THE 
583 
UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY 
JlT 
WEST POINT. 
BY 
CAPTAIN A. C. T. BOILEAU, 
INTRODUCTORY. 
It is believed that no detailed description of the United States Military 
Academy has ever appeared in the R.A. Institution “ Proceedings,” 
and this being the case, it is hoped that the following account may be 
of interest, especially to officers educated at the Royal Military Academy 
at Woolwich and those otherwise connected with it; and such informa¬ 
tion will be given in this article as to enable a comparison to be made 
between the two Academies which it is thought may be entertaining 
and perhaps profitable. 
For what follows the writer depends on observations made by himself 
on a visit paid to West Point last year, and on extracts taken from 
the anuual “ Report of the Board of Visitors ” and the “ Official 
Register,” which were kindly presented to him by the Superintendent 
of the Academy, Colonel John M. Wilson, of the Engineers. The 
Superintendent remarked that it was always a pleasure to him to wel¬ 
come officers of Her Majesty’s service, and in order to facilitate 
inspection and enquiry told off a Cadet officer (Lieutenant Mott of the 
Artillery) as guide and escort. The writer is also much indebted to 
the verbal explanations afforded by Colonel Peter S. Michie, the 
Professor of Philosophy (to whom he bore a letter of introduction), 
who courteously conducted him through every part of the Academy, 
showed him all that was to be seen, and hospitably entertained him at 
lunch in his own quarters. 
The Academy, its Foundation, Object, and Cost. 
The Academy was founded in 1808 for the purpose of supplying 
highly trained officers for all branches of the United States Army, viz., 
Engineers, Ordnance, Artillery^ Cavalry and Infantry. With the 
12 . VOL. XIX. 78 
