Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-12-13
A WEST POINT STORY
ODD INCIDENT THAT MADE GENERAL
eUELL DReAK A RECORD.

General Who Never Laughed Roar
In Spite OF His Grfmncsa.
General Buell.. whose timely arrival
at Shiloh, some military critics hold,
saved General Grant from defeat, wus
known In the old army US 1.-THE man
who can't laugh" General Buell. was
not grave merely; he was grim. Yet
two yenrling cadets ut West Point
made General Buell. break u record.
1t was hot OH the plateau above the
waters of the Hudson. hotter than the
check of n tieldpiecc that has been in
, action. SO hot tlat the leaves OH the
elm tree shrivcled aud the feet of the
pacing sentries burned from contact
with the only paved path OH the gov
ernmeut reservation.
The plcbcs had reported and were
qua"tcred in two divisions of barracks.
the upper class men having been turn
ell out to share quarters with their
comrades In the other divisions.
The June examinations were on.
The hoard of visitors. of which Gen
cral Buell. was member. had paid its
perfunctory visits to mess hill, to aca-
dcmic building and TO barracks. 1t
was 10 O'Clock in the morning. Two
cadets had been thrown by fntc and
by the arrival OF the plebcs 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 were Qunrtcrcd doubtless 1t
stood 10 degrees higher
There had been one morning inspec-
tion OF quarters by an army officer, and
The two yearlings. iSasping for breath
in room into which the sun beat with
10 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
nglng 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
he neatly piled at tho head Of his bunk.
In other words the cadet room and the
cadets person were to he properly Or
dcred and properly nrrayed for inspec-
ton.
ats hot" snid the cadet who was to
become an artillery officer.
Its hotter than that" said his com.
radc.
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 a
Wifi of breeze, grateful though heat
laden.
SID like TO smoke" said the future
artlllerymnn us he threw himself on
one of the mattresses.
I'm going to smoke" said his COM
radc.
And lnstantcr pipes were lighted, and
the room began filling with fragrant
blue fog
There was II cllnk of sword heard
In the hallway. Its sound brought con-
stcrnatlon. An inspection was on. Be.
fore the two ycarlings 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
NJ. Lazelle. commandment of cadets, and
Major General Don Carlos Buell., Unit
cd 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 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 mnin-
tanned. Commandant I.azelle turned
breach of discipline actually paraded
before n mnjor general of the United
States army and member of the
board Of visitors.
The cadet who Que day was to com.
!nand battery had dropped his pipe.
The hot bowl touched his great Toe,
and the burning was too much for
even soldiers stolidity. and he emit
ted very boylike OUCH
General Don Carlos Buell. took In the
spectacle md all the glorious humor
of the situation. His glimness was
, not proof against such n sight as 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 go. shall report these
young men for three fragrant viola
tons Of the rules of the academy"
General Buell. looked at the guilty
ones and ronred ngain. The commnn-