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In 1812 Congress passed a law greatly increasing the Military Academy, but through the hostility and mismanagement of the then Secretary of War, one Dr. William Eustis, nothing was done to carry out its ample provisions.

On the 30th of September, 1812, Cadet Charles S. Merchant reported for duty at West Point; the acting Superintendent Captain Alden Partridge and the newly arrived "plebe" then constituted the whole of the magnificent Military Academy, which under the existing law was to consist of two hundred and sixty cadets, one Professor of Engineering, one of Natural Philosophy, and one of Mathematics (each with an assistant), one teacher of French and one of Drawing

Cadet Merchant was at once admitted without inquiry into his mental or physical qualifications, and constituted the entire corps with its 'four classes.

By December of the same year the corps was increased by five other aspirants of military glory; but winter had now set in and these six young men were furloughed, as was then customary, until April 1813, when the Military Academy with scarce a score of cadets, resumed its existence, under more favorable circumstances, Dr. Eustis being succeeded at this time as Secretary of War by General John Armstrong.

Although the Military Academy continued to grow under the supervision of General Armstrong, the school was sadly in need of an efficient superintendent; the exigencies of the war then existing with Great Britain, keeping the Chief of Engineers, who was ex-officio Superintendent, in the field.

Captain Partridge proved entirely unequal to the high duties entrusted to him, and the school made little or no progress under his administration.

The appointment of Major Sylvanus Thayer, in 1817, was a most fortunate one for the Academy. Major Thayer, of the Engineer Corps, a graduate of the institution, was a scientific soldier and scholar, a man of high character, zealous in the performance of his duty, and one in every way fitted to undertake the prodigious task of bringing order out of the confusion

into which the affairs of the Academy had fallen under the mismanagement of his predecessor.

The Academy at this time was in a most deplorable condition; the number of cadets was much below that authorized by law, they had been admitted at all ages, from twelve to thirty-four, many were totally unfitted for the military profession. No preliminary mental and physical examinations, as required by law, were made; no classification by merit existed; no system seemed to have been pursued in the advancement and graduation of the cadets, the latter depending upon the vacancies in the army and the ages and growth of the cadets, rather than upon any rigid inquiry into their attainments or fitness to become officers; some despite the law of 1812 requiring that they should go “through all the classes,” became officers in four months, while others dragged on for nearly six years. Military instruction was confined to an occasional lecture, infantry drill, the manual of the piece and some target practice in artillery; discipline was at the lowest ebb; the Professors were mostly old men, and in a state of chronic feud with their superior.

Major Thayer went energetically to work, examinations were held, and the incompetent, indolent and vicious students were dismissed; the cadets were organized into a battalion of two companies, a commissioned officer was appointed Commandant of Cadets and held responsible for the military instruction.

Cadets were classified and divided into small sections for more thorough instruction; the course of study was greatly improved, and an Academic Board with the Superintendent at its head was organized.

"These successive advances which so marvelously elevated the tone and character of the Military Academy in less than a year," says General Cullum, "are best exemplified by the first regulations under Major Thayer's superintendency." These regulations provided for a January and June examination, prohibited examinations for admission after September 1st; established an annual encampment in lieu of vacations, which were

abolished; allowed only those to be graduated who had gone through the exercises of two entire encampments; made a diploma the evidence of having completed the full course of studies; and secured promotion to the grade of a commissioned officer according to merit.

Colonel Thayer continued to occupy the chair of Superintendent until 1833, when he was relieved at his own request.

To the energy, untiring devotion, scholarly attainments, high character and noble patriotism of this distinguished officer, the high place that West Point has attained among the military institutions of the world, is largely due, and to him well belongs the title of "Father of the United States Military Academy."

The course of instruction, the discipline, and administration of the Academy as prescribed by General Thayer, have practically remained the same.

General Thayer has been succeeded by many distinguished Superintendents, under whose administration the Academy has steadily progressed; from a small beginning it has grown to be a world renowned institution, educating some three hundred and fifty pupils for all branches of the service. C. B. VOGDES, 1st Lieutenant 1st Infantry.

Iowa City, October, 1894.

THE ROLL CALL.

BY S. H. M. BYERS.

RECITED AT THE BANQUET OF THE SOCIETY OF THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, TWENTY-SEVENTH REUNION, CINCINNATI, O., SEPT. 17, 1895.

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And trumpets sounded in the hall,
And muskets stood in line,
And sabers hung upon the wall
And wreaths of oak and pine.
A white tent with its sentinel,

A cannon dark and grim

Stood on the stage-and once there fell
Sounds of a battle hymn.

It was as if they camped again
Beside a southern sea,

And fain would hear the bugle strain,

The morning's reveille.

As if these faces of the fair

To some far bivouac came,

The soldier's life an hour to share

An hour to share his fame.

And down the banquet tables went
Full many a jest and tale
Of bivouac life, of wood, and tent,
And ships that stood the gale.
And tales of heroes, buried long,

And tales of love they had,

Till speech, and toast, and wine, and song, Made all the banquet glad.

Then spake the leader, "Call the roll

Of comrades, live or dead,"

And silence seized on every soul
As the long list was read.
A hundred colonels of the line,
And countless men in blue,
Salute and give the countersign
And pass the long hall through.

Departed spirits of the dead

Of comrades gone beforeInto the banquet hall are led As by some conqueror.

And one by one their faces came

To every banqueter,

Each spirit soldier heard his name

And seemed to answer "Here."

So all the dead that once had been
Of that gay company,
Familiar now again were seen

As plain as plain could be;
And every soldier round the board,
And every bright eye there,

Saw spirit plumes and flashing sword,
Bugles and trumpeter.

And none were scared, for blood nor scar,

Nor terror, any sign

Were on these spirits of the war

Their forms were half divine.

Radiant they stood like men who knew

Some duty nobly done-

Some finished work, some great life through-Some glorious haven won.

A soldier's smile was on each face,

A soldier's brow each had,

And glory seemed to fill the place

And every heart was glad.

And these rejoiced, these spirits, too,

To see the goblets fill,

And now, amidst their comrades, knew

They were remembered still.

That Donelson was not forgot,

Nor Shiloh's bloody sea

That Grant and Sherman's names were caught

By immortality.

That Logan's name was still a word

For all that's good and brave;

That little children's hearts are stirred.

To see McPherson's grave.

That Vicksburg's heights and Corinth's plain,

And Chattanooga won,

With all its hero-hearts of slain

To fame were passing on.

That in the temples of the great,
Atlanta's name is seen,

And all "the hundred days" of fate,

And war, and death, between.

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