Appendix
The Appendix to the Report of the Visitors of the Military Academy for 1863, contains the following tables and documents referred to in the Report.
TABLE A.--Showing the condition in life of the parents of the Cadets of the United States Military Academy from 1842 to 1863 inclusive.
TABLE B.--Showing the number of Cadets actually admitted into the United States Military Academy from each State and Territory from its origin March 16th, 1802, to October 19th, 1863.
TABLE C.--Showing the number of Cadets who have graduated at the Military Academy, from its origin to 1863, with the State and Territories where appointed.
TABLE D.--Showing the whole number of Cadets admitted and the whole number graduated from each State and Territory from 1802 to October 1863, together with the percentage of those who graduated, and of who failed, out of the whole number admitted from each State, and the number of Cadets to which each State and Territory is now entitled, according to the apportionment of members of Congress, under the Census of 1860.
STATEMENT EXHIBITING THE CONDITION OF LIFE OF THE PARENTS OF THE CADETS OF THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT, NEW YORK, FOR THE LAST TWENTY-TWO YEARS, FROM 1842 TO 1863, INCLUSIVE.
------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- |1842|1843|1844|1845|1846|1847|1848|1849|1850|1851|1852 ------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Fathers are or were: | | | | | | | | | farmers or planters | | | | | | | | | | 59| 61| 61| 68| 72| 67| 69| 75| 70| 63| 67 mechanics | 14| 12| 15| 22| 22| 25| 22| 21| 16| 14| 14 judges or lawyers | | | | | | | | | | 27| 25| 30| 35| 33| 30| 29| 23| 34| 33| 34 merchants | 18| 15| 23| 37| 29| 29| 31| 38| 36| 38| 35 boarding-house or hotel keepers | | | | | | | 5| 2| 4| 3| 7| 6| 4| 2| 2| 2| 3 physicians| 12| 15| 15| 13| 21| 19| 21| 21| 18| 14| 14 in the army, navy, or marine corps | | | | | | | 14| 16| 16| 13| 11| 13| 17| 17| 18| 22| 24 clergymen | 4| 6| 6| 6| 5| 3| 3| 4| 4| 4| 3 in the civil employment of the General or State government | | 5| 15| 16| 9| 5| 2| 3| 7| 7| 8| 10 Miscellaneous: as, bank officers, editors, professors, | | masters of vessels, &c. | | | | | | | | | 15| 11| 15| 23| 35| 36| 41| 24| 32| 39| 30 Occupation not stated, or no occupation | | | | | | 48| 34| 23| 17| 1| 2| 2| 8| 7| 11| 13 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Total | 221| 212| 224| 236| 241| 232| 242| 240| 244| 239| 247 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Of these numbers, there are without fathers living | 26| 57| 44| 48| 42| 41| 34| 48| 40| 45| 36 Without fathers or mothers living | | | | | | | 22| 16| 18| 15| 21| 20| 18| 16| 26| 17| 19 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Total orphans | | | | | | | | | | | 48| 73| 62| 63| 63| 61| 52| 64| 66| 62| 55 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Of these numbers the parents are stated to be in: moderate circumstances | | | | | | | | | .. | 156| 150| 164| 192| 182| 193| 203| 215| 207| 218 reduced circumstances | | | | | | | | | 182| 26| 26| 36| 35| 38| 40| 29| 25| 16| 9 indigent circumstances | | | | | | | | | .. | 6| 8| 8| 8| 8| 4| 4| 2| 2| .. independent circumstances | | | | | | | | .. | 6| 10| 12| 6| 4| 5| 4| 2| 14| 20 unknown circumstances | | | | | | | | | 39| 18| 19| 16| .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Total | 221| 212| 224| 236| 241| 232| 242| 240| 244| 239| 247 ------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- |1853|1854|1855|1856|1857|1858|1859|1860|1861|1862|1863 ------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Fathers are or were: | | | | | | | | | farmers or planters | | | | | | | | | | 58| 66| 62| 60| 52| 48| 57| 65| 29| 33| 38 mechanics | 13| 12| 17| 26| 22| 15| 30| 12| 13| 8| 12 judges or lawyers | | | | | | | | | | 35| 36| 26| 25| 29| 32| 32| 36| 23| 35| 39 merchants | 35| 39| 40| 30| 26| 41| 28| 28| 23| 24| 29 boarding-house or hotel keepers | | | | | | | 3| 5| 2| 2| 1| .. | .. | 3| 4| 4| 5 physicians| 13| 9| 8| 9| 17| 16| 10| 18| 10| 13| 18 in the army, navy, or marine corps | | | | | | | 27| 28| 22| 20| 20| 26| 29| 33| 23| 25| 33 clergymen | 5| 4| 6| 5| 4| 5| 6| 7| 7| 8| 11 in the civil employment of the General or State government | 11| 14| 13| 13| 7| 31| 29| 18| 8| 11| 14 Miscellaneous: as, bank officers, editors, professors, | | masters of vessels, &c. | | | | | | | | | 26| 14| 25| 13| 13| 12| 6| 37| 44| 39| 42 Occupation not stated, or no occupation | | | | | | 7| 10| 19| 15| 20| 25| 39| 22| 18| 18| 19 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Total | 232| 237| 239| 223| 221| 251| 266| 279| 202| 218| 260 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Of these numbers, there are without fathers living | 35| 29| 33| 33| 24| 46| 33| 42| 25| 25| 36 Without fathers or mothers living | | | | | | | 17| 15| 9| 6| 7| 7| 8| 10| 11| 9| 7 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Total orphans | | | | | | | | | | | 52| 44| 42| 39| 31| 53| 41| 52| 36| 34| 42 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Of these numbers the parents are stated to be in: moderate circumstances | | | | | | | | | 205| 206| 215| 196| 195| 216| 218| 239| 184| 199| 232 reduced circumstances | | | | | | | | | 8| 8| 7| 8| 8| 8| 7| 6| 2| 5| 5 indigent circumstances | | | | | | | | | 1| 1| 1| 1| 1| 1| .. | .. | .. | 1| 5 independent circumstances| | | | | | | | | 22| 22| 16| 18| 17| 26| 41| 34| 16| 12| 17 unknown circumstances | | | | | | | | | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | 1| 1 +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- Total | 232| 237| 239| 223| 221| 251| 266| 279| 202| 218| 260 ------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
NOTE.--Of the 97 Cadets admitted, to October 19th, 1863, as given in the table on page 321, 46 were appointed from the U.S. Volunteers engaged in the War, who held the following rank: 1 Captain, 5 First Lieutenants, 3 Second Lieutenants, 10 Non-commissioned Officers, 20 Privates, 1 Musician, and 6 Clerks, from military departments.
STATEMENT SHOWING THE NUMBER OF CADETS ACTUALLY ADMITTED INTO THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY FROM ITS ORIGIN, MARCH 16TH, 1802, TO OCTOBER 19TH, 1863.
[Transcriber’s Note: The two following tables were each printed sideways, spanning two pages. They have been subdivided for this e-text. Note that the two lists are not the same.]
[KEY: Unless otherwise noted, states are identified by their modern two-letter abbreviations. In the second set of tables, Utah, Washington, New Mexico and Nebraska are listed as Territories.
Year Year of Admission. DT Dakota (Territory) al At large. u Unknown t Total]
------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Year | ME| NH| VT| MA| RI| CT| NY| NJ| PA| DE| MD| VA| WV| NC ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- 1802 |...|...|...| 5|...| 1| 1|...|...|...| 1| 1|...|... 1803 |...|...| 3|...|...|...| 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 1 1804 |...|...| 1|...|...|...| 1|...| 1|...|...|...|...|... 1805 |...|...| 3|...|...|...| 2|...| 2|...|...|...|...|... 1806 |...|...| 5| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 1| 1|...|...|... 1807 |...| 2| 5| 2|...| 2| 2|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1808 | 1| 1| 8| 2|...| 4| 10|...| 2|...| 1| 2|...|... 1809 | 1|...|...| 2|...|...| 1| 2|...|...|...|...|...|... 1810 |...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1811 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1812 | 1| 1| 1| 1|...|...| 3|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1813 |...| 1| 3| 11|...| 1| 30|...| 5|...| 5| 6|...| 4 1814 |...|...| 4| 14| 1|...| 48| 4| 9| 2| 21| 22|...| 3 1815 |...|...| 1| 1|...| 1| 14| 1| 4| 4| 6| 5|...| 3 1816 |...| 2|...| 1|...| 2| 1| 1| 1| 1| 1| 9|...| 2 1817 |...| 3| 3| 6|...| 2| 5| 1| 3| 1| 3| 4|...|... 1818 |...| 4| 4| 11| 1| 6| 22| 3| 13|...| 6| 17|...| 5 1819 | 4| 1| 5| 4| 1| 5| 11| 6| 9| 3| 3| 10|...| 4 1820 | 3| 3| 1| 6| 1| 1| 9|...| 11|...| 4| 4|...| 3 1821 |...| 1|...| 5|...| 1| 16| 4| 7| 2| 5| 8|...| 5 1822 | 3| 4| 5| 6| 1| 4| 10| 1| 14| 1| 4| 12|...| 7 1823 | 2|...| 3| 7| 1| 3| 13| 2| 9| 1| 4| 13|...| 9 1824 | 5| 2| 1| 5| 2| 4| 8| 3| 7| 1| 3| 2|...| 1 1825 | 2| 2| 1| 6| 1| 3| 15| 2| 12| 1| 7| 7|...| 6 1826 | 2| 3| 1| 2| 4| 1| 12| 3| 8| 2| 6| 11|...| 5 1827 | 1| 3| 3| 3| 1|...| 18| 1| 11| 1| 3| 15|...| 9 1828 | 5| 4| 2| 5| 1| 5| 11| 2| 10| 1| 3| 14|...| 6 1829 | 1| 3| 4| 10| 1| 4| 16| 2| 13| 1| 2| 14|...| 5 1830 | 1| 2| 1| 4| 2| 1| 14| 2| 8|...| 5| 18|...| 5 1831 | 4| 1| 1| 5| 2| 2| 18| 2| 6| 2| 7| 8|...| 6 1832 | 3| 3| 1| 4| 2| 2| 11| 4| 12| 2| 3| 10|...| 7 1833 | 1| 2| 1| 8|...| 6| 9| 2| 8| 1| 6| 17|...| 5 1834 |...| 1| 2| 1|...| 1| 7| 1| 5| 2| 4| 4|...| 2 1835 | 5| 1| 2| 4|...| 1| 13| 1| 10|...| 2| 1|...| 4 1836 | 4| 4| 1| 2| 3| 2| 19| 4| 8|...| 2| 10|...| 5 1837 | 2| 1|...| 5|...| 3| 17| 3| 13| 1 | 6| 14|...| 6 1838 | 1| 1| 2| 2| 1| 2| 9|...| 8| 1 | 3| 10|...| 4 1839 | 2| 1| 2| 2| 1| 2| 12| 4| 7| 1 | 1| 2|...| 1 1840 | 4|...|...| 6| 2|...| 16| 1| 7| 1 | 2| 5|...| 7 1841 | 3| 2| 2| 7|...| 4| 12|...| 11|...| 3| 10|...| 3 1842 | 2| 1| 1| 7| 1| 1| 12| 3| 11|...| 4| 9|...| 4 1843 |...| 1| 1| 1|...|...| 5|...| 5| 1 | 1|...|...| 1 1844 | 1| 2|...| 2| 1| 1| 7| 2| 7|...| 2| 3|...| 4 1845 | 3| 1| 1| 3|...| 3| 12| 1| 6|...| 1| 6|...| 1 1846 | 3| 1| 2| 5| 1| 2| 14| 1| 10| 1 | 4| 7|...| 5 1847 | 3| 1| 2| 2|...| 1| 10| 1| 8|...| 1| 5|...| 3 1848 | 1| 1|...| 1| 1| 1| 9| 4| 7|...| 3| 3|...| 3 1849 | 3| 1| 1| 3|...| 2| 11| 3| 7| 1 |...| 8|...| 1 1850 | 3| 2| 3| 4| 1|...| 8| 1| 11|...| 2| 7|...| 4 1851 | 1|...| 1| 5|...| 1| 13|...| 8| 1 | 1| 3|...| 3 1852 | 2|...|...|...| 1| 1| 13| 3| 5|...| 3| 3|...| 3 1853 | 2| 2|...| 3|...| 3| 8| 3| 4|...| 3| 5|...| 3 1854 | 3|...| 2| 5| 1| 1| 10| 2| 10|...| 4| 5|...| 2 1855 |...|...| 1| 3| 2| 1| 11| 1| 11| 1 | 1| 2|...| 3 1856 | 2| 1| 1| 2|...|...| 11| 2| 8|...| 1| 3|...|... 1857 | 3| 2|...| 2| 1| 2| 6| 1| 8|...| 1| 7|...| 2 1858 | 2|...|...| 5|...| 1| 5| 2| 3|...| 2| 4|...| 4 1859 |...|...| 1| 1|...| 1| 4| 2| 8|...| 1| 2|...| 2 1860 | 2|...| 1| 3| 1|...| 10| 1| 9| 1 | 1| 2|...| 2 1861 | 4| 3| 1| 4| 1| 2| 14| 2| 13| 1 | 3| 2|...|... 1862 | 1|...| 1| 3| 1| 1| 11| 1| 6|...| 4| 1|...|... 1863 |...|...| 2| 2|...| 1| 8| 2| 5|...| 3| 7| 1| 7 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Total.|102| 78|104|232| 42|102|650|101|424| 41|179|379| 1|190 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+----
