henry ossian flipper-第42章
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the foundation of all my after…success。 The discipline； which I learned to heed； because it was good； has been of incalculable benefit to me。 It has restrained and shaped my temper on many an occasion when to have yielded to it would have been ruin。 It has regulated my acts when to have committed them as I contemplated would have been base unmanliness。 And it has made my conduct in all cases towards others generous； courteous； and Christian； when it might otherwise have been mean； base； and degrading。 It taught me to be meek； considerate； and kind； and I have verily been benefited by it。
The mind…training has been no less useful。 Its thoroughness； its completeness； and its variety made me more than prepared to enter on the curriculum of studies prescribed at West Point。 A less thorough； complete； or varied training would never have led to the success I achieved。 I was not prepared expressly for West Point。 This very thoroughness made me competent to enter any college in the land。
How my heart looks back and swells with gratitude to these trainers of my youth！ My gratitude is deeply felt； but my ability to express it is poor。 May Heaven reward them with long years of happiness and usefulness here； and when this life is over； and its battles won； may they enter the bright portals of heaven； and at His feet and from His own hands receive crowns of immortal glory。
CHAPTER XVII。
JAMES WEBSTER SMITH； a native of South Carolina； was appointed to a cadetship at the United States Military Academy at West Point； New York； in 1870； by the Hon。 S。 L。 Hoge。 He reported； as instructed； at the Military Academy in the early summer of 1870； and succeeded in passing the physical and intellectual examination prescribed； and was received as a 〃conditional cadet。〃 At the same time one Howard reported； but unfortunately did not succeed in 〃getting in。〃
In complexion Smith was rather light； possibly an octoroon。 Howard； on the contrary； was black。 Howard had been a student at Howard University； as also had been Smith。 Smith； before entering the Academy； had graduated at the Hartford High School； and was well prepared to enter upon the new course of studies at West Point。
In studies he went through the first year's course without any difficulty； but unfortunately an affaire d'honneura 〃dipper fight〃caused him to be put back one year in his studies。 In going over this course again he stood very high in his class； but when it was finished he began going down gradually until he became a member of the last section of his class； an 〃immortal；〃 as we say； and in constant danger of being 〃found。〃
He continued his course in this part of his class till the end of his second class year； when he was declared deficient in natural and experimental philosophy； and dismissed。 At this time he had been in the Academy four years； but had been over only a three…years' course； and would not have graduated until the end of the next year； June； 1875。
As to his trials and experiences while a cadet； I shall permit him to speak。 The following articles embrace a series of letters written by him； after his dismissal； to the New National Era and Citizen； the political organ of the colored people； published at Washington； D。 C。：
THE COLORED CADET AGAIN。
PERTINENT OR IMPERTINENT CARD FROM CADET SMITH。
〃COLUMBIA； S。C。； July 27；1874。
To the Editor of the National Republican：
〃SIR： I saw an article yesterday in one of our local papers； copied from the Brooklyn Argus； concerning my dismissal from the Military Academy。 The article referred to closes as follows： 'Though he has written letters to his friends； and is quite sanguine about returning and finally graduating； the professors and cadets say there is not the slightest chance。 Said a professor to a friend； the other day： 〃It will be a long time before any one belonging to the colored race can graduate at West Point。〃'
〃Now； Sir； I would like to ask a few questions through the columns of your paper concerning these statements； and would be glad to have them answered by some of the knowing ones。
〃In the first place； what do the professors and cadets know of my chances for getting back； and if they know any thing； how did they find it out？ At an interview which I had with the Secretary of War； on the 17th instant； he stated that he went to West Point this year for a purpose； and that he was there both before and after my examination； and conversed with some of the professors concerning me。 Now； did that visit and those conversations have any thing to do with the finding of the Academic Board？ Did they have any thing to do with that wonderful wisdom and foresight displayed by the professors and cadets in commenting upon my chances for getting back？ Why should the Secretary of War go to West Point this year 'for a purpose；' and converse with the professors about me both before and after the examination？ Besides； he spoke of an interview he had had with Colonel Ruger； Superintendent of the Academy； in New York； on Sunday； the 12th instant； in reference to me； during which Colonel Ruger had said that the Academic Board would not recommend me to return。 Is it very wonderful that the Academic Board should refuse such recommendation after those very interesting conversations which were held 'both before and after the recommendation？' Why was the secretary away from West Point at the time of the examination。
