OF his comrade.
They stood there rigid. The position
of a soldier was never better main
Commandant Lazelle turned
with rage at this graceless
breach of discipline actually paraded
before a major general Of the United
States army and a member of the
board of visitors.
The cadet who one day was to COM
nand a battery had dropped his pipe.
The hot bowl touched his great toe. |
and the burning was too much for
'ven a soldiers stolidity, and he emit
ed a very boylike 'Ouchr'
General Don Carlos Buell. took In the
spectacle and all the glorious hmmor
b situation. His grimness was
proof against such a sight as this.
leaned back against a table and
Dared, and not even the wrath In the
'ommandants face could check his
Come, general" said the comman-
liant; '1et us go. l shall report these
voung men for three fragrant VIOLA
ions Of the rules Of the academy"
General Buell. looked at the guilty
mes and roared again. The comman-
amt led the way cut Of the ROOM, but
he culprits heard the laugh Of Buell.
VI the way through the hall. across
no area Of barracks, until finally it
anne as q sort of chucklins echo from
he ONCE Of the guardhouse.
The culprits were confronted with
probability Of about three months
'onfnement to quarters and about
ny tours Of extra guard duty as a re
Of their disregard for discipline. |
Chey were In the depths for twsnty-
or hours. ana then the Hst Of the
AVS delinQuents wa read, and, 10.
Aeir names did not appeArIs
General DON Carries Buell. had had
No laugh Of 10 lifetime, and because
8 the Joy Of Il hs had asked the com