------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- Year |SC |GA |AL |MS |LA |OH |KY |TN |IN |IL |MO |AR |MI |FL |TX ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- 1802 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|... 1803 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|... 1804 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 5|...|...|...|... 1805 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|... 1806 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1807 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1808 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1809 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1810 | 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1811 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1812 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1813 | 2| 2|...|...|...| 2| 1|...| 2|...|...|...|...|...|... 1814 |...| 1|...|...|...| 4| 5|...| 1|...|...|...| 1|...|... 1815 | 4| 1|...|...|...| 1| 1| 1|...| 1|...|...|...|...|... 1816 | 4| 2|...|...|...| 2|...| 2|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1817 | 8| 1| 1|...| 1| 2| 3| 5| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1818 | 5| 1|...|...| 1| 3| 5| 3|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1819 | 5| 1|...| 1|...| 1| 5|...| 1|...| 1|...| 2|...|... 1820 | 3| 1|...| 2| 1| 1| 4| 2|...| 1| 2|...|...|...|... 1821 | 5| 5|...|...|...| 1| 6| 3| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1822 | 9| 4| 2|...| 1| 3| 3| 4| 1|...| 2|...| 1| 2|... 1823 | 3| 3|...|...| 3| 8| 8| 4|...| 1| 4|...| 2|...|... 1824 | 2| 3| 3| 2| 2| 5| 6| 5| 4| 2|...|...|...|...|... 1825 | 6| 5| 2| 1| 1| 5| 7| 3| 1| 1| 2|...| 1|...|... 1826 | 1| 4| 1|...| 4| 3| 3| 7| 2| 1| 1|...|...| 1|... 1827 | 4| 1| 1|...| 2| 7| 5| 2|...| 1| 1| 1| 1| 1|... 1828 | 4| 2| 3| 2|...| 4| 8| 5| 3| 1|...| 1| 1| 1|... 1829 | 6| 4| 3|...| 3| 4| 3| 2| 1|...| 3|...|...| 1|... 1830 | 3| 5| 1|...| 1| 3| 6| 5| 3| 1| 1| 1|...| 1|... 1831 | 4| 4| 1| 1| 1| 4| 6| 3|...|...| 1|...|...|...|... 1832 | 5| 2| 3| 1| 1| 2| 5| 4| 2| 3|...|...| 2| 1|... 1833 | 1| 3|...| 3| 4| 4| 4| 6| 3| 2| 2|...| 1| 2|... 1834 | 4| 4| 4| 2| 1| 3| 3| 5| 1| 2| 1|...| 1|...|... 1835 | 3|...| 1|...| 2| 5| 3| 7| 3| 1|...|...|...|...|... 1836 | 3| 5| 2| 1| 1| 7| 3| 5| 1| 1|...|...|...| 1|... 1837 | 6| 6| 2|...|...| 6| 4| 3| 3| 2|...| 1| 1|...|... 1838 | 3| 6| 3|...| 2| 7| 6| 6| 2| 1| 1|...| 1|...|... 1839 | 2| 2| 3|...|...| 3| 6| 1| 2|...| 1| 1| 1| 1|... 1840 | 4| 4|...| 1| 1| 6| 5| 5| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1841 | 4| 5| 1|...| 2| 8| 4| 7| 3| 1|...| 1|...| 1|... 1842 | 6| 5| 3| 1|...| 4| 4| 4| 2| 3|...| 1|...|...|... 1843 | 3|...| 3| 1| 2| 6|...| 3| 4| 3| 2|...| 3|...|... 1844 | 2| 1| 4| 1| 2| 5| 3| 3| 3| 3| 2| 1| 2|...|... 1845 | 2| 2| 3| 2| 2| 7| 5| 3| 2| 1| 2|...| 1| 1|... 1846 | 1| 5| 4| 2| 4| 4| 4| 5| 2| 2| 1|...|...|...| 2 1847 | 3|...| 1|...| 1| 7| 3| 3| 3| 2| 1|...| 1|...|... 1848 | 3| 3| 2| 2|...| 10| 3| 3| 2| 4| 2| 1| 1|...|... 1849 | 1| 3| 3| 3|...| 8| 1| 3| 3| 3| 2| 1| 1| 1| 2 1850 | 4| 4| 2| 2| 3| 2| 5| 3| 3| 2|...|...|...|...|... 1851 |...| 1| 1| 1| 2| 5| 3| 3| 2| 3|...| 1|...|...|... 1852 | 1|...| 2| 1| 2| 7| 5| 7| 5| 1| 2|...| 3|...|... 1853 | 2| 5| 4|...| 1| 6| 4| 2| 3| 1| 3|...| 1| 1| 1 1854 | 3| 3| 4| 3| 2| 6| 1| 6| 2| 4| 3| 2| 1|...| 1 1855 | 2| 1|...| 1| 1| 7| 1|...| 3| 7| 1|...| 1| 1| 1 1856 | 1| 1| 1| 1| 2| 4| 3| 4| 3|...| 2| 1| 2| 1| 1 1857 | 2| 3| 2| 3| 2| 5| 7| 4| 1| 1| 2|...| 1|...| 1 1858 | 2| 5| 2| 1| 1| 9| 1| 4| 6| 1|...|...|...| 1|... 1859 | 1| 2| 2| 2| 2| 4| 3| 4| 3| 2|...|...|...|...|... 1860 | 2|...| 3| 2| 1| 4| 2| 2| 2| 7| 2| 1|...|...|... 1861 |...|...| 1|...|...| 8| 1|...| 6| 3| 3|...| 3|...|... 1862 |...|...|...|...|...| 7| 7|...| 4| 4| 5|...|...|...|... 1863 | 4| 8| 4| 5| 2| 4| 2| 7| 2| 1| 1| 2|...| 1| 2 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Total.|159|139| 88| 51| 67|243|196|178|109| 81| 67| 17| 38| 20| 11 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+----
------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+---+----- Year |IA|WI|CA|MN|OR|NM|UT|WA|NE|KS|DT|CO|NV|DC | al| u |Total ------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+---+----- 1802 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...|...| 10 1803 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...| 2| 9 1804 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...| 1| 9 1805 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...| 1| 9 1806 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|...|...| 9 1807 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...| 4| 17 1808 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...| 11| 42 1809 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...| 4| 10 1810 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...|...| 2 1811 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...|...|...| 0 1812 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2|...|...| 10 1813 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 12|...| 1| 88 1814 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 6|...|...| 146 1815 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 12|...|...| 61 1816 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 2 |...| 34 1817 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2|...|...| 55 1818 |..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 5|...|...| 116 1819 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3|...|...| 86 1820 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 4|...|...| 67 1821 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2|...|...| 77 1822 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2|...|...| 106 1823 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 1 | 1| 106 1824 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|...|...| 79 1825 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3|...|...| 103 1826 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3|...|...| 91 1827 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|...|...| 97 1828 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3|...|...| 107 1829 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3|...|...| 109 1830 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 5|...|...| 99 1831 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3|...|...| 92 1832 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3| 3 |...| 101 1833 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 5|...|...| 106 1834 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2|...|...| 63 1835 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 4|...| 1| 74 1836 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3|...|...| 97 1837 |..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 4| 7 |...| 117 1838 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3| 26|...| 111 1839 | 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 13|...| 76 1840 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 5 |...| 84 1841 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 3| 17|...| 114 1842 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2| 18|...| 109 1843 | 1| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 12|...| 60 1844 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 11|...| 75 1845 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 81 1846 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 10|...| 103 1847 | 2|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 9 |...| 74 1848 |..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 81 1849 | 1| 2|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 89 1850 |..| 2| 1| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 90 1851 |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 11|...| 71 1852 | 1|..| 1|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 16|...| 90 1853 | 2|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 83 1854 |..| 3| 1| 1| 1|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 103 1855 |..| 1| 2|..|..| 1|..| 1|..| 1|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 80 1856 | 1| 2|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 10|...| 73 1857 | 1|..| 1|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 82 1858 | 1|..| 1| 1|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 75 1859 |..|..|..| 1|..|..|..| 1|..| 1|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 60 1860 |..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|...| 10|...| 72 1861 | 1| 3|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..| 1| 26|...| 108 1862 | 2|..| 2| 1|..| 1|..|..| 1| 1|..| 1|..| 1| 13|...| 81 1863 |..|..| 1|..| 1| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|...| 10|...| 97 ------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+---+----- Total.|14|17|10| 6| 3| 5| 3| 2| 2| 3| 1| 1| 1|113|330| 26|4626 ------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---+---+-----
NOTE.--Owing to the destruction of the records by fire in 1838, the States in which some of the Cadets resided previous to that event is given; though it is believed they were appointed “At Large.” The President of the United States having determined late in August, 1863, to fill all the existing vacancies from the seceded States there were in the FOURTH CLASS, numbering 97, on the 19th of October, 48 thus appointed. 10 Cadets similarly appointed had not, on that date, been examined for admission into the Military Academy.
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT EXHIBITS THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF CADETS WHO HAVE GRADUATED AT THE MILITARY ACADEMY, FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT DATE, WITH THE STATES AND TERRITORIES WHENCE APPOINTED.
