34 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



academy itself, and there indeed it is that the foundations of probity 

 in after life are laid. For four long years — with one brief furlough the 

 third year — the West Point cadet seldom if ever leaves the academy at 

 all; collegians have long vacations; the cadet has none; youths in 

 training for business may spend much time with their families; the 

 student at West Point has no such opportunities. Again it is not 

 with him as with others in trade or at most educational institutions, 

 that he is 'under masters.' There are professors and instructors, a 

 commandant and 'tactical officers,' but as to discipline and all matters 

 of moral obligation, the corps of cadets governs itself. From the 

 cadet adjutant and captains to the corporals, and even men-in-the- 

 ranks 'on duty,' each cadet is bound by the strongest of obligations 

 to report violations of regulations. That which would have been 

 called in the large school which I attended in early youth 'telling 

 tales,' is here not only permissible, but an essential part of the 

 academic discipline. Instruction in science, tutelage in the war- 

 course; these go hand in hand; but far more efficient for real and 

 vital education is the constant presence of the spirit of self -training 

 and self-conquest in the molding of true character. 



Other institutions outrank the military academy in perhaps all 

 branches of strictly scientific education; some of the refinements of 

 high culture are neglected, and literary excellence is ignored; but as a 

 school of the art of living it is incomparable, as a school of the science 

 of character it is unique. 



At the close of the war between the states our regular army was 

 left in a somewhat disorganized condition. In the process of re- 

 organization and increase, there came into the service a very con- 

 siderable number of commissioned officers who had earned a sort of 

 right to retention in the new army by reason of exceptionally good 

 service as volunteeers. Many of these new appointments had been 

 high in rank — some even generals — who now were content to act as 

 mere file-closers. Some of these were political appointments, and 

 the most inefficient were in due time weeded out; but by far the ma- 

 jority were men of long experience in the field, well worthy of their 

 commissions. 



At the time of the breaking out of the Spanish war it was these 

 men, appointments either from the army or from civil life, who by 

 the natural process of seniority had arrived at the highest rank, and 

 it was chiefly upon them that the responsibility rested of commanding 

 troops in the ensuing campaigns. The record of these men is so open 

 and so recent that it appears unnecessary to particularize. They made 

 many mistakes, but on the whole their actions were marked with 

 singular skill, and the results that they achieved were remarkably 

 successful. 



