第 15 节
作者:点绛唇      更新:2021-02-19 21:09      字数:9319
  Monday; June 5。Light battery at 5。10 P。M。 A yearling lost his 〃white continuations。〃 Plebes went to parade。
  Tuesday; June 6。Fourth class; entire in French。 Examination written。 Second class; philosophy finished。 First class; mineralogy and geology begun。 Third class; mathematics begun。 Battalion drill at 5。10 P。M。
  Wednesday; June 7。Second class turned out; marched to sea…coast battery at 11 A。M。 Three detachments selected。 Rest marched back and dismissed。 Cavalry drill at 5。10 P。M。 Six second…classmen turned out。 Plebes put in battalion。
  Thursday; June 8。Plebes put on guard。 Pontoon bridging; 5。10 P。 M。
  Friday; June 9。Battalion skirmish drill 5。10 P。M。 Deployed to front at double time。 Second; fourth; and seventh companies reserve。 Almost all manoeuvres at double time。 Deployed by numbers and charged。 Marched in in line; band on right。 Broke into column of companies to the left; changed direction to the right; obliqued to the left; moved forward and formed 〃front into line; faced to the rear。〃 Arms inspected; ammunition returned。 Dismissed。
  Saturday; June 10。Third class; mathematics finished。 Miss Philips sang to cadets in mess hall after supper。 First class; ordnance begun。
  Sunday; June 11。Graduating sermon by Hon。; of Princeton; N。 J。; closing 〃hime;〃 〃When shall we meet again?〃  Graduating dinner at 2 P。M。
  Monday; June 12。Detail from first class to ride in hall。 Use of sabre and pistol on horseback。 First class; ordnance finished。 Law begun。
  Tuesday; June 13。First class finished。 Board divided into committees。 Second class; chemistry begun。 Graduating parade。  Corps cheered by graduates after parade。 Hop in evening; also German; whole continuing till 3 A。M。 Rumor has it two first…classmen; Slocum and Guilfoyle; are 〃found〃 in ordnance and engineering。
  Wednesday; June 14。Fourth class; mathematics begun。 Salute seventeen guns at 10 A。M。 in honor of arrival at post of General Sherman and Colonel Poe of his staff。 Graduating exercises from 11 A。M。 till near 1 P。M。 Addresses to graduates。  Mortar practice and fireworks at night。
  This ended the 〃gala〃 days at West Point in '76。
  Thursday; June 15。Usual routine of duties resumed。 Company drills in the afternoon from 5。10 to 6。10 P。M。 Rather unusual; but we're going to the Centennial。 Rumor has it we encamp Saturday the 17th for ten days。
  Friday; June 16。Dom Pedro; emperador de la Brasil estaba recibiado para un 〃review〃 a las cuatro horas y quarenta y cinco minutos。 El embarcó por la ciudad de Nueva York inmediatemente Second class; chemistry finished。 Third class; French begun。
  Saturday; June 17。Third class; French finished。 Third class; Spanish begun。 〃Camp rumor〃 not true。
  Monday; June 19。Moved into camp; aligned tent floors at 5 A。 M。 in the rain。 Required by order to move in effects at 9 A。 M。; and to march in and pitch tents at 12 M。 Rained in torrents。 Marched in; etc。; at 9 A。M。 Effects moved in afterwards。 Rain ceased by 12 M。 Marched in。 Second class; tactics finished。 Third class; Spanish finished。
  Ordinarily as soon as the examination is over the third class take advantage of the two months' furlough allowed them; while other classes go into camp。 This encampment begins June 17th; or a day or two earlier or later; according to circumstances。 This brings me to the end of the first year。 I have described camp life; and also; I observe; each of the remaining years of cadet life。 On July 1st the plebes become the fourth class; the original fourth the third; the third; now on furlough; the second; and the second the first。 I have given in an earlier part of my narrative the studies; etc。; of these several classes。
  The plebe; or fourth class of the previous year; are now become yearlings; and are therefore in their 〃yearling camp。〃 At the end of every month an extract from the class and conduct report of each cadet is sent to his parents or guardian for their information。 I insert a copy of one of these monthly reports。
  UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY;
  West Point; N。 Y。; March 26; 1875。
  EXTRACT from the Class and Conduct Reports of the MILITARY ACADEMY for the month of February; 1875; furnished for the information of Parents and Guardians;
  THIRD CLASSComposed of 83 Members。
  Cadet Henry O。 Flipper
  Was; in Mathematics。。。。。。。。。No。 48            〃      French。。。。。。。。。。。。。。No。 48            〃      Spanish;。。。。。。。。。。。。No。 37            〃      Drawing。。。。。。。。。。。。。No。 40
  His demerit for the month is 2; and since the commencement of the academic half year; 23。