------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Year | ME| NH| VT| MA| RI| CT| NY| NJ| PA| DE ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- 1802 |...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1803 |...|...|...| 1|...|...| 1|...|...|... 1804 |...|...| 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1805 |...|...|...|...|...| 1| 1|...|...|... 1806 |...|...| 5| 1|...|...| 2| 1| 1|... 1807 |...|...| 4|...|...|...| 1|...|...|... 1808 |...| 2| 6| 3|...| 1| 1|...|...| 1 1809 |...|...| 2| 1|...|...| 3|...|...|... 1811 | 1| 1| 3| 1|...| 2| 5| 1| 2|... 1812 | 1|...| 3| 2|...| 3| 4| 1| 1|... 1813 |...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|... 1814 |...| 1| 2| 5|...| 1| 9|...| 3|... 1815 |...|...| 1| 5|...|...| 14|...| 1|... 1817 | 1|...| 1|...| 1|...| 4|...| 1|... 1818 |...|...| 1| 2|...| 1| 3| 1| 2| 2 1819 |...| 1| 3| 4|...| 1| 6| 2|...| 1 1820 |...|...|...| 1|...|...| 11| 1|...|... 1821 |...| 1|...| 4|...| 1| 6|...| 2|... 1822 |...| 2| 3| 2| 1| 5| 6| 2| 6|... 1823 |...| 1| 3| 4| 1| 3| 5| 2| 3| 2 1824 | 1| 3|...| 5|...|...| 6|...| 4|... 1825 |...| 1| 1| 2|...| 1| 9| 3| 5|... 1826 | 1| 2| 2| 1| 1|...| 2| 1| 7| 1 1827 |...|...| 3| 4|...|...| 6|...| 4|... 1828 | 3| 1| 2| 4|...| 5| 2| 1| 1|... 1829 | 2| 1| 1| 5|...| 3| 7| 3| 4|... 1830 | 2|...| 1| 1| 2|...| 6| 1| 4| 1 1831 | 1| 1|...|...| 1|...| 8| 2| 4| 1 1832 | 3| 3| 1| 2| 1| 1| 6| 1| 5|... 1833 |...| 2| 1| 7|...| 2| 5| 1| 5| 1 1834 |...| 1| 2| 1|...| 1| 7|...| 6|... 1835 | 4| 1| 1| 4|...|...| 11| 2| 4| 1 1836 | 2| 3| 1| 1| 3| 1| 10| 3| 6| 1 1837 | 1| 1| 1| 6|...| 2| 4| 3| 5| 2 1838 |...|...| 2|...|...| 1| 7|...| 4|... 1839 | 2| 1| 1| 2|...| 1| 6|...| 5|... 1840 | 3| 1|...| 2|...|...| 8| 1| 3|... 1841 | 1| 1| 1| 5|...| 2| 6|...| 7| 1 1842 | 1| 1| 1| 2| 2|...| 7| 1| 5|... 1843 | 2| 1| 2|...|...| 1| 7| 2| 4|... 1844 |...| 1|...| 1| 1| 1| 2|...| 3| 1 1845 | 3|...| 1| 2|...| 1| 8|...| 1|... 1846 | 2| 1| 2| 4| 1| 1| 10| 1| 8|... 1847 |...|...|...|...|...|...| 5|...| 3|... 1848 | 1| 1|...|...|...|...| 5| 3| 5|... 1849 |...| 1| 1| 2|...| 2| 5|...| 3|... 1850 | 3| 1| 1| 3| 1|...| 7|...| 6|... 1851 | 1|...| 1| 3|...| 1| 6|...| 5|... 1852 |...|...|...|...| 1| 1| 7| 2| 4|... 1853 | 1| 1|...| 2|...| 1| 5| 1| 3|... 1854 | 2| 1| 2| 1| 1|...| 4| 1| 5|... 1855 |...| 1| 1| 4|...|...| 7|...| 8| 1 1856 | 1|...|...|...|...|...| 8| 1| 3|... 1857 | 2| 2|...| 2|...| 2| 3| 1| 1|... 1858 | 1|...|...| 4|...| 1| 1| 1| 1|... 1859 |...|...| 1|...|...|...| 4|...| 4|... 1860 | 1|...| 1| 3| 1|...| 7| 1| 3| 1 1861 | 3| 3| 1| 3| 1| 2| 15| 2| 10|... 1862 | 1|...|...| 3|...| 1| 3|...| 2|... 1863 |...|...| 1| 2|...| 1| 4| 1| 5|... ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Total| 54| 47| 75|131| 20| 55|329| 51|197| 18 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+----
------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Year | MD| VA| NC|SC |GA |AL |MS |LA |OH |IN ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- 1802 | 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1803 |...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1804 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1805 |...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1806 |...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1807 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1808 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1809 | 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1811 | 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1812 |...| 1|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|... 1813 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1814 |...| 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1 1815 | 4| 2|...| 2| 3|...|...|...| 4|... 1817 |...| 8|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1 1818 | 5| 3| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|... 1819 | 3| 2| 1| 1|...|...|...| 1|...|... 1820 | 5| 3| 3| 1|...|...|...|...| 1|... 1821 | 2| 1|...| 3| 1|...|...|...| 1| 1 1822 |...| 5| 1| 1|...| 1|...|...| 2|... 1823 |...|...| 3| 1|...|...| 1|...|...|... 1824 | 3| 2|...| 2|...|...| 1| 1|...|... 1825 | 3| 3| 2| 2| 2|...|...|...|...|... 1826 | 2| 8| 3| 2| 1|...|...| 1|...| 1 1827 | 2| 4| 3| 2|...| 1|...|...| 3|... 1828 | 1| 1|...| 1|...| 1| 1| 1| 2| 2 1829 | 2| 2| 2| 3| 3|...|...|...| 4| 1 1830 | 4| 2| 2| 1| 1|...|...| 1| 1| 1 1831 | 3| 2| 2| 1| 1|...|...|...| 3|... 1832 | 2| 4| 1| 1|...| 1| 1|...| 3|... 1833 | 1| 5| 1| 2| 1| 2|...|...|...| 1 1834 | 1| 5|...| 1| 1|...|...|...| 1| 1 1835 | 2| 4| 3| 2| 3| 1|...|...| 4|... 1836 | 2| 5| 2| 2|...|...|...|...|...| 1 1837 | 4| 6| 2|...| 2| 1|...|...|...| 2 1838 | 1| 3| 1| 2| 2| 2| 2| 2| 3|... 1839 | 1| 1| 1| 1|...|...|...|...| 3| 1 1840 |...| 4| 3|...|...|...|...| 1| 6|... 1841 | 4| 7| 1| 3|...|...|...|...| 2| 3 1842 | 2| 7| 1| 3| 1| 2| 1| 1| 4| 1 1843 |...| 3|...|...|...|...|...|...| 3| 2 1844 | 2| 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 2|... 1845 |...| 2| 1|...| 2|...|...| 1| 4| 2 1846 | 3| 5| 2| 1| 4|...|...|...|...|... 1847 |...| 2| 1| 2|...|...|...|...| 8| 4 1848 |...| 1| 1| 3|...| 2|...|...| 1| 1 1849 |...| 5|...|...| 2|...| 2|...| 4| 2 1850 | 3| 2| 2| 1| 2|...|...| 2|...|... 1851 |...| 2| 3|...|...| 1|...| 1| 2| 2 1852 | 2|...| 2|...|...| 2| 1|...| 6| 2 1853 | 1| 5|...| 2| 3| 1|...|...| 8| 3 1854 |...| 4| 2| 3| 2| 2| 2| 1| 1| 1 1855 |...|...| 2|...| 1|...|...| 1| 2| 1 1856 |...| 2| 1|...|...| 1| 1|...| 7| 3 1857 |...| 3|...| 2| 4| 2|...|...| 2| 1 1858 | 2|...| 2| 1| 2| 1| 1|...| 2| 1 1859 | 1| 1|...|...|...| 1|...|...| 2|... 1860 | 1|...| 2| 2|...| 1|...|...| 3| 1 1861 | 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...| 5| 1 1862 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 6| 1 1863 | 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 3| 2 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Total| 79|142| 63| 59| 44| 26| 14| 15|118| 48 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+----
------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------- Year |IL |KY |TN |AR |MO |MI |WI |DC |FL | at large ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------- 1802 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1803 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1804 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1805 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1806 |...|...|...|...| 4|...|...|...|...| ... 1807 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1808 |...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...| ... 1809 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1811 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1812 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1813 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1814 |...| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 5|...| ... 1815 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 4|...| ... 1817 |...| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1818 |...| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1819 | 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1820 |...|...| 2|...|...|...|...| 2|...| ... 1821 |...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1822 |...| 1| 1|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1823 |...| 2| 1|...|...| 1|...| 2|...| ... 1824 |...| 2| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1825 |...| 2| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1826 |...| 1| 1|...| 1|...|...| 1| 1| ... 1827 |...| 4|...|...|...| 1|...| 1|...| ... 1828 | 1|...| 2|...| 1|...|...|...|...| ... 1829 |...| 2|...|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1830 | 1| 4| 2|...| 1|...|...| 3|...| ... 1831 |...| 2| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...| ... 1832 | 1| 3| 3|...|...| 1|...| 1|...| ... 1833 |...| 1| 2|...| 1|...|...| 2|...| ... 1834 |...| 4| 1|...| 1|...|...| 1| 1| ... 1835 |...| 4| 1|...|...|...|...| 3|...| 1 1836 |...| 2| 1|...|...|...|...| 1|...| 2 1837 | 1| 1| 1|...| 1| 1|...| 3|...| ... 1838 | 1| 3| 2|...| 1| 1|...| 1|...| 4 1839 |...| 3| 1|...|...|...|...| 1|...| ... 1840 |...|...| 3|...|...|...|...| 2| 1| 4 1841 | 2| 1| 1| 1|...| 1|...|...|...| 2 1842 | 1| 3| 1|...|...|...|...| 2|...| 6 1843 |...| 2| 1|...| 1| 1|...|...|...| 6 1844 |...| 4| 1| 1|...|...|...| 2|...| 1 1845 |...| 3| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 1| 8 1846 | 1| 1| 3|...|...|...|...| 1|...| 8 1847 | 2|...|...|...| 1| 1|...|...|...| 8 1848 | 2|...| 2| 1|...| 1| 1|...|...| 7 1849 |...| 2| 2|...| 1|...|...|...| 1| 8 1850 | 1| 2| 2|...|...|...|...|...|...| 5 1851 | 1| 2| 3|...|...|...|...| 1|...| 6 1852 | 1| 2| 1|...| 1| 2|...|...|...| 6 1853 | 2| 1| 2|...| 2|...|...|...| 1| 5 1854 |...|...| 1|...|...|...| 3|...|...| 6 1855 | 2|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...| 3 1856 |...| 4| 2|...| 1| 2|...| 1|...| 10 1857 | 1| 3| 1|...| 2|...|...|...|...| 3 1858 |...| 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...| 3 1859 | 1|...| 1|...|...| 1| 1|...|...| 3 1860 | 6|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...| 5 1861 | 1| 4| 1| 1| 2| 3| 2| 1|...| 14 1862 |...| 1| 1|...| 1|...|...|...|...| 5 1863 |...| 2|...|...|...|...|...| 2|...| ... ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---------- Total| 30| 83| 56| 5| 24| 17| 7| 50| 6| 139 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+----------
------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---++----------- Year |IA |TX |UT |MN |WA |OR |NM |CA |NE || Aggregate ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---++----------- 1802 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 2 1803 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 3 1804 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 2 1805 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 3 1806 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 15 1807 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 5 1808 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 15 1809 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 7 1811 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 19 1812 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 18 1813 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 1 1814 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 30 1815 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 40 1817 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 19 1818 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 23 1819 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 29 1820 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 30 1821 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 24 1822 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 40 1823 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 35 1824 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 31 1825 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 37 1826 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 41 1827 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 38 1828 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 33 1829 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 46 1830 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 42 1831 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 33 1832 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 45 1833 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 43 1834 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 36 1835 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 56 1836 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 49 1837 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 50 1838 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 45 1839 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 31 1840 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 42 1841 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 52 1842 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 56 1843 | 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 39 1844 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 25 1845 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 41 1846 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 59 1847 | 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 38 1848 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 38 1849 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 43 1850 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 44 1851 | 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 42 1852 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 43 1853 | 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 52 1854 |...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 46 1855 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 34 1856 |...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 48 1857 | 1| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 39 1858 |...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|...|| 27 1859 |...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|...|| 22 1860 |...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|| 41 1861 | 1|...|...|...|...| 1| 1|...|...|| 80 1862 |...|...|...| 1|...|...|...| 1| 1|| 28 1863 |...|...|...|...| 1|...|...|...|...|| 25 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---++----------- Total| 6| 3| 1| 2| 2| 1| 1| 1| 1|| 2020 ------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---++-----------
TABLE D.
EXHIBITING THE WHOLE NUMBER OF CADETS ADMITTED TO THE MILITARY ACADEMY FROM EACH STATE AND TERRITORY, AND THE WHOLE NUMBER GRADUATED.
[KEY DC District of Columbia T Total N Number E No. entitl’d ’60 % Per cent. printed as shown]
---------------+---------+--------------+----------+---------+----- |Admitted.| Graduated. |Failed to | Remain. | STATE | | | Graduate.| | AND +----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+ TERRITORY. |From| T |From| T | % | N | % |No. | % | E ---------------+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+----- Alabama |1817| 88|1822| 26|.295| 61 |.693| 1|.012| 7 Arkansas |1827| 17|1841| 5|.294| ... |.705| ...| ...| 2 California |1850| 10|1862| 1|.100| 6 |.600| 3|.300| 3 Connecticut |1802| 102|1805| 55|.539| 43 |.422| 4|.039| 4 Delaware |1806| 41|1808| 18|.439| 22 |.539| 1|.022| 1 Florida |1822| 20|1826| 6|.300| 14 |.700| ...|....| 1 Georgia |1813| 139|1815| 44|.329| 95 |.670| ...|....| 3 Illinois |1815| 81|1819| 30|.379| 42 |.519| 9|.111| 13 Indiana |1812| 109|1814| 48|.440| 52 |.477| 9|.083| 11 Iowa |1839| 14|1843| 6|.428| 6 |.428| 2|.144| 6 Kansas |1855| 3|....| ...|....| 2 |.667| 1|.333| 1 Kentucky |1813| 196|1819| 83|.423| 105 |.531| 8|.046| 9 Louisiana |1817| 67|1819| 15|.223| 51 |.761| 1|.016| 4 Maine |1808| 102|1811| 54|.529| 43 |.422| 5|.049| 5 Maryland |1802| 179|1802| 79|.441| 95 |.537| 5|.022| 5 Massachusetts |1802| 232|1802| 131|.324| 91 |.392| 10|.043| 10 Michigan |1814| 38|1823| 17|.447| 18 |.474| 3|.079| 6 Minnesota |1850| 6|1859| 2|.333| 2 |.333| 2|.333| 2 Mississippi |1819| 51|1823| 14|.274| 37 |.725| ...|....| 5 Missouri |1802| 67|1806| 24|.358| 37 |.552| 6|.090| 9 New Hampshire |1817| 78|1808| 47|.602| 28 |.359| 3|.039| 3 New Jersey |1803| 101|1806| 51|.504| 45 |.446| 5|.050| 5 New York |1802| 650|1803| 329|.506| 289 |.444| 32|.050| 31 North Carolina |1803| 190|1805| 63|.331| 127 |.668| ...|....| 8 Ohio |1813| 243|1815| 118|.485| 105 |.432| 20|.083| 19 Oregon |1854| 3|1861| 1|.333| 1 |.333| 1|.333| 1 Pennsylvania |1804| 424|1806| 197|.464| 203 |.479| 24|.057| 24 Rhode Island |1814| 42|1817| 20|.476| 20 |.476| 2|.048| 2 South Carolina |1809| 159|1806| 59|.371| 100 |.628| ...|....| 6 Tennessee |1815| 178|1820| 56|.314| 122 |.686| ...|....| 10 Texas |1840| 11|1853| 3|.272| 8 |.727| ...|....| 2 Vermont |1803| 104|1804| 75|.721| 26 |.250| 3|.029| 3 Virginia |1803| 379|1803| 142|.374| 237 |.615| 4|.011| 13 West Virginia |1863| 1|....| ...|....| ... |....| 1|.000| 1 Wisconsin |1837| 17|1848| 7|.411| 7 |.412| 3|.177| 6 District of | | | | | | | | | | Columbia |1806| 113|1811| 50|.443| 62 |.549| 1|.008| 1 New Mexico |1852| 5|1861| 1|.200| 3 |.600| 1|.200| 1 Utah |1853| 3|1858| 1|.333| 1 |.333| 1|.333| 1 Washington |1855| 2|1861| 2|.100| ... |....| 1|.500| 1 Nebraska |1858| 2|1862| 1|.500| ... |....| 1|.000| 1 Dakota |1861| 1|....| ...|....| ... |....| 1|.000| 1 Colorado |1863| 1|....| ...|....| ... |....| 1|.000| 1 Nevada |1863| 1|....| ...|....| ... |....| 1|.000| 1 At large |1837| 330|....| 139|.421| 156 |.473| 35|.106| 40 Unknown |1803| 26|....| ...|....| ... |....| ...|....| ... ---------------+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+----- Total | |4626| |2020| | | | 210| | 294 ---------------+----+----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+----+-----
The Totals in the column of Cadets admitted, graduated, and failed to graduate, for each State and Territory, and for the country at large, are obtained from Tables prepared by Capt. Boynton, in his “History of the United States Military Academy.” The per centage of graduates, failures, &c., is calculated from the totals thus obtained. The minute accuracy of the results is slightly effected by the difficulty of assigning the twenty-six Cadets admitted, whose place of residence was unknown, to their respective States. The column of Cadets to which each State and Territory is entitled in the apportionment of members of Congress under the Census of 1860, is official so far as States not involved in rebellion are concerned; the latter is given according to the Census of 1850.
