Travels Through North America Part 7

We delayed too long with the Shakers to follow our plan of previously visiting Lebanon springs, and reach Albany the same day. We consequently gave up this design and returned to Albany; we were overtaken by the night, and a storm. It was so dark, that the driver could scarcely find the way; he therefore took a lantern against my advice. This was extinguished, and we were in a still worse situation. Two miles from Greenbush the driver left the road, went to the right towards a slope, and almost threw the stage entirely over; it fell on the right side, and my head and arm were injured, though but slightly. On my right side I was much more hurt, and one of my ribs was actually broken, as it was afterwards discovered. Mr. Tromp had his head and one of his hands injured. As we had no baggage, and were but two miles from Greenbush, we resolved to leave the stage where it was, and walked to Greenbush. At about eleven o'clock we reached the river. Not a soul was in the street; the lights were all extinguished, and the ferry boats were on the other side of the river. Our shouting was of no avail; the pain in my side also prevented me from calling. In about half an hour, however, the stage arrived, which the driver had raised with the help of some farmers; and he made such a terrible noise, that at last, after waiting an hour, the ferry boats came to take us to Albany. In riding through the city the jolting of the stage gave me much pain. On leaving the stage at twelve o'clock I could scarcely speak or walk on account of my side, which I had also injured two years previously, on my pa.s.sage from Ostend to London, and since that time it had constantly retained a painful sensation.

The next morning I awoke with such dreadful pain in my right side, that I could scarcely move in bed. The obliging Sir Michael Clare gave me every a.s.sistance. He opened a vein in my arm, took sixteen ounces of blood, gave me a purgative, and ordered embrocations to the side, by which treatment the pain had so much abated in the afternoon, that I could move with more ease. I was, however, confined the whole day to my bed. The Van Rensselaer family showed me much attention. On the second day I could indeed leave the bed, but still not continue my journey. On the third day, September 16th, Sir Michael and Lady Clare left Albany for Boston, whence they were going to New York. My pains had not much abated, but I nevertheless resolved to proceed to New York, as I had read in the papers that the Pallas had arrived there, and as I wished to receive the attendance of Dr. Schilett. I was indeed obliged to relinquish my design of seeing Catskill Mountains, but thought of stopping at West Point to visit the military school.

At ten o'clock we embarked on board the steam-boat Richmond. The banks of the Hudson are very handsome, and here and there well cultivated.

From Albany to New York it is one hundred and forty-four miles, and to West Point ninety-six. Hudson, a place twenty-seven and a half miles from Albany, which we reached at noon, seems to be very handsome and lively. We remarked in the harbour several sloops, and on sh.o.r.e some brick stores, five stories high. On the opposite side of the river lies Athens, between which and Hudson there seems to be much communication kept up by a team-boat. A very low island in the middle of the stream between the two places rendered this communication somewhat difficult at first, as vessels were obliged to make a great circuit. To avoid this inconvenience, a ca.n.a.l was cut through the island, through which the team-boat now pa.s.ses with ease and rapidity. This place affords a very fine view of the lofty Catskill Mountains.

About eleven o'clock at night we arrived at West Point, on the right side of the Hudson, and landed at a wharf furnished with a sentry-box.

An artillerist, who stood sentinel, examined us. I afterwards discovered that this rule was made on account of the visits which the cadets receive. We were obliged to ascend a somewhat steep road in order to reach the house, which is prepared for the reception of strangers.

A small but very clean room was prepared for us. The building belongs to the government, and is designed for the mess-room of the officers and cadets. The purveyor for this table is bound by contract with government to keep several chambers with beds in order, for the reception of the relations of the cadets, and thus a kind of inn arose.

The morning after our arrival we paid an early visit to lieutenant-colonel Thayer, superintendent of the military school, and were received in a very friendly manner. He has presided over this school eight years. It was founded in 1802, during the presidency of Jefferson. Colonel Thayer has entirely remodelled this inst.i.tution.

During his travels in Europe he visited the French military schools, and has endeavoured to make this resemble the polytechnic school. But he will find it difficult to equal this once celebrated school, as with the best will in the world he cannot find in this country such excellent professors as were a.s.sembled in that inst.i.tution. The cadets, whose number may amount to two hundred and fifty, but at the last examination consisted of two hundred and twenty-one, are divided into four cla.s.ses for the purposes of instruction. They are received between the ages of fourteen and twenty, undergo an examination before they enter, and must then pa.s.s a probationary term of half a year, during which time the mathematics are chiefly studied. After six months the young men are examined on the instruction which they have received, and those only who pa.s.s this ordeal continue in the school; the others are dismissed.

Instruction is communicated gratuitously to the cadets, each of whom receives monthly eight dollars from government as wages. A public examination of the cadets takes place every year at the end of June, by a commission, appointed by the secretary of war. This commission consists of staff-officers from the army and navy, members of congress, governors of states, learned men, and other distinguished citizens.