  Robt。 H。 Hall;                           Captain 10th Infantry;                            Adjutant Military Academy。
  REGULATIONS FOR THE MILITARY ACADEMY。
  Par。 71。When any Cadet shall have a total of numbers 'of demerit' thus recorded; exceeding one hundred in six months; he shall be declared deficient in discipline。
  Par。 153。No Cadet shall apply for; or receive money; or any other supplies from his parents; or from any person whomsoever; without permission of the Superintendent。
  Note。The attention of Parents and Guardians is invited to the foregoing Regulations。  The permission referred to in paragraph 153 must be obtained before the shipment to the cadet of the supplies desired。
  'Tables omitted。'
  CHAPTER VII。
  YEARLING CAMP。
  IN this chapter I shall describe only those phases of cadet life which are experienced by 〃yearlings〃 in their 〃yearling camp。〃
  Beginning July 5th; or as soon after as practicable; the third class receive practical instruction in the nomenclature and manual of the field…piece。 This drill continues till August 1st; when they begin the 〃School of the Battery。〃
  The class attend dancing daily。 Attendance at dancing is optional with that part of the third class called 〃yearlings;〃 and compulsory for the 〃Seps;〃 who of course do not become yearlings till the following September。 The third class also receive instruction in the duties of a military laboratory; and 〃target practice。〃 These instructions are not always given during camp。 They may be given in the autumn or spring。
  Another delight of the yearling is to 〃bone colors。〃 Immediately in front of camp proper is a narrow path extending entirely across the ground; and known as the 〃color line。〃 On the 1st of Augustsometimes before the 〃color line〃 is established; this name being applied also to the purpose of the color line。 This ceremony consists in stacking arms just in rear of the color line; and placing the colors on the two stacks nearest the centre of the line。
  From the privates of the guard three are chosen to guard the stacks and to require every one who crosses the color line or passes within fifteen paces of the colors to salute them。 These three sentinels are known as the 〃colors;〃 or 〃color men;〃 and are numbered 〃first;〃 〃second;〃 and 〃third。〃
  Those are chosen who are neatest and most soldierlike in their appearance。 Cadets prepare themselves specially for this; and they toss up their guns to the adjutant at guard…mounting。 This signifies that they intend competing for 〃colors。〃 The adjutant falls them out after the guard has marched to its post; and inspects them。 Absolute cleanliness is necessary。 Any spot of dirt; dust; or any thing unclean will often defeat one。 Yearlings 〃bone〃 their guns and accoutrements for 〃colors;〃 and sometimes get them every time they toss up。
  A 〃color man〃 must use only those equipments issued to him。 He cannot borrow those of a man who has 〃boned them up〃 and expect to get colors。 Sometimes but rarelyplebes compete and win。
  The inducement for this extra labor is simply this: Instead of being on duty twenty…four hours; color men are relieved from 4 P。 M。 till 8 A。 M。 the next day; when they march off。 They of course enjoy all other privileges given the 〃Old Guard。〃
  〃Sentinels for the Color Line。The sentinels for the color line will be permitted to go to their tents from the time the stacks are broken till 8 A。M。 the following morning; when they will rejoin the guard。 They will be excused from marching to meals; but will report to the officer of the guard at the roll…call for each meal; and also at tattoo and reveille。〃(From Résumé of Existing Orders; U。 S。 C。 C。)
  It is the yearling who does most of the hazing。 Just emerged from his chrysalis state; having the year before received similar treatment at the hands of other yearlings; he retaliates; so to speak; upon the now plebe; and finds in such retaliation his share of enjoyment。
  The practice; however; is losing ground。 The cadets are more generous; and; with few exceptions; never interfere with a plebe。 This is certainly an advance in the right direction; for although hazing does comprise some good; it is; notwithstanding; a low practice; one which manliness alone should condemn。 None need information and assistance more than plebes; and it is unkind to refuse it ; nay; it is even not humane to refuse it and also to haze the asker。 Such conduct; more than any thing else; discourages and disheartens him。 It takes from him all desire to do and earn; to study or strive for success。 At best it can be defended only as being effect