OPINIONS OF COL. THAYER AND OTHERS.
On the recommendations of the Board of Visitors as to the conditions of admission to the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Extract from a letter of COL. SYLVANUS THAYER, Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, from 1816 to 1831.
“The Extracts from the Report of the Visitors at West Point, for 1863, I have read with the highest satisfaction, not to say admiration. The subject of the admission of Cadets, their number, age, attainments, and mode of appointment, is discussed in the most complete and able manner, ne laissant rien a desirer, as far as I can see. I am naturally the more pleased from finding my own views so perfectly reflected in many important particulars. The only difference I notice is the small addition to my standard of attainment for admission. I not only agree to that, but would raise the standard as high as Congress would be willing to adopt. The higher the standard, the more perfect will be the test of capacity. The subject, as you may well suppose, is not a new one with me. More than forty years ago I made my first effort to have the mode of appointment by nomination, done away with, and admission by open competition adopted. My last effort before the late one, was made in 1858, while I was in command of the Corps of Engineers, during the absence of Gen. Totten. At the same time, I recommended a higher standard of attainment, a Board of Improvement, and some of the other changes comprised in my “Propositions,” but with little expectation, however, that my solitary voice would be heeded. After long despairing, I am now encouraged and cheered. Admission by competitive examination, open to all, may not be attained as soon as we wish, but come it must at no distant day. Let every future Board of Visitors recall the attention of the Government to your excellent Report; no new arguments are needed, and let all the publications devoted to the cause of education, agitate the question unceasingly.”
We have been favored with the perusal of the “Propositions,” referred to in Col. Thayer’s letter, and submitted by him to the Secretary of War, in 1863, with “Suggestions for the Improvement of the United States Military Academy.” So far as the Visitors go, their views, and those of Col. Thayer, are almost identical, but Col. Thayer’s communication to the Secretary includes many other suggestions relating to the instruction, discipline, and administration of the institution, which we hope will be adopted by the Secretary, and embodied in the Regulations.
In addition to the modifications suggested by Col. Thayer, we should like to see the theoretical course at West Point reduced to two years; and Special Courses, or Schools of Application and Practice established for the Engineer, Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry service, open only to those who should show natural aptitude, and the proper amount of acquired knowledge, whether graduates of the scientific course of West Point, or any State scientific or classical school, in a competitive examination. In each of these courses or schools, there should be a graduation, and promotion, in the particular service, according to merit. Our whole system of military instruction should terminate in a STAFF SCHOOL, open only to those who, in addition to the knowledge required for graduation in at least two of the above special courses, should have had at least three years actual experience in service. While members of the Staff School, these candidates for the Staff Corps, should, if called for by the State authorities, assist without compensation, in conducting Military Encampments of the Officers of the State Militia, like those held every year in Switzerland, and corresponding to what is known in this country to Teacher’s Institutes. The graduates of the Staff School, should constitute the Staff Corps, from which all vacancies in the higher offices of the Regular Army should be filled, and all appointments to new regiments be made.
EXTRACT from a letter of GEN. H. K. OLIVER.
I have read with the utmost care, the Extract from the Report of the Board of Examiners of the Military Academy at West Point, for the year 1863, and most heartily concur in the views therein set forth, and especially in that portion of it, which recommends a competitive examination of candidates for admission. In all its relations it is right. In fact it stands out prominently as the only proper mode of admittance.
My intimate acquaintance with the Academy, having attended the examination in 1846, by invitation, and again in 1847, as Secretary of the Board of Visitors for that year, enables me to speak with reasonable authority. These visits afforded me opportunities, which I improved to the utmost, and most minutely, to become intimately well informed of the effect of the prevailing method of selection, and of its practical results upon character and scholarship after admission, as well as to know, with what degree of fidelity, the institution was answering the intent of its founding, and the just expectation of the country; and I was then satisfied, and subsequent observation has confirmed me in my opinion, that whatever of deficiency prevailed, was traceable to the method of admission. Faithful teachers and faithful teaching will achieve great results, but they can not make good, incompetent natural endowments, nor infuse vigor and life into sluggish natures. I sincerely hope that the Government will feel the force of your views, and comply with your most commendable recommendations.
RESOLUTION adopted by the American Institute of Instruction at the Annual Meeting in August; 1863.
WHEREAS, the security and honor of this whole country require in the military and naval service the right sort of men with the right sort of knowledge and training; and whereas, the military and naval schools established to impart this knowledge and training will fail in their objects, unless young men are selected as students of the right age, with suitable preparatory knowledge, with vigor of body, and aptitude of mind, for the special studies of such schools; and whereas, the mode of determining the qualifications and selecting the students, may be made to test the thoroughness of the elementary education given in the several States, therefor
Resolved, That the Directors of the American Institute of Instruction are authorized and instructed to memorialize the Congress of the United States, to revise the terms and mode of admission to the National Military and Naval Schools, so as to invite young men of the right spirit, and with vigor and aptitude of mind for mathematical and military studies, who aspire to serve their country in the military and naval service, to compete in open trial before intelligent and impartial examiners in each State, without fear or favor, without reference to the wealth, or poverty, or occupation, or political opinions of their parents or guardians, for such admission, and that in all cases the order of admission shall be according to the personal merits and fitness of the candidate.”
EXTRACT from letter of Prof. Monroe, St. John’s College, Fordham, N.Y.
I rejoice that some one has taken hold of this subject at last. It needs only to be understood to be adopted; for I can not see from what quarter any opposition to it can arise. You rightly observe that “all the educational institutions of the several States” are interested in this mode of appointment. Great Britain, France, and many of the Continental States admit to their military schools the most competent young men who present themselves, and the method is found to be as economical as it is equitable. Long years of winnowing is saved to the Government; for the subjects who present themselves are, of course, the most capable. For several years I was a witness of the beneficial effects produced on youth in France by the stimulation of their energies in order to undergo an examination for admission into the military or naval schools. Our present mode of appointment appears to be an anomaly; for while monarchies find it expedient to adopt a less exclusive mode of sustaining their military organizations, we still cling to one founded on patronage and prerogative. Many of our young men in different colleges and educational institutions have a taste and vocation to the military profession, and have an equal right to compete for a place in the only fields where such a taste can be gratified--viz., in the army and navy. These careers should then be open to them. There is danger and want of policy in suppressing the legitimate aspirations of young men in a nation which is, say what we can, passionately fond of military glory.
EXTRACT from the Report of the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for 1864.
The main features of the Report of the Visitors for 1863 we most cordially approve, especially its recommendations of competitive examination, and raising the age and qualifications of candidates for admission. The only student who obtained his appointment through competitive examination (introduced into his district by the member of Congress upon whose recommendation he was appointed from the common schools[15] of New York) graduated at the head of his class this year.
[Footnote 15: The successful candidate, out of twenty competitors, was a member of the Free Academy of the city of New York, and stood in scholarship about the middle of his class.]
The beneficial effect on schools, as regards both pupils and teachers, of throwing open appointments in civil, as well as in military and naval service, to competition, and giving them to the most meritorious candidates, on examination, is thus commented on in the Report of the Queen’s Commissioners on the Endowed Schools of Ireland:
This measure has received the unanimous approval of our body, who regard it as an effectual method of promoting intermediate education. The experience already obtained respecting the operation of public and competitive examinations, so far as they have hitherto been tried, leaves no doubt on our minds that the extension of this system would, under judicious management, produce very beneficial effects, both in raising the standard of instruction, and in stimulating the efforts of masters and of pupils. The educational tests adapted for examinations for the public service would be, in our opinion, of all others the most general in their character, and therefore, those best calculated to direct the efforts of teachers to that course of mental discipline and moral training, the attainment of which constitutes, in our opinion, the chief object of a liberal education. The experience of the civil service commission has shown the shortcomings of all classes in the most general and most elementary branches of a literary and scientific education.
These views are strongly corroborated by the testimony, appended to the Report, of prominent teachers and educators consulted on the subject:
Prof. Bullen, in the Queen’s College, Cork, remarks:--“No movement ever made will so materially advance education in this country as the throwing open public situations to meritorious candidates. It has given already a great impulse to schools and will give greater. The consequence of throwing the civil service open to the public is already beginning to tell--although only in operation a few months, it has told in a most satisfactory manner in this city; and, from what I can see, it will have the happiest results on education generally.”
Prof. King, Head Master of a Grammar School at Ennis, writes:--“These examinations have already caused improvements in my own school by inducing me to give instruction in branches which I had never taught before.”
The Dean of Elphin, the Archdeacon of Waterford and the Bishop of Doun, advocate the measure on the ground of its tendency to produce competition between schools, and to stimulate private enterprise. The Bishop of Cashel “thought that this competition would be more valuable than the endowment of schools giving education gratuitously.”
In confirmation of the above views, and as an illustration of the benefits likely to accrue both to the cause of education and to the public service from the extension of the system of competitive examinations, we may add that, at the late competitive examination for certificates of merit held by the Royal Dublin Society Mr. Samuel Chapman, who was educated solely by the Incorporated Society, as a foundation boy, obtained the first place and a prize of £5. In consequence of this success the Bank of Ireland immediately appointed him to a clerkship. Mr. Chapman was originally elected to the Pococke Institution, from a parish school, by a competitive examination; and on his leaving the Santry school Prof. Galbraith appointed him his assistant in Trinity College, in consequence of the skill in drawing which he exhibited, and his knowledge of mathematics, as proved by his final examination.
III. COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION AT WEST POINT.
DEBATE IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE, MAY 18TH, 1864.
The Bill making appropriation for the Military Academy being under consideration, Senator Anthony, of R. Island, remarked on the following amendment:
And be it further enacted, That hereafter, in all appointments of cadets to the Military Academy at West Point, the selections for such appointments in the several districts shall be made from the candidates according to their respective merits and qualifications, to be determined under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of War shall from time to time prescribe.
This, Mr. President, is substantially the proposition which I offered at the last session; and although I was not so fortunate as to obtain for it the assent of the Senate, mainly from an apprehension of practical difficulties in carrying out what is admitted to be a desirable reform if it could be effected, yet the general expression of Senators was so much in favor of the principle, and I have been so much strengthened in my views on the subject by subsequent reflection and examination, that I am emboldened to renew it.
