第11章

The hours of Recitation of each Cadet will be posted on the back of the door of his room. When a room is being washed out by the policeman, on reporting to the Officer of the Day, and stating to him the number of some room in his own Division he wishes to visit, a Cadet will be permitted to visit that particular room until his own can be occupied. The uniform coat will be worn from 8till 10 A.M.; at Inspection before 10 A.M. the coat will be buttoned throughout; at Sunday Morning Inspection gloves and side-arms will also be worn. After 10 A.M. any uniform garment or dressing-gown may be worn in their own rooms, but at no time will Cadets be in their shirt-sleeves unnecessarily. During the "Call to Quarters," between "Inspection Call" in the morning and "Tattoo," the following Arrangement of Furniture, etc., will be required:

ACCOUTREMENTS.

Dress Cap--On gun-rack shelf.

Cartridge Boxes, Waist Belts, Sabres, Forage Caps --Hung on pegs near gun-rack shelf.

Muskets--In gun--rack, Bayonets in the scabbards.

Spurs--Hung on peg with Sabres.

BEDSTEADS AND BEDDING.

Bedsteads--In alcove, against side wall of the room, the head against the back wall.

Bedding--Mattress to be folded once; Blankets and Comforters, each one to be neatly and separately folded, so that the folds shall be of the width of an ordinary pillow, and piled at the head of the BEDSTEAD in the following order, viz.: MATTRESS, SHEETS, PILLOWS, BLANKETS, and COMFORTERS, the front edge of sheets, pillows, etc., to be vertical.

On Sunday afternoons the BEDS may be made down and used.

CLOTHES-PRESS.

Books--On the top of the Press, against the wall, and with the backs to the front. BRUSHES (tooth and hair), COMBS, SHAVING IMPLEMENTS and MATERIALS, such small boxes as may be allowed, vials, etc., to be neatly arranged on the upper shelf. BELTS, COLLARS, GLOVES, HANDKERCHIEFS, SOCKS, etc., to be neatly arranged on the second shelf from the top.

SHEETS, PILLOW-CASES, SHIRTS, DRAWERS, WHITE PANTS, etc., to be neatly arranged on the other shelves, the heaviest articles on the lower shelves.

Arrangement--All articles of the same kind are to be carefully and neatly placed in separate piles.

The folded edges of these articles to be to the front, and even with the front edge of the shelf.

Nothing will be allowed between these piles of clothing and the back of the press, unless the want of room on the front edge renders it necessary.

Dirty Clothes--To be kept in clothes-bag.

Shoes and Over-Shoes--To be kept clean, dusted, and arranged in a line where they can be seen by the Inspector, either at the foot of the bedstead or at the side near the foot.

Woollen Clothing, Dressing-Gown, and Clothes-Bag--To be hung on the pegs in alcove in the following general order, from the front of the alcove to the back: Over-Coat, Dressing-Gown, Uniform Coats, Jackets, Pants, Clothes-Bag.

FURNITURE.

Broom--To be kept behind the door. TIN BOX for CLEANING MATERIALS--To be kept clean and in the fire-place. SPITTOON-- To be kept on one side of the hearth near mantel-piece. CHAIRS and TABLES--On no occasion to be in alcoves, the chairs, when not in use, to be against the owners' tables.

LOOKING-GLASS--At the centre of the mantel-piece.

WASH-STAND--To be kept clean, in front and against alcove partition. WASH-BASIN--To be kept clean, and inverted on the top of the Wash-stand. WATER-BUCKET--To be kept on shelf of wash-stand. SLOP-BUCKET--To be kept near to and on side of Wash-stand, opposite door. Baskets, Pictures, Clocks, Statues, Trunks, and large Boxes will NOT be allowed in quarters.

Curtains--WINDOW-CURTAINS--Only uniform allowed, and to be kept drawn back during the day. ALCOVE--CURTAINS--Only uniform allowed, and to be kept drawn, except between "Tattoo" and "Reveille" and when dressing. CURTAINS OF CLOTHES-PRESS--To be kept drawn, except when policing room.

FLOOR.

To be kept clean, and free from grease-spots and stains.

WALLS AND WOOD-WORK.

To be kept free from cobwebs, and not to be injured by nails or otherwise.

HEATING APPARATUS, SCREEN AND TOP.

To be kept clean, and not to be scratched or defaced.

These Regulations will be strictly obeyed and enforced.

By order of LIEUT.-COLONEL UPTON, GEORGE L. TURNER, Cadet Lieut. and Adjutant.

HEADQUARTERS, CORPS OF CADETS, West Point, N. Y., Sept. 4, 1873.

At the end of the time specified every article was arranged and the cadet corporal returned to inspect. He walked deliberately to the clothes-press, and, informing me that every thing was arranged wrong, threw every article upon the floor, repeated his order, and withdrew.

And thus three times in less than two hours did I arrange and he disarrange my effects. I was not troubled again by him till after supper, when he inspected again, merely opening the door, however, and looking in. He told me I could not go to sleep till "tattoo." Now tattoo, as he evidently used it, referred in some manner to time, and with such reference I had not the remotest idea of what it meant. I had no knowledge whatever of military terms or customs. However, as I was also told that I could do any thing--writing, etc.--I might wish to do, I found sufficient to keep me awake until he again returned and told me it was then tattoo, that I could retire then or at any time within half an hour, and that at the end of that time the light must be extinguished and I must be in bed. I instantly extinguished it and retired.

Thus passed my first half day at West Point, and thus began the military career of the fifth colored cadet. The other four were Smith of South Carolina, Napier of Tennessee, Howard of Mississippi, and Gibbs of Florida.