After this examination, the best among those who have finished their course are appointed as officers in the army; the very best may choose the corps in which they wish to serve. The others receive stations, according to their capacity, in the following order: engineers, artillerists, infantry, marines. Should even these corps have the necessary number of officers, these young men as supernumeraries, receive full pay. At the examinations also, the cadets advance from one cla.s.s to another. The names of the five best in each cla.s.s are made known in the newspapers, and also printed in the army list, which appears every year. This is certainly an encouraging arrangement, and worthy of imitation.

The discipline of the cadets is very rigid; they leave the school only as officers, on which account their noviciate in the corps of cadets serves as a practical school of pa.s.sive obedience. The punishments consist of arrest, which, however, does not interrupt the course of instruction; but when a case occurs that a cadet is to be punished a second time for the same fault, he is dismissed. The same takes place when after two public examinations he has not learned enough to advance into a higher cla.s.s.

The day is thus divided in this school:--

_From day-break till sunrise._ --Reveille at day-break--roll-call after reveille--cleaning of rooms, arms and dress--half an hour after roll-call, inspection of the rooms.

_From sunrise till seven o'clock._ --First cla.s.s, military engineering.

--Second, natural and experimental philosophy. --Third and fourth, mathematics.

_From seven till eight o'clock._ --Breakfast at seven o'clock. --Parade at half past seven.--Cla.s.s parade at eight o'clock.

_From eight till eleven o'clock._ --First cla.s.s, recitations and engineer and military drawing.--Second, natural and experimental philosophy.--Third and fourth, mathematical recitations.

_From eleven till twelve o'clock._ --First cla.s.s, lectures on engineer and military sciences. --Second, lectures on natural and experimental philosophy. --Third and fourth, mathematical studies.

_From twelve till one o'clock._ --First cla.s.s, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, lectures on chemistry applied to mechanics and the arts, or mineralogy and geology. --Tuesday, Thursday, and Sat.u.r.day, studies on the same subjects. --Second, Tuesday, Thursday, and Sat.u.r.day, lectures on chemistry. --Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, studies on the same subject. --Third, French recitations.--Fourth, French studies and recitations.

_From one till two o'clock._ --Dinner very plain and frugal at one o'clock--recreation after dinner till two o'clock.

_From two till four o'clock._ --First cla.s.s, studies and recitations in geography, history, belles lettres and national laws. --Second, landscape and topographical drawing. --Third, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, drawing of the human figure--Tuesday and Thursday, studies of the French language. --Fourth, French studies and recitations.

_From four o'clock till sunset._ --Military exercises--inspection of the dress and roll-call at sunset.

_From sunset till half an hour later._ --Supper immediately after parade--signal to go to the rooms immediately after the supper.

_Half an hour after sunset till half past nine._ --First cla.s.s, studies on engineer and military sciences. --Second, studies on natural and experimental philosophy. --Third and fourth, mathematical studies.

_From half past nine till ten o'clock._ --Retreat beat at half past nine--roll-call immediately after--signal to extinguish the lights and inspection of the rooms at ten o'clock.

TABLE

_Of the Sciences taught and the Books used at West Point._

============================================================== First Cla.s.s. Course of fourth year.

-------------------------------------------------------------- SCIENCES.

PARTICULAR SUBJECTS.

TEXT BOOKS.

============================================================== _Engineering._ INSTRUCTORS.

Capt. Dougla.s.s.

Lieut. Mordecai.

Artillery tactics.

Field and permanent fortifications.

Civil and military architecture and constructions.

Treatise on the Sciences of War and Fortification, by Guy de Vernon.

Traite des Machines, par Hachette.

Programme d'un Cours de Construction, par Sganzin.

-------------------------------------------------------------- _History and belles-lettres._ Rev. Mr. M'Ilvaine, Chaplain.

Geography.

History.

Moral philosophy.

Laws of nations.

Morse's Geography.

Tytler's Elements of General History.

Paley's Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy.

Vattel's Law of Nations.

-------------------------------------------------------------- _Chemistry and Mineralogy._ Dr. Torrey.

Lieut. Prescott.

Application of chemistry to the arts.

Cleveland's Treatise on Mineralogy and Chemistry.

-------------------------------------------------------------- _Tactics._ Major Worth.

Capt. Hitchc.o.c.k.

Lieut. C. Smith.

Lieut. Kinley, teacher of the Artillery.

Platoon--battalion--school and line-evolutions.

Exercises and manuvres of artillery Rules and Regulations for the Field-exercise and Manuvres of Infantry.

Lallemand's Treatise on Artillery.

============================================================== 2nd Cla.s.s. Course of 3rd year.

-------------------------------------------------------------- SCIENCES.

PARTICULAR SUBJECTS.

TEXT BOOKS.

============================================================== _Natural and Experimental Philosophy._ Prof. Mansfield.

Lieut. S. Smith.

Lieut. Parrot.

Statistic, dynamic, hydrostatic, hydrodynamic, pneumatic.

Magnetism, electricity, optics, astronomy.

Gregory's Treatise of Mechanics.

Newton's Principia.

Enfield's Inst.i.tutes of Natural Philosophy.

-------------------------------------------------------------- _Chemistry._ Chemical philosophy.