I differ entirely from those who are fond of disparaging the Military Academy. It has been of incalculable service to the country; it is the origin and the constant supply of that military science without which mere courage would be constantly foiled, and battles would be but Indian fights on a large scale. Not to speak of the Mexican war, throughout the whole of which West Point shone with conspicuous luster, it is safe to leave the vindication of the Academy to the gallant and able men who have illustrated the annals of the war that is now raging. Nor have its indirect advantages been less marked than its direct. It has kept alive a military spirit, and kept up a good standard of military instruction in the volunteer militia. It furnished, from its graduates who have retired from the Army, scores of men who rushed to the head of our new levies, who organized and instructed them, inspired them with confidence, and led them over many a bloody field to many a glorious victory. Large numbers of our best volunteer officers owe their instruction indirectly to West Point.
To say that no course of military instruction can make a pupil a military genius, can create in him that rare quality that takes in at a glance, almost by intuition, the relative strength of great masses opposed to each other, and that power of combination which can bring an inferior force always in greater number upon the severed portions of a superior force, is very true. To discard military education on that account would be like shutting up the schools and colleges because they can not turn out Miltons and Burkes and Websters. Education does not create, it develops and enlarges and inspires and elevates. It will make the perfect flower, the majestic tree, from the little seed; but it must have the seed. And what I desire is that the Academy at West Point should have the best seed; that its great resources, its careful culture, its scientific appliances, should not be wasted on second-rate material. The Academy has never had a fair chance; the country has not had a fair chance; the boys have not had a fair chance. This is what I want them all to have, and especially the country. I desire that the Academy shall begin, as it goes on, upon the competitive principle. As all its standing, all its honors, are won by competition, so should the original right to compete for them be won. I would give all the youth of the country a fair chance; and, more desirable than that, I would give the country a fair chance for all its youth. I would have the Academy filled up by those young men who, upon examination by competent judges, should be found most likely to render the best service to the country; to make the best officers; whose qualifications, physical, intellectual, and moral, whose tastes and habits, should seem to best fit them for military life.
But, it is objected, no such examination would be infallible. Of course it would not be. No human judgment is infallible. Our deliberations are not infallible; but therefore shall we not deliberate? The decisions of the Supreme Court are not infallible; therefore shall we abolish the court?
A SENATOR. The Senator from New Hampshire would say yes.
MR. ANTHONY. I know the Senator from New Hampshire [Mr. HALE] would say “Yes.” He would abolish both the Academy and the Court, and I can well suppose that the policy which would abolish the one might abolish the other. But although such an examination would not be infallible, it would, if properly organized and properly conducted, accomplish much toward the reform which all admit to be desirable, if it be practicable. It can not be doubted that the young men who would come out best from such a trial would, as a body, be superior to those who are selected upon mere personal preferences, and these preferences generally not for themselves, but for their parents; not for their own qualifications, but as a recognition of the political services of their fathers.
But, again, it was objected when I made this proposition a year ago that it was not equal; because, in giving to any given place of examination, some young men would have further to travel than others! If this objection had not been gravely made by men for whom I have the highest respect I should be tempted to call it puerile. A boy asks the privilege of going a hundred miles to the place of examination, and is told that he can not have it because another boy will have to go two hundred miles, and another but fifty, and it is not equal! The fact that either of them would go five hundred miles on foot for the opportunity of competition is not taken into the account. On the same principle our elections are not equal, for one man must travel further than another to reach the polls. For a boy who can not obtain the means to travel from his home to the place of examination--and there will be very few such of those who would be likely to pass high in the examination--the plan proposed would be no worse, certainly, than the present system; for those who have the means the difference in travel is too small an item to enter into the account.
No plan can be made perfectly equal. Shall we therefore refuse to make a large advance toward equality? Certainly the system which invites a competition from all who are in a condition to avail themselves of it is more equal than that which excludes all competition. But although equality in the advantages of the Academy is very desirable, and although the amendment proposed would be a long step in that direction, it is not for that reason that I urge it. It is not to give all the young men an equal chance for the Academy, it is to give the Academy a chance for the best young men; and although even under this system the best young men will often fail of success, it can not be doubted that many more of them will enter the service than under the present system.
Nor will the advantages of this competition be confined to those who reach the prize for which so many will struggle. An incalculable although an incidental benefit will accrue to the thousands whose youthful hearts will be stirred by an honorable ambition, and who will cultivate their minds by liberal studies and develop their physical power by manly exercises in the struggle upon which the humblest may enter, and in which the proudest can obtain only what he fairly earns. Under the present system the Academy wastes full half its strength upon boys who never ought to be admitted, and whose natural incapacity derives but little benefit from the partial training that they receive there. Under the system proposed, the Academy would exert its influence upon thousands of the brightest and most aspiring boys all over the country, stimulating them to the pursuit of such studies and to the formation of such habits as, if they fail to carry them to West Point, will help to conduct them to usefulness and honor in whatever path of life they may choose.
But, again, we are met with the objection that this proposition is impracticable, that it looks very well on paper, but that it can not be carried into effect. Let us see. It is quite safe to conclude that what has been done can be done, and that what wise and judicious people do, and persist in doing after experiment, is proper to be done. What is the most warlike nation of Europe? What nation of Europe has carried military science to the highest degree? What nation of Europe has the greatest genius for organization? You will say the French. Let us see what is their system. I read from the report of the Commission appointed by Congress in 1860 to visit the Military Academy at West Point, and report upon the system of instruction; a commission of which you, Mr. President, [Mr. FOOT,] were a member:
Among the European systems of military education that of France is preëminent. The stimulating principle of competition extends throughout the whole system; it exists in the appointment of the student, in his progress through the preliminary schools, in his transfer to the higher schools, in his promotion to the Army, and in his advancement in his subsequent career. The distinguishing features of the French system are thus described by the British commissioners.
“1. The proportion, founded apparently upon principle, which officers educated in military schools are made to bear to those promoted for service from the ranks. 2. The mature age at which military education begins. 3. The system of thorough competition on which it is founded. 4. The extensive State assistance afforded to successful candidates for entrance into military schools whenever their circumstances require it. * * * * * *
Admission to the military schools of France can only be gained through a public competitive examination by those who have received the degree of bachelor of science from the lycées or public schools, and from the orphan school of La Flèche.
A powerful influence has thus been exercised upon the character of education in France. The importance of certain studies has been gradually reduced, while those of a scientific character, entering more directly into the pursuits of life, have been constantly elevated.
The two great elementary military schools are the School of St. Cyr and the Polytechnic School. These, as well as the other military schools, are under the charge of the Minister of War, with whom the authorities of the schools are in direct communication. Commissions in the infantry, cavalry, and marines can only be obtained by service in the ranks of the army, or by passing successfully through the School of St. Cyr, admission to which is gained by the competitive examination already referred to.”
Again, the Commission say, speaking of the School of St. Cyr:
The admission is by competitive examination, open to all youths, French by birth or by naturalization, who, on the 1st of January preceding their candidature, were not less than sixteen and not more than twenty years old. To this examination are also admitted soldiers in the ranks between twenty and twenty-five years, who, at the date of its commencement, have been actually in service in their regiments for two years.
A board of examiners passes through France once every year, and examines all who present themselves having the prescribed qualifications.
A list of such candidates as are found eligible for admission to St. Cyr is submitted to the Minister of War. The number of vacancies has already been determined, and the candidates admitted are taken in the order of merit.
Twenty-seven, or sometimes a greater number, are annually, at the close of their second year of study, placed in competition with twenty-five candidates from the second lieutenants belonging to the army, if so many are forthcoming, for admission to the Staff School of Paris. This advantage is one object which serves as a stimulus to exertion, the permission being given according to rank in the classification by order of merit.
In regard to the Polytechnic School, the Commission say:
Admission to the School is, and has been since its first commencement in 1794, obtained by competition in a general examination, held yearly, and open to all. Every French youth between the ages of sixteen and twenty (or if in the army up to the age of twenty-five) may offer himself as a candidate.
This is the system which was organized by Carnot and adopted and extended by Napoleon. Under this system the French army has attained its perfection of organization, its high discipline, its science, its dash, and its efficiency.
But not the French alone have adopted the competitive system. In England, all whose traditions are aristocratical, where promotion in the army has so long been made by patronage and by purchase, the sturdy common sense of the nation has pushed away the obstructions that have blocked up the avenues to the army, and have opened them to merit, come from what quarter it may. In the commencement of the Crimean war, the English people were shocked at the evident inferiority of their army to the French. Their officers did not know how to take care of their men, or how to fight them. And although in the end British pluck and British persistence vindicated themselves as they always have and always will, it was not till thousands of lives had been sacrificed that might have been saved under a better system. No French officer would have permitted that memorable charge at Balaklava, which was as remarkable for the stupidity that ordered it as for the valor that executed it, and which has been sung in verses nearly as bad as the generalship which they celebrate. After the war, the English Government, with the practical good sense which usually distinguishes it, came, without difficulty, to the conclusion that merit was better than family in officering the army, and that it was more desirable to put its epaulets upon the shoulder of those who could take care of the men and lead them properly than upon those who could trace their descent to the Conqueror, or whose uncles could return members of Parliament. Accordingly, the Royal Military Academy, which had been filled, as ours is, by patronage, was thrown open to public competition. On this subject I quote from the very interesting and valuable report of the Visitors of the Military Academy in 1863:
The same principle was applied to appointments and promotion in the new regiments called for by the exigencies of the great war in which England found herself engaged.
Subjects, time, and place of examination were officially made known throughout the kingdom, and commissions to conduct the examinations were appointed, composed of men of good common sense, military officers, and eminent practical teachers and educators. The results, as stated in a debate in Parliament five years later, on extending this principle to all public schools, and all appointments and promotions in every department of the public service, were as follows: in the competitive examinations for admission to the Royal Military Academy candidates from all classes of society appeared--sons of merchants, attorneys, clergymen, mechanics, and noblemen, and among the successful competitors every class was represented. Among the number was the son of a mechanic in the arsenal at Woolwich, and the son of an earl who was at that time a cabinet minister--the graduates of national schools, and the students of Eton, and other great public schools.
On this point Mr. Edward Chadwick, in a report before the National Social Science Association, at Cambridge in 1862, says:
“Out of an average three hundred patronage-appointed cadets at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, for officers of engineers and the artillery, during the five years preceding the adoption of the principle of open competition for admission to the Academy, there were fifty who were, after long and indulgent trial and with a due regard to influential parents and patrons, dismissed for hopeless incapacity for the service of those scientific corps. During the five subsequent years, which have been years of the open-competition principle, there has not been one dismissed for incapacity. Moreover, the general standard of capacity has been advanced. An eminent professor of this university, who has taught as well under the patronage as under the competitive system at that Academy, declares that the quality of mind of the average of the cadets has been improved by the competition, so much so that he considers that the present average quality of the mind of cadets there, though the sorts of attainment are different, has been brought up to the average of the first-class men of this (Cambridge) university, which of itself is a great gain. Another result, the opposite to that which was confidently predicted by the opponents to the principle, has been that the average physical power or bodily strength, instead of being diminished, is advanced beyond the average of their predecessors.”
I read this also from the same report:
Another result of immense importance to the educational interests of Great Britain has followed the introduction of these open competitive examinations for appointments to the military and naval schools, to the East India service, as well as to fill vacancies in the principal clerkships in the war, admiralty, ordnance, and home departments of the Government. A stimulus of the most healthy and powerful kind, worth more than millions of pecuniary endowment, has been given to all the great schools of the country, including the universities of England, Scotland, and Ireland. As soon as it was known that candidates, graduates of Trinity College, Dublin, had succeeded over competitors from Oxford and Edinburg in obtaining valuable appointments in the East India service, the professors in the latter universities began to look to their laurels. As soon as it was known to the master of any important school that some of his leading pupils might compete in these examinations, and that his own reputation as a teacher depended in a measure on the success or failure of these pupils, he had a new motive to impart the most vigorous and thorough training.
Such has been the result in France and in England. We are not without examples at home. The competitive system has been tried in repeated instances here in the appointments both to the Military and the Naval Academy. Several Representatives in Congress, with a conscientious sense of the responsibility resting upon them, have given their patronage to the result of general competition, among them the gentleman who so ably represented, in the last Congress, the district in which I live. The results have been most satisfactory. Here, again, I will quote from the report of the Board of Visitors for 1863:
The principle itself, of selection by merit, either in the mode of public examination or of careful and searching inquiry by competent and impartial educators designated for this purpose by the parties to whom custom, and not law, had assigned the grave responsibility of nominating candidates, has been voluntarily applied in several Congressional districts. Not a cadet known to have been thus selected and appointed has ever broken down from want of vigor of body or mind, or failed to reach and maintain an honorable position on the merit-roll of the Academy; and to this careful selection by those who felt the responsibility of the privilege accorded to them is the country indebted for its most eminent and useful officers.
