Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1919-09-21

reprjmand him at drill, but always re-
ferred to the IMAM next to Mr.. Smith"
Of the superinterdents of the academy
while SO was there, Brigadier-Gen-
eral Oliver o. Howard and Brevet
Major General Wesley Merritt; Of an
other commandment of cadets, COM
mandant before Hasbrouck. Lieuten-
ant Colonel Henry M. Laxelle; Of all
the cadets Of the class of '86.
He told me Of tobacco being pro-
hibited and how the cadets smuggled
II into barracks and camp and chewed.
II was among the Sinners" the gen.
eral confessed to me. think Jack
was"
GENERAL GRANT VISITS WEST
POINT.
Then he recounted to mo stories Of
men who visited tho academy during
his cadet days, such men as Grant
Snd Mark Twain.
"Nspecially," the general said. docs
the day Grants body, IN a special
train, passed through on the other side
Of the river stand out to me. The
whole corps. save the furlough class,
were ferried across the river to Garri-
son. We were formed along the track.
The funeral train slowed down and as
lIt passed tho long gray line Of us stood
at present arms. It was the most Inn
pressive ceremony ever recall.
Mark Twain's visits stand out clear
in my recollection, too. He came to
the academy twice while Jack and I
were students there. He came on Sat-
urdays. On Saturday night he would
lecture to us. On Sunday he would
visit our barracks, and for q day he
would be cadet with ~. What
stories he would tell
Wonderful days. wonderful days,
those old days at West Point" the
general concluded.
There is another man in Washington
who can tell of Jack Pershing. cadet.
The man is Major-General Frank Nc.
Intyre, assistant chief of STAFF. He
was a classmate of Jack Pershing -
one of the class of 'S6-and he, too,
once roomed with him there, in the
days when 1t was Mac" and Jack. I
talked with General Mcintyre in his
office in the state. war and navy
building All about on his desk were
cablegrams and reports-perhaps from
General Pershing, who knows?
RooMEp WITH PERsHINo.
'Pershing and I roomed together
for short time when we were yearl-
ings," General Mcintyre said to me.
'Pershing was older than most Of
the boys-our senior. He was very
popular, as shown by the fact he was
our choice for class president ever
since.
I'm West Point he was chosen to DO
senior corporal then first sergeant.
then senior cadet captain. He stood
in about the middle Of his class. But
ne was a military man, and the tacti-
cal officers appointed him to those
offices, not because of his standing in
the class, but because of his military
standing and his military bearing.
IF you would really know Pershing.
see General Walcutt. He was PERISH
1ng's particular chum."
Later / talked with General New
conner. He corroborated tho story of
Jack Pershings election to the class
presidency.
Years after his cadet days, at the
time of the 25th reunion of his class
at West Point and when he was Briga-
ldier General Pershing, in command of
the department of Mindanao and gov
fernor of Moro province in the Phil
Nppine Islands, General Pershing
wrote wonderful letter of those days,
q letter rich in Renaissance.
West Point days, long and arduous
as they were when he lived them,
seemed to General John Joseph PERISH
ing, looking back upon them years aft
erwards. all too short.
In the old library at the United
nd
takes time to delve among the lfbrary's
priceless relics, is letter General
Pershing wrote telling of those days
and of Jack Pershing, cadet.
i found the letter, thanks to Sidney
#. Cuthbertson, genial clerk of the
West Point hotel. and Arthur Os-
trander, assistant librarian of the
West Point library. 1t was written
by General Pershing in 1911 upon the
occasion of the 25th reunion of his
class-the class of 'S6-held In West
Point. 1t is a letter of greeting to
the class from him as president of
the class.
At the time General Pershing was a
brigadier general, commander Of the
department of Mindanao and governor
of Moro province. Philippine Islands.
a more human document was never
pndited. One reads it and loves the
man who wrote 1t, the great leader of
Americas army in France.
The letter follows:
GENERAL PERsHING'S LETTER.
Headquarters Department of Min
banao. Zamboanga, Philippine Islands,
March Is, 1911.
ITO the class of 1886, United States
Military Academy, West Point, New
York:
Dear Classmates-The announce
hent in the circular sent out by your
Eommittee, saying I would write a
letter Of greeting to be read at the
llass reunion. imposes upon me very
pleasant obligation. 1t gives me an