Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 64.djvu/38

34 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 reorganization and increase, there came into the service a very considerable number of commissioned officers who had earned a sort of right to retention in the new army by reason of exceptionally good service as volunteeersvolunteers [sic]. 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 majority 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.