The same report makes some observations on another point:
To the objection that selection by public competitive examination will involve expense, we reply that any expense which will do away with the prejudices against the Academy, which the present system of patronage has done so much directly and indirectly to evoke and foster, and which will, at the same time, exclude incompetent and secure the services of vigorous, talented, well-trained officers for every arm of the service, will be well incurred. But in our opinion there will be no more expense in selecting and educating a given number of cadets on this plan than on the present. The two thousand cadets who were appointed by patronage and failed to graduate, cost the Government, directly and indirectly, each year a much larger sum than it would have taken to have excluded them in advance from the institution by competitive examination and filling their places by better men; and their exclusion by substituting better material would have been an incalculable gain to the Academy, facilitating its discipline, increasing the value of its instruction, and giving to the Army a larger number of competent officers.
Even under the despotic government of Austria the competitive system has been adopted for the higher places, and it has been adopted by Prussia and Italy. In Austria every subject can claim admission into the military schools on payment of the cost of his instruction; and all the appointments to the staff are on the competitive system. On this subject I read from the work upon Military Education and Schools, by Hon. Henry Barnard, who stands in the very front rank of the great educators, and who gives, to the competitive system the weight of a name which alone should incline us strongly in its favor:
The yearly examinations, the manner in which the marks of the monthly examinations tell on the final one, and the careful classification of the pupils in the order of merit, reminded us of the system of the Polytechnic more than any other school we have seen. * * * *
The arrangements for the general staff-school require more remark.
In our report upon Austrian schools we have specially noticed this school as remarkable for its thorough and open competitive character from first to last, and its very sensible plan of study. Admission to it is by competition, open to officers of all arms. The pupils are not unduly overburdened with work; perhaps there is even room for one or two more subjects of importance; but what is done seems to be done thoroughly. The officers are carefully ranked on leaving the school, according as the abilities they have displayed may be considered a criterion of their fitness for employment on the general staff; and in this order they enter the staff corps. The consequence is that every officer knows distinctly, from the time that he first competes for admission until his final examination on leaving, that the order in which he will enter the staff depends entirely on his own exertions and success at the school. It seemed to us that this open competition produced a spirit of confidence and energy in the students as great, if not greater, than any we met with elsewhere.
I quote from the same work in regard to the military education in Sardinia:
Admission into the artillery and engineer school may be considered the reward of the most distinguished pupils of the Accademia Militare, who, after spending their last year in that institution in the study of the higher mathematics, chemistry, and architectural drawing, are transferred for the completion of their education to the school of the artillery and engineers.
The staff-school, the formation of which dates from 1850, is chiefly frequented by officers of the infantry and cavalry, who must be below the age of twenty-eight years upon their entrance. It is carried on upon the competitive final examination, the ablest entering the staff corps in that order.
In the same work Mr. Barnard characterizes the Staff-School at Vienna:
The most striking features in the system of this school, both at the entrance and throughout the course, are, that it is distinctly competitive, that it admits very young officers, and that while the work is considerable, the subjects for study are not numerous. In these three points it differs considerably from the Prussian staff-school, in which the students are generally older, and the principle of competition is not so fully carried out. In the Austrian school the students are placed, on entering, in the order which their entrance examination has just fixed. They are examined once a month during their stay. On leaving the school their respective places are again determined, and they have a claim for appointments in the staff corps in the exact order in which they were placed on leaving the school. In Belgium, the competitive system is fully adopted.
The following testimony is from a report on the progress of the principle of competitive examination for admission into the public service, read before Section F. Economic Science and Statistics of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at Leeds, September 27, 1858, by Edward Chadwick:
Mr. Canon Mosely attests that the “qualifications of the whole” body of competitive candidates appeared to rise above the general “level of the education of the country.” It is stated in evidence before the commissioners for inquiring into the means of improving the sanitary condition of the army, that this was most decidedly so of the whole body of competing candidates for medical appointments in the East India service. Mr. Canon Mosely concludes his report on the last year’s experience in the following terms: “With reference to the general scope and tendency of competitive examinations, I may perhaps be permitted the observation, that the consciousness which success in such examinations brings with it in early life of a power to act resolutely on a determinate plan, and to achieve a difficult success, contributes more than the consciousness of talent to the formation of a manly and honorable character, and to success on whatever career a man may enter.”
The report of the last Board of Visitors at West Point, from which I have read, I believe has not yet been printed by Congress; I have read from a pamphlet copy of it printed in the Journal of Education. The Board was composed, as it usually is, of men of high character and ability. After a full and laborious examination of the whole subject, they unanimously and earnestly recommend the adoption of the competitive system.
If the appointments to fill and maintain the corps at this maximum [four hundred] can be selected out of the many American youths ambitious to serve their country in the Army, on the plan of an open competitive examination in the several States, the Visitors believe that ninety out of every one hundred thus appointed will go through the whole course with honor, and the average ability, scholarship, and good conduct of the whole corps will equal that now reached by the first ten of each class.
With such experience of other nations, with such examples at home, I submit that we may safely in this republican country give our young men the privileges that are conceded in imperial France and in aristocratic England; that we may safely place competition against patronage, and give to modest merit a chance with pretentious imbecility. I would go somewhat further in the competitive system. I would not have the Army or the Navy officered exclusively by the graduates of the national Academies. If any young man, at his own expense, and by his own study and aptitude for the profession, has fitted himself for a command in either, let the competition be open to him equally with those who have been instructed at the public expense, and let the epaulets rest on the shoulders that are most worthy to wear them. But I do not propose to follow the subject to this extent at present. I shall be abundantly content if the Senate will adopt the competitive system, which has worked so well in other countries and so well here as far as it has been tried, in the Military Academy.
TABLE VII.--SUMMARY OF EXAMINATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY FOR FIFTEEN YEARS, FROM 1856 TO 1870, INCLUSIVE.
[Transcriber’s Note: The following tables were printed sideways, on two pairs of facing pages. Each has been rearranged for this e-text. The table labeled “Rejections for Literary incompetency”, was originally part of the main Table VIII. Under “Table VIII, Continued”, the information for the two Academies has been split into separate tables.]
[KEY] C Candidates. A Accepted, total. T Total. PD Physical Disability 15Y During fifteen years. [1856-1870: See second table] W Writing, including orthography. R Reading. A Arithmetic. Ge Geography. Gr Grammar. H History.
---------------+-----+-----+------------------------------------ | | | Rejected. | | +---+-------------------------------- | | | | On what account. | | | +-------------------------------- | | | | | Literary incompetency. Appointed | | | | +---+------------------------ from-- | | | | | | Deficient in-- | | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---- | C | A | T |PD |15Y| W | R | A |Ge |Gr | H +-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- | No.| No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.| No. ---------------+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Alabama | 32| 20| 12| 1| 11| 5| 3| 4| 7| 7| 7 Arkansas | 10| 7| 3| 1| 2| 1| 1| 1| 1| 2| .. California | 15| 12| 3| ..| 3| ..| ..| 2| 3| 2| 3 Connecticut | 22| 14| 8| 2| 6| 2| ..| 4| 1| 2| 2 Delaware | 11| 6| 5| ..| 5| 2| 2| 4| 3| 3| 4 Florida | 4| 4| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Georgia | 32| 23| 9| ..| 9| 7| 2| 7| 4| 3| 5 Illinois | 55| 47| 8| 1| 7| 5| 1| 1| 2| 4| 1 Indiana | 67| 46| 21| 2| 19| 17| 8| 9| 3| 3| 3 Iowa | 24| 19| 5| 1| 4| 4| 3| 3| ..| ..| .. Kansas | 6| 3| 3| ..| 3| 2| ..| 1| 2| 1| 1 Kentucky | 60| 43| 17| ..| 17| 8| 5| 9| 7| 6| 6 Louisiana | 18| 14| 4| 1| 3| 2| ..| 3| 1| 1| 1 Maine | 26| 22| 4| ..| 4| 3| ..| 2| 3| 1| 2 Maryland | 32| 25| 7| 2| 5| 3| 2| 3| 1| 1| 1 Massachusetts | 43| 42| 1| ..| 1| ..| ..| ..| 1| ..| .. Michigan | 29| 20| 9| 1| 8| 6| ..| 3| ..| 2| 3 Minnesota | 11| 9| 2| ..| 2| 2| ..| 1| ..| ..| .. Mississippi | 24| 16| 8| 1| 7| 4| 4| 4| 6| 5| 5 Missouri | 48| 32| 16| 1| 15| 12| 6| 7| 1| 6| 3 Nebraska | 5| 4| 1| ..| 1| ..| ..| ..| ..| 1| 1 Nevada | 7| 1| 6| ..| 6| 1| ..| 3| 1| 3| 1 New Hampshire | 14| 12| 2| 1| 1| 1| ..| ..| 1| ..| 1 New Jersey | 27| 25| 2| 1| 1| ..| ..| 1| ..| ..| 1 New York | 157| 128| 29| 4| 25| 15| 1| 6| 6| 10| 6 North Carolina | 32| 26| 6| ..| 6| 2| 1| 4| 1| ..| 1 Ohio | 111| 80| 31| 4| 27| 18| 13| 9| 3| 6| 4 Oregon | 4| 3| 1| ..| 1| ..| ..| 1| ..| ..| .. Pennsylvania | 127| 101| 26| 6| 20| 13| 6| 10| 4| 5| 4 Rhode Island | 7| 7| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. South Carolina | 22| 17| 5| 1| 4| 2| ..| 3| 1| 2| 2 Tennessee | 48| 33| 15| 3| 12| 10| 4| 3| 3| 2| 2 Texas | 8| 5| 3| ..| 3| 1| ..| 3| 2| 1| 1 Vermont | 13| 12| 1| ..| 1| 1| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Virginia | 46| 34| 12| 1| 11| 8| 4| 6| 3| 3| 2 West Virginia | 10| 6| 4| 1| 3| 2| 1| 1| 1| 1| .. Wisconsin | 27| 20| 7| 2| 5| 3| 1| 3| ..| 1| .. Dist. Columbia | 6| 5| 1| ..| 1| 1| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Colorado Ter. | 4| 2| 2| ..| 2| 1| 1| 1| 1| 1| .. New Mexico | 5| 4| 1| ..| 1| 1| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Utah Ter. | 3| 3| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Washington Ter.| 4| 4| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Dakota Ter. | 3| 3| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Arizona Ter. | 2| 2| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Idaho Ter. | 4| | 4| ..| 4| 2| ..| 3| 2| 3| 2 Montana | 1| 1| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. Wyoming Ter. | 1| 1| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| ..| .. At large | 192| 170| 22| 3| 19| 7| 7| 8| 6| 9| 6 +-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- Grand totals |1,459|1,133|326| 41|285|173| 76|133| 80| 98|81 ---------------+-----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---
REJECTIONS FOR LITERARY INCOMPETENCY, BY YEAR:
---------------+--------------------------------------------- Appointed | In the year 18.. from-- +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--- |56|57|58|59|60|61|62|63|64|65|66|67|68|69|70 ---------------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--- Alabama |..| 1|..| 1|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..| 3| 1| 4 Arkansas |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..| 1 California |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2| 1|.. Connecticut |..|..| 2|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..| 3 Delaware |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 2|..| 1| 1 Florida |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Georgia |..| 2| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 4| 2|.. Illinois | 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..| 1|..| 3|..| 1 Indiana | 1| 2|..| 3| 1|..|..| 1| 2| 3| 2| 2| 1| 1|.. Iowa |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2| 1| 1|..|..|..|.. Kansas |..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2 Kentucky | 1|..| 1|..|..| 1|..| 1| 2| 1|..|..| 3| 2| 5 Louisiana |..|..| 1|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1 Maine |..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 2 Maryland |..|..| 1|..|..| 2|..| 1|..|..|..| 1|..|..|.. Massachusetts |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1 Michigan |..|..|..| 1| 1|..|..|..| 1|..| 1|..| 3| 1|.. Minnesota |..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|.. Mississippi | 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 6 Missouri | 1|..| 1| 3| 2|..|..|..|..|..| 2|..| 2|..| 4 Nebraska |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|.. Nevada |..|..|..|..|..|..| 2|..|..|..|..| 1|..| 1| 2 New Hampshire |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|.. New Jersey |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1 New York | 2| 2|..| 2|..| 1| 2|..| 1| 2|..| 1| 4| 1| 7 North Carolina | 1| 1| 2|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 1|.. Ohio | 3| 2| 1| 1| 2| 2| 3|..| 1| 1| 2| 2| 1| 1| 5 Oregon |..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Pennsylvania | 1| 2| 2| 2|..| 1| 2| 1|..| 2|..| 1|..|..| 6 Rhode Island |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. South Carolina |..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 1| 1 Tennessee |..|..| 1|..| 1|..| 1|..| 1| 1| 1| 1| 3| 1| 1 Texas |..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2 Vermont |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|..|..|.. Virginia | 3| 1|..| 1|..| 1| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 4 West Virginia |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..| 1| 1|.. Wisconsin |..|..|..| 1| 1| 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2|.. Dist. Columbia |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1|..|..|..|.. Colorado Ter. |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 2 New Mexico | 1|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Utah Ter. |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Washington Ter.|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Dakota Ter. |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Arizona Ter. |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Idaho Ter. |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..| 1| 1|..| 1| 1 Montana |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. Wyoming Ter. |..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|..|.. At large |..| 1| 1| 1|..|..|..| 2|..|..| 1| 2| 1| 3| 7 +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--- Grand totals |16|16|14|16| 9|11|11| 8|13|13|15|14|36|23|70 ---------------+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---
TABLE VIII--Continued.--SUMMARY OF EXAMINATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY DURING THE YEAR 1871.
