Macon beacon., 1916-09-01
GZz4RD NCg1yI~".AT NzcW HELNT

Point-Grant Fitzhugh Lee, Sherman, Custer and
others-spent happy hours In Benny's retreat.
In 1888 Lieut.. Lucius OBrien Of the Eighth
United States infantry paid visit to Cadet Ripley
A. Arnold, who was then hrst classman.
Arnold introduced O'Bren to Benny Havens,
warm friendship at once springng 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 Metcafc and Mcdowell were great
friends Of Benny.
Benny Havens, Lieutenant O'Brien Metcalfe and
Arnold together composed the original five verses
of the song Benny Havens OH" and set 1t to the
tune Of "The Wearing of the Green" An obituary
notice of Doctor Metcalfe says: HE had an early
taste for versifying, and with skill at the guitar
and a good tenor voice. composed many ditty
to pass away the idle time. 1t was thus that ne
wrote the celebrated song Benny Havens OhF"
1t Is not what would be called good poetry. Some
Of 1t Is crude. Today there are about 90 verses
almost all Of which were composed before Benny's
death In 1877 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 barytone.
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 row.
To singing sentimentaly we're going for to go.
In the army there's sobrety pronotlons very slow,
So we'll sing our "reminiscences OF Benny HaVens Oh!
Soon came along the Mexican war to furnish In
spiration to the cadet poets. Several verses
were added to the poem In commemoraton OF the
deeds of those whose gallantry carried the Amer
lean flag from Vera Cruz to the heights of Chapul-
tepec overlooking Montezuma's ancient capital.
Two of these are:
Struck terror to the rancheros of braggart Mexico
May his country neer forget his deeds and ne er tor
sbs holds s. him worthy of a place at Benny Havens,
To the "veni. vid vci," man to Scott the greatest
Fill the goblet to the brim, let shrinking go;
May fes cares on his honored heao 1a hsht as ahes
And his ;air fame be great at Benny Havsns Obi
The civil war saw stressful times at the Point
and the cadets turned their attention to sterner
things than poetry. The ranks of the corps were
thinned by the loss of the Southerners who went
home to take up the cause of their respective
states. Many of those from the North and South,
who had been friends of Benny, fell on the field
of glory-Manassas, Antetam, Gettysburg, the
wilderness and q 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
ame llghtheartedness.
Some Of the verses of the poem which were writ
ten Just after the war are lost There seems to
be only the following intact:
To the army's brave commanders let nov our glasses