The Penn's Grove record., 1917-12-28
REcoLLEcTIoNs OF SOME OF
THE COMMANDERS WHEN
AT WEST POINT.
KENYON WAS VERY POPULAR
Sage, Given Medal for Personal Gal
iantry in Battle, Was Quiet and
Placid Youth - Close Call That
"Sam" sturgis Had.
BY EDWARD B. CLARK.

~ AALJOA 81
erals or ~brigadier generals in com
mand in France, or in command of
environments or brigades in the United
States, recollection goes back to cadet
days at West Point and particularly to
two divisions of cadet barracks in
which We're quartered the members Of
Company D Of the corps of STRIPPING
soldiers.
In the two divisions-"divs'' the boys
called them - lived as cadets at the
same time certainly 10 or 20 present
major and brigadier generals OF the
United States army. Today as a eli
william one can write something of
these men whom he knew while living
the cadet soldier life with them, years
ago as time runs, but seemingly only
yesterday so sharp is memory of those
fine days of boyhood.
Maj. Gen. Thomas II. Barry has
been relieved of the command of Camp
Grant, Rockford, Ill, to be sent TO an
other field of high duty and his place,
temporarily at least, and perhaps per-
manently, has been taken by Brig. Gen.
~. W. v. hennOn
kennon Has Fine Record.
Justice will rule at Camp Grant I'M
der General Kennon, as it ruled there
under General Barry. Kennon's career
has been a noted enc ever since he
entered the United States Military aca-
denny, where he won his way to popu-
larity among his fellows before he had
been two weeks in plebe m
One gets no real inside knowledge
OF the fine service of L. w. v. Ken
non from the rigid outlines of his mill
fary history as contained In the gov
ernment's records. On many a battle
Held he has shown conspicuous per
sonal g%allantry in every duty of the
time OF peace which he had been call
ed upon to perform he has met the
strictest requirements of every case
and has won the commentator of au-
thority. He Is a soldier trusted and a
mar beloved.
In the room next to Kennon in old
ID company's quarters at West Point
lived Cadets Joseph T. Dickman and
Joseph A. CASTOR. Cadet Dickman-
so time has jumped along-is now a
major general in command of a camp
almost in hailing distance of that over
which kennon exercises control. Dick
mar is a major general commanding
p 65th division of the National Army
at Camp Custer, Michigan. CASTOR al
so has risen to general rank.
Memory has it, and memory in some
cases is pretty tenacious, thai Cadets
kennon and Dickman one day went
together, heads up, to a pretty heavy
punishment for what in a college
would be thought a picayune offense.
but at West Point brought in it's wake
rather severe punishment. Nothing but
animal spirits, but the extinguisher
temporarily had to be put on, and the
authorities did it as they do it every
day in the Hudson river school where
the discipline grinds.
In the same division of barracks. and
close comrades with these three gen.
officers of the army named. lived
Maj. Gen. Clarence r. Edwards. fuIl
Of the meat of mischief in his own he
nair as a cadet and who now COM
mands, If n may write 1t, a division
Of troops Somewhere in France"
Bravery Of Quiet Sage.
In the same quarter of barracks
lived Cadet William Fl. Sage, now a
major general commanding the seth
division Of National Guard troops.
was a quiet youth of placid de-
meanor, steady going walking straight
Tally the line of discipline and refrain
ng on most occasions from the temp
lati0ns to jump the line. Sage was of
grave and quiet kind and his an
D~earanee perhaps did moi suggest the
wonderful soldier qualities which later
proved to possess. He wears the
congressional medal of honor for con-
'picu0us personal g~allantry in the face
the enemy. With six men he held
III a host of insurrectos in the Phil
ppines, killing five of the enemy yir-
'ually In a hand to hand fight. while
our of his little command were living
wounded at his feet.
wear helghDor TO those whose names
gone before were Cadets Charles
J. Treat, Frederick s. Strong, and
samuel ID. Sturgis, all today major !
generals in command of thousands of /;
roops. Perhaps "Sam" Sturgis would
lot like to have it recalled to his mind J
oday, but / have a distinct ~recollec- !
of making a foray in company
nth him and one or two other cadets +,
hto the quarters of some plebes who {
ad reported In September, and there I
lille ministering gently to their discf- /
liDary needs was surprised by a visit
a yearling corporal who, If be (
ad taken a black view of his duty to I
Is God and his country, probably
'ould have reported the whole bunch
{ us for hazing, and II this fell thing
81 happened there is a chance that '
furgis today might not be command c
~ +<<-# Um4kE xT4~f@f&-