----------------------+---+---+-------------------------------- | | | Rejected. | | +---+---------------------------- | | | | On what account. | | | +---+------------------------ | | | | | For deficiency in-- | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---- STATES | C | A | T |PD | R | W | A |Ge |Gr | H AND +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- TERRITORIES. |No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No. ----------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Alabama | 4| 1| 3| | | | 1| 3| 2| 3 Arkansas | 1| | 1| | | | 1| | 1| 1 California | | | | | | | | | | Connecticut | 2| 1| 1| | | | 1| | 1| Delaware | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Florida | | | | | | | | | | Georgia | 4| | 4| 1| | | 2| 2| 2| 3 Illinois | 3| 2| 1| | | | 1| | | Indiana | 4| 3| 1| | | | 1| 1| 1| 1 Iowa | 4| 2| 2| 1| | | | | 1| Kansas | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Kentucky | 7| 4| 3| | 2| 3| 2| 2| 3| 2 Louisiana | 2| 2| | | | | | | | Maine | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Maryland | | | | | | | | | | Massachusetts | 4| 3| 1| 1| | | | | | Michigan | | | | | | | | | | Minnesota | | | | | | | | | | Mississippi | 3| 3| | | | | | | | Missouri | 4| 1| 3| | | 2| | | 1| 2 Nebraska | | | | | | | | | | Nevada | 1| 1| | | | | | | | New Hampshire | | | | | | | | | | New Jersey | 2| 1| 1| | | | | | 1| 1 New York | 15| 10| 5| 2| | 1| | 2| 3| 2 North Carolina | | | | | | | | | | Ohio | 9| 8| 1| | | 1| | 1| 1| 1 Oregon | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Pennsylvania | 13| 8| 5| 2| 1| 1| 1| 1| 3| 2 Rhode Island | 2| 1| 1| 1| | | | | 1| South Carolina | | | | | | | | | | Tennessee | 4| 3| 1| | | | 1| 1| | 1 Texas | 2| 2| | | | | | | | Vermont | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Virginia | 5| 1| 4| 1| | 1| 2| 1| 2| 2 West Virginia | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Wisconsin | 2| 1| 1| | | 1| 1| | 1| 1 Arizona Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Colorado Ter. | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Dakota Ter. | | | | | | | | | | District of Columbia. | | | | | | | | | | Idaho Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Montana Ter. | | | | | | | | | | New Mexico Ter. | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Utah Ter. | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Washington Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Wyoming Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Foreign | | | | | | | | | | At Large | 13| 10| 3| 2| | | 1| | | ----------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- Total |119| 77| 42| 11| 3| 10| 15| 14| 24| 22 ----------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---
TABLE VIII--Continued.--SUMMARY OF EXAMINATIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY DURING THE YEAR 1871.
----------------------+---+---+-------------------------------- | | | Rejected. | | +---+---------------------------- | | | | On What account. | | | +---+------------------------ | | | | | For deficiency in-- | | | | +---+---+---+---+---+---- STATES | C | A | T |PD | R | W | A |Ge |Gr | H AND +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- TERRITORIES. |No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No.|No. ----------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---- Alabama | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Arkansas | 1| 1| | | | | | | | California | | | | | | | | | | Connecticut | 1| | 1| | | | 1| | | Delaware | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Florida | | | | | | | | | | Georgia | 3| 3| | | | | | | | Illinois | 5| 3| 2| | | 2| 2| 2| 1| Indiana | 6| 4| 2| | | 2| 2| 1| 2| Iowa | | | | | | | | | | Kansas | | | | | | | | | | Kentucky | 2| 1| 1| | | | 1| | | Louisiana | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Maine | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Maryland | 4| 2| 2| | | 1| 1| 1| | Massachusetts | 2| 2| | | | | | | | Michigan | 1| | 1| | | | 1| 1| 1| Minnesota | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Mississippi | 3| 2| 1| | | 1| 1| 1| 1| Missouri | 3| 3| | | | | | | | Nebraska | | | | | | | | | | Nevada | | | | | | | | | | New Hampshire | 1| 1| | | | | | | | New Jersey | 2| 2| | | | | | | | New York | 11| 9| 2| | | 2| 2| 1| 2| North Carolina | 2| 1| 1| | | 1| 1| | | Ohio | 5| 3| 2| | | 1| 2| | | Oregon | | | | | | | | | | Pennsylvania | 5| 1| 4| 1| | 3| 3| 3| 2| Rhode Island | 1| | 1| 1| | | | | | South Carolina | 2| 1| 1| | | | 1| | | Tennessee | 5| 3| 2| 1| | | | | | Texas | | | | | | | | | | Vermont | 2| 1| 1| | | 1| 1| | | Virginia | 1| 1| | | | | | | | West Virginia | | | | | | | | | | Wisconsin | 2| 2| | | | | | | | Arizona Ter. | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Colorado Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Dakota Ter. | | | | | | | | | | District of Columbia. | | | | | | | | | | Idaho Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Montana Ter. | 1| 1| | | | | | | | New Mexico Ter. | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Utah Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Washington Ter. | 1| 1| | | | | | | | Wyoming Ter. | | | | | | | | | | Foreign | *1| 1| | | | | | | | At Large | 17| 15| 2| | | 1| 2| 1| 1| ----------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--- Total | 97| 71| 26| 3| | 15| 21| 11| 10| ----------------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---
[* A Japanese student.]
ARTILLERY SCHOOL AT FORTRESS MONROE
HISTORICAL NOTICE.
The Artillery School of the United States Army at Fortress Monroe, was organized and opened April 1, 1868, under a code of regulations and programme of instruction drawn up by Col. William F. Barry (who was placed in command from the start), and approved by the General of the Army. After two years of experience the code and programme were revised, and the present system established. The class of 1868 and of 1869, consisted, each, of twenty lieutenants of artillery, and of the whole number, thirty-eight were sent back to their regiments after having passed a satisfactory examination. To this number at the close of the school year (April) 1871, sixteen more out of the class of twenty were found qualified to return to their respective regiments; twenty more are now in the progress of instruction, constituting together one-half of all the officers of that grade belonging to the artillery.
COURSE OF INSTRUCTION.[16]
[Footnote 16: Report of Col. Barry, dated September 12, 1871.]
The course of theoretical instruction embraces the subjects of mathematics, ordnance, and gunnery, military engineering and surveying, military history, and military, constitutional, and international law. The method of pursuing these studies is very similar to that pursued at the Military Academy at West Point, viz., by recitations, questions, and demonstrations at the blackboard. In military history each officer is required, in addition to his regular recitations, to prepare and read before the class and staff of the school two essays or memoirs upon some battle, campaign, or the military events of some epoch of peculiar interest.
The topics for these essays are selected by the instructor in military history, with the approval of the commandant and superintendent of instruction, and are generally confined to events not prior to the last two decades of the eighteenth century.
The necessary maps, instruments, and apparatus for the elucidation or practical application of the various subjects of the entire range of the theoretical course have to a considerable extent been supplied to the school by requisitions upon the Engineer and Ordnance Departments of the Army. They are kept in active use, and are of the greatest value.
Instructions in the theoretical course is confined to the months of autumn, winter, and the early spring, except instruction in mathematics, which unavoidably has to be given during the months of May, June, July, and August.
The course of practical instruction is pursued, as the weather permits, throughout the entire year, but is more closely attended to during the months of summer and autumn. This course consists of the service of every species of gun, howitzer, or mortar in use in the United States military service; of the use of the various kinds of projectiles and fuses; the laying of platforms; the use of plane-tables, and telemeters, for ascertaining ranges; of mechanical manœuvres; transportation and other handling of all kinds of ordnance, and particularly of the 15-inch guns and their carriages, and of 13-inch mortars and their beds, and of other heavy material which has been adopted into the artillery of the United States.
The practical course also includes very full target practice with every description of ordnance; the duties of the laboratory, as far as they immediately concern officers of artillery; and the study of and recitation in the tactics for light and heavy artillery, and as much of the tactics for infantry as is essential for artillery officers.
Guns, carriages, ammunition, platforms, artillery machines, including hydraulic-jacks of greater or less power, and other appliances, are supplied by requisition on the Ordnance Department in such number and variety as may be desired. The school is compelled to be indebted to the Ordnance Department for the occasional use, when necessary, of some of its instruments and apparatus for determining initial velocities, pressures, densities, etc.
Instruction in the practical course is designed to be as thorough as possible, and no officer leaves the school who has not become practically familiar with the tools of his trade, and able to use them intelligently.
A school for non-commissioned officers, and for such other enlisted men as may desire to avail themselves of its advantages, is also established. Every non-commissioned officer belonging to the five instruction batteries is required to attend the school for one year’s full course of instruction; all other enlisted men are permitted to attend. But their attendance upon school is entirely voluntary. Enlisted men of good character, and belonging to batteries not stationed at the post where the Artillery School is established, are also permitted to enjoy the benefits of one year’s course of instruction at the school. Such men, on their own application, are nominated by their battery commanders to their regimental commanders, on whose approval they are detached from their batteries, by orders from the head-quarters of the Army, and directed to report themselves in person to the commanding officer of the school. Of this last-named class of men twenty-two have undergone or are now undergoing instruction at the school.
The course of instruction for the non-commissioned officers is both practical and theoretical. The practical course is pursued pari passu with that of the commissioned officers, but is not carried to the same extent, being restricted to the scope of the necessary duties and requirements of non-commissioned officers of artillery, and to the average capacity of enlisted men of that grade in our Army.
The theoretical course of instruction for the non-commissioned officers embraces mathematics, history of the United States, geography, reading, and writing. The subject of mathematics includes the entire field of arithmetic, and, for the more advanced scholars, it is carried as far as equations of the second degree in algebra. The instruction in most of the branches is conducted as in the school for commissioned officers, by recitations at the blackboard, and by questions.
Since the commencement of the duties of the Artillery School one hundred and three enlisted men (chiefly non-commissioned officers) have gone through the entire course of practical and theoretical instruction for one year, and have been awarded by the staff of the school engraved certificates, signed by each of its members, setting forth that fact.
The following-named officers constitute the staff and instructors at the school at the present date, and, with the above-stated exceptions, have been thus on duty since its first establishment:
Commandant.--Colonel W. F. Barry, Second Artillery.
Superintendent of Theoretical Instruction.--Lieutenant-Colonel I. Roberts, Fourth Artillery.
Superintendent of Practical Instruction.--Major G. A. De Russy, Third Artillery.
Member of Staff.--Major T. G. Baylor, Ordnance Department.
Adjutant of School and Secretary of Staff.--First Lieutenant I. C. Breckinridge, Second Artillery.
Instructor in Mathematics, Ordnance, and Gunnery.--Captain R. Lodor, Fourth Artillery.
Instructor in Military, International, and Constitutional Law, and in Tactics.--Captain S. S. Elder, First Artillery.
Instructor in Mathematics and Military Engineering.--Captain S. N. Benjamin, Second Artillery.
Instructor in Mathematics and Military History.--Captain E. R. Warner, Third Artillery.
Instructor in Tactics.--Captain J. W. Piper, Fifth Artillery.
A library of books of reference, professional instruction and general reading, to the number of 2,050 volumes, belongs to the school, made up of duplicates from the libraries of the War Department and the Military Academy, and a bequest of Col. Archer.
A museum of field, siege, and sea-coast artillery; specimens of primers, fuses, and projectiles; different varieties of small arms of this and other countries; instruments for inspecting cannon and projectiles, has been commenced by the Superintendent, as a useful aid to the course of practical and theoretical instruction in the school. It now numbers over 4,000 articles.
The Artillery School has been organized and conducted thus far to the satisfaction of the Department, and favor, with this arm of the service, without any special pecuniary expense to the Government by the present Commandant, Col. William F. Barry--who closes his annual Report with the remarkable paragraph:--“No special appropriation (beyond the ordinary requirements of this Military Post) for the maintenance of this school are now needed, and none are required.”
VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE AT LEXINGTON.
HISTORICAL NOTICE.
The VIRGINIA MILITARY INSTITUTE at Lexington, was established in 1839, and was organized and conducted from the start on the plan of the Military Academy at West Point, by Col. Francis H. Smith, a graduate of that institution of the class of 1833, and professor there from 1834 to 1836.
