The Raymer enterprise., 1916-08-24
GAl4cD NCEzy1'" "HT NEJT FNZlyT

foint-Grant Fitzhugh Lee, Sherman, Custer and
others-spent happy hours in Benny's retreat
In 1888 Lieut.. Lueins O'Brlen OF the Eighth
United States infantry paid visit to Cadet Ripley
A. Arnold, who was then first classman.
Arnold introduced 0'Bren to Benny Havens a
warm friendship at once springing up between the
two. In the academy at this time were John
Thomas Metcalfe. who after graduation studied
medicine and became one of the foremost surgeons
In the country, and Irwin Mcdowell, who COM
manded the Union forces at the first battle of Bull
Run. Both Metcalfe and Mcdowell were great
friends OF Benny.
Benny IIayens Lieutenant 0Brien Metcalte and
Arnold together composed the original five verses
of the song Benny Hayens, Ohf' and set 1t 10 the
tune of "The Wearing of the Green" An obituary
notice of Doctor Metcalfe says: "He had an early
taste for yersifyng. and with skill at the guitar
and good tenor voice, composed many ditty
TO pass away the idle time. 1t was thus that he
wrote the celebrated song Benny Hayens, ohr"
Ii is not what would be called good poetry. Some
of II is crude. Today there are about 50 verses
almost all of which were composed before Benny's
death In 1si7. Glass after class added verse. In
the waning years of Benny's life almost every
night the cadets sang them through, crowdlng
round Benny. with glasses full while their host led
them with his fiddle and his low clear baryone
This fiddle, by the way. is still In possession Of an
old citizen of Highland Falls
Come. fill your glasses fellows. and stand up in a row.
To singing sentlmentay we're going for 10 go.
In the army there's sobrety, pronotions very slow
So Wen sing "reminiscences Of Benny Hayens OH
Soon came along the Mexican war to furnish in
spration to the cadet poets. Several verses
were added TO the poem in commemoration of the
deeds Of those whose gallantry carried the Amer
lean flag from Vera Cruz to the heights of Chapu-
tepec, overlooking Montezuma's ancient capital
Two of these are.
Here's health to General Taylor. whose rough and
Struck terror to the rancheros of braggart Mexico
May his country ne'er forget his deeds and neer for
She holds him worthy of a place at Benny Havens.
ohi
To the veni. vid. vicir man to Scott the greatest
FIJI the goblet 10 the brim let one shrinking 60
May lfes cares on his honored head fall light flakes
And his lair fame be great at Kenny Havens OH
The civil war saw stressfu times at the Point
and the cadets turned their attention to sterner
things than poetry The ranks of the corps were
thlnned by the loss of the Southerners, who wen,
home to take up the cause of their respective
states Many Of those from the North and Sovth,
who had been friends Of Benny. fell on the field
of glory-Nianassas, Antetam. Gettysburg. the
Wilderness and hundred other places were
stained with the blood of West Pointers.
There was little gayety at Bennys during the
stern four years. for Benny WAS getting old and
the almost daily news of the loss Of his former
friends on the battlefield robbed him Of his old.
time llghtheartedness.
Some OF the verses Of the poem which were writ.
ten just after the war nre lost. There seems to
be only the following ntact:
now.