〃In the next place； by what divine power does that learned oracle； a professor； prophesy that it will be a long time before any one belonging to the colored race can graduate at West Point？ It seems that he must have a wonderful knowledge of the negro that he can tell the abilities of all the colored boys in America。 But it is possible that he is one of the younger professors； perhaps the professor of philosophy； and therefore expects to live and preside over that department for a long time； though to the unsophisticated mind it looks very much as though he would examine a colored cadet on the color of his face。
〃I think he could express himself better and come much nearer the truth by substituting shall for can in that sentence。 Of course； while affairs remain at West Point as they have always been； and are now； no colored boy will graduate there； but there are some of us who are sanguine about seeing a change； even if we can't get back。
〃J。 W。 SMITH； 〃Late Cadet U。S。M。A。〃
THE DIPPER DIFFICULTY。
〃COLUMBIA； S。C。； July 30； 1874。
To the Editor of the New National Era：
As I told you in my last communication； I shall now proceed to give you an account of my four years' stay at West Point。
〃I reported there on the 31st of May； 1870； and had not been there an hour before I had been reminded by several thoughtful cadets that I was 'nothing but a dd nigger。' Another colored boy； Howard； of Mississippi； reported on the same day； and we were put in the same room； where we stayed until the preliminary examination was over； and Howard was sent away； as he failed to pass。
〃While we were there we could not meet a cadet anywhere without having the most opprobrious epithets applied to us； but after complaining two or three times； we concluded to pay no attention to such things； for； as we did not know these cadets； we could get no satisfaction。
〃One night about twelve o'clock some one came into our room； and threw the contents of his slop…pail over us while we were asleep。 We got to our door just in time to hear the 'gentleman' go into his room on the floor above us。 This affair reported itself the next morning at 'Police Inspection；' and the inspector ordered us to search among the tobacco quids； and other rubbish on the floor； for something by which we might identify the perpetrator of the affair。 The search resulted in the finding of an old envelope； addressed to one McCord； of Kentucky。 That young 'gentleman' was questioned in reference； but succeeded in convincing the authorities that he had nothing to do with the affair and knew nothing of it。
〃A few days after that； Howard was struck in the face by that young 'gentleman；' 'because；' as he says； 'the dd nigger didn't get out of the way when I was going into the boot…black's shop。' For that offence Mr。 McCord was confined to his room； but was never punished； as in a few days thereafter he failed at the preliminary examination； and was sent away with all the other unfortunates； including Howard。
〃On the 28th of June； 1870； those of us who had succeeded in passing the preliminary examination were taken in 'plebe camp；' and there I got my taste of 'military discipline；' as the petty persecutions of about two hundred cadets were called。 Left alone as I was； by Howard's failure； I had to take every insult that was offered； without saying any thing； for I had complained several times to the Commandant of Cadets； and； after 'investigating the matter；' he invariably came to the conclusion； 'from the evidence deduced；' that I was in the wrong； and I was cautioned that I had better be very particular about any statements that I might make； as the regulations were very strict on the subject of veracity。
〃Whenever the 'plebes' （new cadets） were turned out to 'police' camp； as they were each day at 5 A。M。 and 4 P。M。； certain cadets would come into the company street and spit out quids of tobacco which they would call for me to pick up。 I would get a broom and shovel for the purpose； but they would immediately begin swearing at and abusing me for not using my fingers； and then the corporal of police would order me to put down that broom and shovel； 'and not to try to play the gentleman here；' for my fingers were 'made for that purpose。' Finding there was no redress to be had there； I wrote my friend Mr。 David Clark； of Hartford； Ct。； to do something for me。 He had my letter published； and that drew the attention of Congress to the matter； and a board was sent to West Point to inquire into the matter and report thereon。 That board found out that several cadets were guilty of conduct unbecoming a cadet and a gentleman and recommended that they be court… martialled； but the Secretary of War thought a reprimand would be sufficient。 Among those reprimanded were Q。 O'M。 Gillmore； son of General Gillmore； Alex。 B。 Dyer； son of General Dyer； and James H。 Reid； nephew of the Secretary of War （it is said）。 I was also reprimanded for writing letters for publication。
〃Instead of doing good； these reprimands seemed only to increase the enmity of the cadets； and they redoubled their energies to get me into difficulty； and they went on from bad to worse； until from words they came to blows； and then occurred that 'little onpleasantness' known as the 'dipper fight。' On the 13th of August； 1870； I； being on guard； was sent to the tank for a pail of water。 I had to go a distance of about one hundred and fifty yards； fill the pail by drawing water from the faucet in a dipper （the faucet was too low to permit the pail to stand under it）； and return to the guard tent in ten minutes。 When I reached the tank； one of my classmates； J。 W。 Wilson； was standing in front of the faucet drinking water from a dipper。 He didn't seem inclined to move； so I asked him to stand aside as I wanted to get water for the g
