Year: 1869

ana immediate advantage you do not drift into some
slde EDDY, there to whir about ike useless piece
OF drift-woOd. Let your thoughts and aim always
keep in view some practical. useful end know
that there exists many good men VINO honestly oe.
leve that one may by the aid OF modern science, SIT


In comfort and ease in his cushioned office char,


with little blocks of wood 70 represent men, or with


ana aigeprae aS; anu idions and mos


dangerous mistake Science may test 10 pounu


the strain upon every chord and brace and rod OF


the most complicated structure or II may separate


the component parts OF every mineral; but 1t can


not penetrate the hearts Of men, The soldier In the


ranks Is not block of wood or mere unit. He is


man like yourselves full of feeling and passion vary


ing in size and strength and all the attributes


OF manhood. AS one man varies from another, SO


bodies OF men vary still more, while certain charac-


teristics pervade them ALL The only schools where


war and its kindred sciences be properly learned
mountains or at the Rynear Forts, where the army
Is You must understand men, without which your
past knowiedge were vain. You must come COM: INTO INTO
and labors, share their vicissitudes. study
their habits, impress yourself on them and be I'M
pressed by them until they realize that you
not only possess more book knowledge than they,
but that you equal, II not surpaSS them In all the
qualities OF manhood-in riding, in swimming In
enduring the march and biv0uac, in the sagaclty OF
the woodman and hunter, and what Is most import.


ant OF all, you must acquire that great secret OF


human control by which masses OF men are led 10


deeds OF Infinite courage and heroism. Rome was


great and glorious when her ieglonS could march


tGer IN zen leagues aay aha carry Try 'ne @


sought honor at the head OF those iegons In the


forests OF transalpine Gaul and Germany; but she


declined when these same cOusuS sought ease and


luxury in her marble palaces or in those exquisite


villas which her poets and philosophers have made


immortal. India and the colonies have been


to England a rare school for generals, and


the national sports OF riding and hunting and


yachting have preserved the physical superiority of


her youth in spite OF the home comforts and luXurieS


Of the great mass OF her people. No modern nation


possesses better military academies than France yet


trained some OF her best modern generals In our


favored country you have every stimulus possible to


develop, SO essential to success IN our chosen


profession OF arms. The whole seacoast and


northern lakes invite you to outdoor eXer-


else in boating ana fishing The waters OF Florida


ana Texas swarm with fish, and their woods and


fields abound in deer and wild game. The great


plains are lively with the Sioux, the Cheyenne and


Arapahoe, and vast herds OF buffalo, OF which you


AFFORD an endless range to the mountain sheep, the


black tan deer the elk and antelope and the ar-on


and cinnamon bears to dare TO The encounter


In which you are destined to learn many hard les


son Of patience and endurance and 1t is from these


schools that look for the men who are to lead our


friends familiar with XenophOn, Hume and Jomlnl in


which Of these books l had learned the


s9 al ads and ey on aaa d


when | answered that | was not aware


that had been influenced BY any OF them. told


them what now tell you In all simplicity and TRUTH


that when was Young lieutenant OF artillery had


often hunted deer in the swamps OF the EdistO, the


cooper ana SdIlIeS, anu udu seen Wltll Ihp OWN


eyes that they could be passed with wagons that in


the spring OF 1874 had ridden on horseback from


Marietta, Ga. to the valley Of the Tennessee ana


back 10 Augusta, passing In my course over the very


field of Alatoona, OF kenesaw and Atlanta when


afterward It fell TO my share to command armies


and to utilize the knowledge thus casually gained


Again, In ls49 and 1850 in California. and saw


arrive across that wild belt OF two thousand miles OF


uninhabed country the caravans OF emgrants.


composed OF men, women and children, who reached


their destination in health and strength; and when


we used to start on Journey OF thousand
coll OF dIed meat and sack of parched corn
meal as food With this knowledge Iarly acquired
IN actual experience; was there any need for me to
look back TO Alexander the Great to Marlborough
Napoleon for examples Would | not rather have
miles OF Inhabited country that lay between me and
been worthy Of censure had l hesitated,
when duty called, to conduct well orga-
nzed army thoroughly equipped and abun-
dainty supplied, across the lew hundred
army rule that every otfcer should serve with
MS company for at least three years be-
or for staf detail. This rule founded in expe-
rence, dating far back into the history of our an
cestors aud Tor this rule entertain profound re-
spect that some OF YOU may have 10 complain OF
hereafter, Dut honestly believe that great and I'M


portant "a have been the lessons you have learned


at West Point, that those you mus, acquire in the


first four years OF actual service In the army Will be
equally important, and will have more direct infiu
ence on your individual fame and fortunes. Do noun
derstand me as undertaking. educationin any form,
most OF all IN the manner pursued here. that which
results from careful study OF history ana prece-
dents, but that | attach equal importance TO that
practical knowledge that can only be acquired by |
actual contact with men, IN camp, on the picket line
and on the march, a. also in the administration OF
affairs by which an army Is enlisted, organized. |
clothed, equipped paid and handed in battle. If |
any one OF you suddenly called on to manage \
steam engine in perfect order doubt If you would
Ike TO undertake Ii, though you profess 10 under
stand the functions Of all s parts and the principles
u science by which they are governed. An |
army is mucn more complicated machine than a |
steam engine 1t Is composed OF an infinite variety
Of parts, each unit being OF flesh and blood. requr-
ing food and clothing arms. ammunition, wagons,
tents and almost everything natural aud manufac-
tured 1t Is held together by an organ nzation and
discipline demanding great knowledge and labor,
moved into action by causes more powerful than
steam and 30 intimately connected with the whole |
agement would result IN "a catastrophe more |
fatal than could result from the explo- |
sion OF any steam engine. Even In time OF peace
and equilibrium our army demands the watchfui |
care OF trained and skiful officers and when aroused
TO acton II calls for the exercise OF the highest quail
tiles OF human nature, enlightened by study aud for
titled by the experience OF lifetime. You may
hear OF men born as generals: but have yet TO see
the first one who has not been compelled to earn
his fame by hard study, by toll and exposure and
should as soon look for an experienced surgeon
among students or lawyer nt to manage case
IN the Superior Court OF the United states who had
not passed through long training In the inferior
courts, as TO find an officer t to command army
In the field who had not passed through the ordeal
IN the minor grades OF our profession OF course
army may lie used and Is constantly used In connec-
ton no with the civil civic aaEans!raton u government,
use. The habits OF Its Component parts should be
shaped 70 that end, more especially time Of peace
when there are 80 many disturbing causes at work
and when the pretensons and boasts Of men capnot
be subjected to that stern test WHICH 50 promptly
proves the true from The false Many OF you may
lead long and active lie Without witnessing great
battle or even engaging In mortal strife; yet II II
come upon you and ina YOU unprepared you vii
surely be adJudged dereict ana condemned accord
ingly hope therefore, that you realize that you
NAYS QQl{ RfgYn the study and labors OF your pro-
lfssion NlW f0u have only acquired by four years
H hard Hudy at West Point practical use
OF It's rudinents. Yet these rudiments are
deemed by all men, civilians a. well as soldiers,
SO important that the government OF the United
states has founded this national academy at great
cost and has maintained 1t for than fty years
through good report and through evil report and
believe II will continue 10 foster and support IL II the


graduates will, heretofore, display In their lives
the virtues common 10 all professions, and especially
that ardent, deep devotion 70 our national nag
which has made II proud emblem over the whole
surface OF this globe. And now, my young
friends I will conclude by repeating That your
race In the great contest OF LIE has