Year: 1869

Il ia quite probable even II all the members OF the
class succeed in graduating with full nonors Whlch
be act down on the records of the army Of the
smallest classes which has gone forth from west
Point. have 1t from good authority. however, that
IN the examination it Will make up FOR paucity OF
members by showing high order or merit from the
first OF the ve '.stars' To the last OF the bloody
Sixth" that will be astonishing to the unsophis'i
Gated. .


There Is nevertheless one thng npoa. sne casd
good evidence oil which may possibly be given at
the examination notwithstanding the hopes that are
entertained by Its friends that II Will surpass
all its predecessors in point OF merit. You
are doubtless aware that heretofore the lucky
fellows VINO oses in the Engineer coTps and
ever since the 'star custom was established up TO


short time ago. to be OF this fve was the greatest
ambition OF every cadet who ever had any pretension
OF standing among the leaders OF his class To have
suggested to one Of these expectants the possibility
Of his joining the artillery or the cavalry branch OF
the service would have been very serious anront
why he had the most sovereign contempt for both:
True, the prospect OF command OF q patsery Oh
future, had certainly ts attractions; but what was
that to be compared with the dignity OF being an en-
such nice time OF 1t, IN forming stockades, throw
ing or dsmantlng pontoon bridges, or constructing
field fortincations works OF siege ana te IKE & 6e s
rank In the armys And the class OF 1869 had It's
expectant FIVE when 1t entered the Academy
and even up to few short months ago.
Just az every other class had before It,
and 1t certainly had the same diskes II u had the
same aspirations But the reorganization OF the
army nIpped the latter in the bud and 10y the clause
that followed every nook and every corner In the
engineer and ordnance corps was 1llled. Inere now
remains no vacancy in either branch, ana the pros
pect is that there Will he for years TO come. Ii
will thus be tnat the only branches open TO the
and the poor fellows who have all along been work.
ing 40 hard to become engineers must needs gulp
spe and eI' If that viii Console them any mourn m
wardly over the il-fated star that doomed them TO
West Point year too late to SUIT Their ambition
NAV here remark that the reorganization Of the
army, which has caused such downfall or
long treasured hopes In the graduating
class, IL q subject animadverted upon In the most
savage manner by many Of the army officers whom
nave spoken to on the subject here Their rage at
the scheme which turned out Of the army men who
mad been educated to the art OF war, and who had
served the army for twenty or more years, knows
no bounds They do not complain Of the reorgani-
zation much as that, IN the carrying out OF Its
details, commands OF regiments were given TO men
who commenced their soldier life only ut the break
ing ont OF the late war, TO the exclusion OF those
VINO nad entered the army at West Point when mere
boys and mad adopted the LIE as profession
Strange to say they do not blame General Grant FOR
the manner In which the change was made; and
although they do not, or dare not, say SO, believe
General Sherman Is the man whom IN their heart OF
With the aexpectants' OF the corps OF cadets and
majority OF the officers In hun over the reofganza
ton one can easily imagine the delightful state oil
The military feeling here on the question.


THE COMING SEASON


VIII undoubtedly be brilliant one. In the matter



fully as much as the gentlemen, there Will be, first
IN order grand ball, which Is TO be rendered TO the
graduating class by the class OF 1870 Then there
Will be hops at the two hotels every other night
when OF course, as OF DID, the unmarried ladies
will have an opportunity 10 display their wnsome
ways in manner which has by cons iant practice
for years past bv the same persons been known to
DE so destructive the peace OF mind OF the hand.
some cadets. Then the delightful society OF the
graduates at balls and walks and rides, which the
falr sex will monopoze; the boat races between the
first three classes; the reviews, the parades-
In fact, the iOu ensemble OF everything
gay aud attractive that goes to make ny
season at West Point VIII certainly
give an air OF fesivity To that ordinarily quiet
post which 1t has not known before In many years,
excepting, by the way, the occasion when the mid
snIpmcn came up the river and taught the cadets
many lcsson IN the art Of driving and dining With
out Rettng under the weather. Besides. Cen
erals Grant anu sherman are to be here some time
curing tue examinations, and the latter, II am not
mlsiniormed, VIII deliver the address to the crai-
ates. Ths or Itself will be an attractive novelty for
sherman VIII say something new.-whch IL some.
thing that has not been said in any OF the an
Dnal addresses for decade pas,. Indeed 1 dare
say II sherman actually dares TO do this thing
OF getting out OF the old beaten paths troddei
by his oratOral predecessors he will bs
par1oncd for his participation In the army re-
organization business without mental reserva
tion on the part or single gray coat In speak
eng Of the attractions that the 'seasonu will nave
u may not be out Of place TO mention the band d