The State makes an annual appropriation of $15,000 for its support, on the basis of which a certain number (usually 36) cadets are admitted without charge; in consideration of which they are required to teach in some school of the State for two years after graduation. In the selection of State cadets regard is had to their capacity to profit, and inability to pay the expenses of tuition and board, and an equal representation of each senatorial district. Any commissioned officer of the militia of the State can become a student for a period not exceeding ten months, and receive instruction in any or all departments of military science taught therein, without charge for tuition.
The course of instruction was from the start distinctly scientific, and since its return [from Richmond where it was removed after the destruction of its building and library, when Lexington was taken possession of by Gen. Hunter] in 1866, and its reorganization on its present basis of a general School of Applied Science, it has become even technic in reference to all the chief industries and natural resources of Virginia.
The origin and military character of the Institute are thus set forth by the Superintendent in an address to the Corps of Cadets, Sept. 10, 1866:
Peculiar circumstances gave to this Institution its distinctive military character. Here the State had a deposit of arms, in an arsenal, which had been established for many years before the organization of the Institution, and the annuity which had been formerly given to the public guard by the State, was transferred to the Virginia Military Institute, as the basis of its support. Upon this foundation the Virginia Military Institute was established, and as the duty imposed upon the cadet was military, so military discipline and military instruction became an essential and distinctive feature in the education it supplied. Besides daily exercises in the school of the soldier, company, and battalion in infantry, and of the piece and battery in artillery tactics, minute instruction is given in the class-room, upon all the theoretic branches of the military art, embracing, in addition to those enumerated, ordnance and gunnery, military strategy and military history, and the principles and practice of field and permanent fortifications.
It is not necessary that I should say any thing, at this time, to vindicate the completeness of the arrangements made in this institution for theoretical and practical military education. The sanguinary conflict which has just closed has fully tested its efficiency. One-tenth of the Confederate Armies was commanded by the éléves of this school, embracing three major generals, thirty brigadier generals, sixty colonels, fifty lieutenant colonels, thirty majors, one hundred and twenty-five captains, between two and three hundred lieutenants; and the terrible results of the battles, in numbering one hundred and twenty-five of these among the killed, and three hundred and fifty among the wounded, show that the éléves of this institution met the call of their country with an earnestness of devotion which places them in most honorable distinction for their heroic defense of what they believed to be right.[17]
[Footnote 17: Although no one institution contributed so large a number of officers to the Confederate Armies, the Military Institute at Frankfort, Ky., the Cadet Corps connected with the arsenals in Norfolk, Richmond, and other Southern cities, and the State Military Institutes in Alabama and Louisiana, furnished a large number of subordinate officers, which facilitated the early organization of the armed forces of the South.]
We give the organization and course of instruction from the latest Circular, issued by the Superintendent.
Academic Staff.
Superintendent, and Professor of Mathematics and Moral Philosophy--General Francis H. Smith, A.M.
Professor of Latin, and, English Literature--Col. John T. L. Preston, A.M.
Professor of Practical Engineering, Architecture, and Drawing--Col. Thomas H. Williamson.
Professor of Agriculture--Col. Wm. Gilham, A.M., (Philip St. George Cocke).[18]
[Footnote 18: Gen. Cocke, in 1866, gave $20,000 to endow this professorship.]
Professor of Animal and Vegetable Physiology applied to Agriculture--Col. Robert L. Madison, M. D. (Mercer).[19]
[Footnote 19: Dr. Mercer of Louisiana, made a donation of $11,800 to this chair.]
Commandant of Cadets, Instructor of Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery Tactics, and Professor of Military History and Strategy--Col. Scott Ship.
Professor of Mathematics--Col. James W. Massie.
Professor of Natural and Experimental Philosophy--Col. William B. Blair, (Jackson).
Professor of Civil and Military Engineering and Applied Mechanics--General G. W. C. Lee.
Professor of Practical Astronomy, Geology, Descriptive and Physical Geography and Meteorology--Col. John M. Brooke.
Professor of Geology, Mineralogy, and Metallurgy--Col. Marshall McDonald.
Professor of General and Applied Chemistry--Col. M. B. Hardin.
Professor of Modern Languages--Col. Thomas M. Semmes.
Professor of Physics and Superintendent of Physical Survey of Virginia--Commodore M. E. Maury, LL. D.
Professor of Fine Arts--Col. William D. Washington.
Assistant Professors.
Assistant in Physics--Col. W. E. Cutshaw.
Assistant Professor of French Language--Capt. O. C. Henderson.
Assistant Prof, of Chemistry, Mineralogy, and Geology--Capt. J. H. Morrison.
Assistant Professor of English, and Drawing--Lieut. James H. Waddell.
Assistant Professor of Latin--Capt. Win. M. Patton.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics--Lieut. R. H. Cousins.
Assistant Prof. of Geography, Drawing and Tactics--Capt. Wm. B. Pritchard.
Assistant Professor of Mineralogy, Latin, and Tactics--Capt. W. H. Butler.
Assistant Professor of Natural Philosophy and Latin--Lieut. R. E. Nelson.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics--Lieut. W. C. Powell.
Assistant Professor of Latin--Lieut. James E. Heath.
Assistant Professor of Drawing--Lieut. M. Palmer.
Assistant Professor of Tactics--Capt. W. Denham.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics, &c.,--Capt. G. K. Macon.
Military Staff.
Surgeon--Col. R. L. Madison.
Ass’t Surgeon--H. T. Barton, M.D.
Act’g Treasurer--Capt. W. A. Deas.
Com. and Steward--Capt. J. T. Gibbs.
Adjutant--Capt. F. H. Smith, Jr.
III. SCHOOLS AND COURSES OF INSTRUCTION.
Academic Schools.
First Year--Fourth Class.--Arithmetic (Smith and Duke’s); Algebra (Smith’s); Geometry (Smith’s Legendre); Plane and Spherical Trigonometry (Smith’s); French (Levizac and La Porte’s Grammar, Gil Blas, Pinney No. 5, Fasquelle); Geography (Maury); Pencil and Pen Drawing: Composition and Declamation; Latin (Cæsar, Virgil, Cicero, Horace).
Second Year--Third Class.--Descriptive Geometry (Smith’s); Analytical Geometry (Smith’s Biot); Shades, Shadows and Perspective (Lectures): Differential and Integral Calculus (Courternay and La Croix); Surveying (Field Exercise); French (Noel and Chapsal, Laporte and Collot, French Classics); Latin (Cæsar, Virgil, Livy, and Cicero); Mechanical Drawing, Composition, and Declamation; Physics (Ganot).
Third Year--Second Class.--Natural Philosophy (Bartlett and Bouchalat’s Mechanics, Bartlett’s Optics and Acoustics, Bartlett and Gummere’s Astronomy); Latin (Terence and Horace); Chemistry (Fownes, and Practical Instruction in Laboratory); Physical Geography (Somerville); Infantry Tactics.
Fourth Year--First Class.--Civil Engineering (Mahan, Rankine, and Lectures); Military Engineering (Laisne, aide memoire); Architecture (Lectures and Drawing); Human Physiology (Kirke); Military History and Strategy (Jomini); Rhetoric (Blair); Intellectual Philosophy (Wayland); Logic (Whately); Moral Philosophy (Paley and Butler); Constitution of United States (Kent); Mineralogy (Dana); Geology (Gray and Adams); Infantry tactics (Hardee); Artillery and Ordnance (Benton and United States Tactics).
Special School of Applied Science.
The Special School of Applied Science, in the Virginia Military Institute, is arranged in seven Courses, which may be prosecuted separately or in combination: 1. Architecture; 2. Civil Engineering; 3. Machines; 4. Mining; 5. Analytical and Applied Chemistry; 6. Metallurgy; 7. Agriculture.
I. ARCHITECTURE.--1. Drawing--Including pen and colored topography, mechanical lettering and coloring. 2. Materials--Stone, brick, wood, mortar, mastics, glue, paints, &c. 3. Masonry--Retaining walls, walls of inclosure, edifices, ornaments, arches, stone-cutting. 4. Carpentry--Timbers, framing, beams, joints, floors, partitions, roofs, domes, centres, windows, stairways. 5. Foundations--In water, on land. 6. Classical Architecture--Orders, Egypt, Rome, Greece. 7. Design. 8. Romanesque. 9. Gothic.
II. CIVIL ENGINEERING.--1. Drawing--Pen and colored topography, mechanical, etc. 2. Materials--Same as in Course of Architecture. 4. Carpentry--Same as in Course of Architecture. 5. Foundation--Same as in Course of Architecture. 6. Surveying--Running lines and curves for common and railroads, canals, leveling profiles, estimates, &c. 7. Bridges--Stone, Wooden, Iron. 8. Common Roads. 9. Railroads. 10. Tunnels. 11. Locomotives. 12. Canals. 13. Rivers, Docks, Harbors. 14. Mining.
III.--MACHINES--GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF MACHINES.--Muscular Power--Power of men, Power of horses, etc. Water Power and Wind Power--Sources of water for Power. Water-Power Engines in general. Water-Bucket Engines. Water-Pressure Engines. Vertical Water-wheels. Turbines. Fluid-on-Fluid, Impulse-Engines, Windmills. Steam and other Heat Engines--Relations of the Phenomena of Heat. Combustion and Fuel. Principles of Thermodynamics, Furnaces and Boilers. Steam-Engines. Electro-Magnetic Engines.
IV.--MINING.-- Course of Lectures on Mining--Embracing prospecting, breaking ground, boring, blasting, tubing, sinking shafts, driving tunnels, ventilating and lighting; the different methods of working mines; mining machinery and motors, engines, horses, pumps, wagons, drums, etc.; dressing and concentration of Minerals, crushers, stamps, washers, amalgamators, etc.; quarrying and open workings; details of mining in this country and statistics.
Drawing.--Geological maps and sections; coloring the same; and plans and sections of mines, quarries and other open workings; mining machinery and implements; plans of ventilation.
V.--METALLURGY.--Geology of Coal, Iron, Copper, Lead, Zinc, Salt, etc.
Metallurgy--Review of more important metals and their ores; Metallurgical implements, structures, and processes, crucibles, furnaces, blowing machines; details of the smelting and manufacture of Iron, Copper, Lead, Silver, Gold, etc.
Drawing--Coloring of maps and sections; drawing of furnaces, refiners, cokeing ovens; Metallurgical apparatus.
VI.--ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED CHEMISTRY.--In the Laboratory facilities are afforded for prosecuting the various branches of practical Chemistry. Each student will work independently of the others, receiving personal guidance and instruction from the Professors. In the last year the course may be varied according to the special object the student has in view.
The following is an outline of Systematic Course for Students in Mining and Metallurgy: 1. Qualitative Analysis. 2. Quantitative Analysis; (a.) Analysis of substances of known composition; (b.) Analysis of ores, slags, etc. 3. Assayers--Ores of Lead, Silver, Gold, Iron, Copper, etc.
VII.--AGRICULTURE.--1. Chemistry--General and applied to Agriculture. 2. Mineralogy. 3. Histology. 4. Vegetable Physiology. 5. Agricultural Botany. 6. Zöology. 7. Civil Engineering--Applied to farm bridges, roads, drainage. 8. Rural Architecture. 9. Drawing. 10. Anatomy and Physiology of Sub-Kingdom--Vertebrata. 11. Human Physiology. 12. Hygiene and Dietetics. 13. General Botany. 14. Animal Toxicology. 15. Veterinary Practice. 16. General Principles. Chemistry, Geology, Mechanics, and Domestic Economy.
IV. SYSTEM OF INSTRUCTION AND GOVERNMENT.
The System of Instruction and Government is founded upon that of the United States Military Academy at West Point.
As soon as a young man enters the Institution, it assumes over him an entire control, and not only directs his moral and intellectual education, but provides every thing required for his personal wants or comfort. A Cadet, may, if his parents desire it, remain in charge of the Institution for the entire term of four years, as the system of government keeps it always in operation. The months of July and August, in each year, are devoted exclusively to Military Exercises. Furloughs are granted to those who may desire it, in turn, during this period. The Cadets are lodged and boarded in the Institution, their Clothing, Books, and other supplies, being provided by the Quartermaster of the Institute, at cost. The sick are under the special care of the Surgeon, with Hospital and other facilities for nursing.
The energy, system, subordination, and self-reliance which the military government of the Institute cultivates, give a practical character to the education which it supplies. The high reputation which its Alumni have established for the School is the evidence of its value.
V. DEGREES.
A Diploma, signed by the Governor of Virginia and by the Visitors and Faculty, is awarded to all Cadets who may pass approved examinations on all the studies of the Academic School, with the title of “Graduate of the Virginia Military Institute.” A like Diploma is awarded to all who may complete the course prescribed for either of the Special Schools of Applied Science, with the title of “Graduate” in such school.
MILITARY TACTICS IN STATE SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE.