memoirs of general william t. sherman-1-第3章
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knowledge； except that it was very strict； and that the army was its natural consequence。 In 1834 I was large for my age； and the construction of canals was the rage in Ohio。 A canal was projected to connect with the great Ohio Canal at Carroll （eight miles above Lancaster）； down the valley of the Hock Hocking to Athens （forty…four miles）； and thence to the Ohio River by slack water。
Preacher Carpenter； of Lancaster； was appointed to make the preliminary surveys； and selected the necessary working party out of the boys of the town。 From our school were chosen ____Wilson； Emanuel Geisy； William King； and myself。 Geisy and I were the rod…men。 We worked during that fall and next spring； marking two experimental lines； and for our work we each received a silver half…dollar for each day's actual work； the first money any of us had ever earned。
In June； 1835； one of our school…fellows； William Irvin； was appointed a cadet to West Point； and； as it required sixteen years of age for admission； I had to wait another year。 During the autumn of 1835 and spring of 1836 I devoted myself chiefly to mathematics and French； which were known to be the chief requisites for admission to West Point。
Some time in the spring of 1836 I received through Mr。 Ewing； then at Washington； from the Secretary of War； Mr。 Poinsett； the letter of appointment as a cadet； with a list of the articles of clothing necessary to be taken along； all of which were liberally provided by Mrs。 Ewing； and with orders to report to Mr。 Ewing； at Washington； by a certain date； I left Lancaster about the 20th of May in the stage…coach for Zanesville。 There we transferred to the coaches of the Great National Road； the highway of travel from the West to the East。 The stages generally travelled in gangs of from one to six coaches； each drawn by four good horses； carrying nine passengers inside and three or four outside。
In about three days； travelling day and night； we reached Frederick； Maryland。 There we were told that we could take rail…cars to Baltimore； and thence to Washington； but there was also a two…horse hack ready to start for Washington direct。 Not having fall faith in the novel and dangerous railroad； I stuck to the coach； and in the night reached Gadsby's Hotel in Washington City。
The next morning I hunted up Mr。 Ewing； and found him boarding with a mess of Senators at Mrs。 Hill's； corner of Third and C Streets； and transferred my trunk to the same place。 I spent a week in Washington； and think I saw more of the place in that time than I ever have since in the many years of residence there。 General Jackson was President； and was at the zenith of his fame。 I recall looking at him a full hour； one morning； through the wood railing on Pennsylvania Avenue； as he paced up and down the gravel walk on the north front of the White House。 He wore a cap and an overcoat so full that his form seemed smaller than I had expected。 I also recall the appearance of Postmaster…General Amos Kendall； of Vice…President Van Buren； Messrs。 Calhoun； Webster； Clay； Cass； Silas Wright； etc。
In due time I took my departure for West Point with Cadets Belt and Bronaugh。 These were appointed cadets as from Ohio； although neither had ever seen that State。 But in those days there were fewer applicants from Ohio than now； and near the close of the term the vacancies unasked for were usually filled from applicants on the spot。 Neither of these parties； however； graduated； so the State of Ohio lost nothing。 We went to Baltimore by rail； there took a boat up to Havre de Grace； then the rail to Wilmington； Delaware； and up the Delaware in a boat to Philadelphia。 I staid over in Philadelphia one day at the old Mansion House； to visit the family of my brother…in…law； Mr。 Reese。 I found his father a fine sample of the old merchant gentleman； in a good house in Arch Street； with his accomplished daughters； who had been to Ohio； and whom I had seen there。 From Philadelphia we took boat to Bordentown； rail to Amboy； and boat again to New York City； stopping at the American Hotel。 I staid a week in New York。 City； visiting my uncle； Charles Hoyt； at his beautiful place on Brooklyn Heights； and my uncle James； then living in White Street。 My friend William Scott was there； the young husband of my cousin； Louise Hoyt； a neatly…dressed young fellow； who looked on me as an untamed animal just caught in the far West〃fit food for gunpowder；〃 and good for nothing else。
About June 12th I embarked in the steamer Cornelius Vanderbilt for West Point； registered in the office of Lieutenant C。 F。 Smith； Adjutant of the Military Academy； as a new cadet of the class of 1836； and at once became installed as the 〃plebe〃 of my fellow…townsman； William Irvin； then entering his Third Class。
Colonel R。 E。 De Russy was Superintendent； Major John Fowle； Sixth United States Infantry； Commandant。 The principal Professors were： Mahan； Engineering； Bartlett； Natural Philosophy； Bailey； Chemistry； Church； Mathematics； Weir； Drawing； and Berard； French。
The routine of military training and of instruction was then fully established； and has remained almost the same ever since。 To give a mere outline would swell this to an inconvenient size； and I therefore merely state that I went through the regular course of four years； graduating in June； 1840； number six in a class of forty…three。 These forty…three were all that remained of more than one hundred which originally constituted the class。 At the Academy I was not considered a good soldier； for at no time was I selected for any office； but remained a private throughout the whole four years。 Then； as now； neatness in dress and form； with a strict conformity to the rules； were the qualifications required for office； and I suppose I was found not to excel in any of these。 In studies I always held a respectable reputation with the professors； and generally ranked among the best； especially in drawing； chemistry； mathematics； and natural philosophy。 My average demerits； per annum； were about one hundred and fifty； which。 reduced my final class standing from number four to six。
In June； 1840； after the final examination； the class graduated and we received our diplomas。 Meantime； Major Delafield； United States Engineers； had become Superintendent； Major C。 F。 Smith； Commandant of Cadets； but the corps of professors and assistants remained almost unchanged during our whole term。 We were all granted the usual furlough of three months； and parted for our homes； there to await assignment to our respective corps and regiments。 In due season I was appointed and commissioned second…lieutenant； Third Artillery； and ordered to report at Governor's Island； New York Harbor； at the end of September。 I spent my furlough mostly at Lancaster and Mansfield； Ohio； toward the close of September returned to New York； reported to Major Justin Dimock； commanding the recruiting rendezvous at Governor's Island； and was assigned to command a company of recruits preparing for service in Florida。 Early in October this company was detailed； as one of four； to embark in a sailing…vessel for Savannah； Georgia； under command of Captain and Brevet Major Penrose。 We embarked and sailed； reaching Savannah about the middle of October； where we transferred to a small steamer and proceeded by the inland route to St。 Augustine； Florida。 We reached St。 Augustine at the same time with the Eighth Infantry； commanded by Colonel and Brevet Brigadier…General William J。 Worth。 At that time General Zachary Taylor was in chief command in Florida； and had his headquarters at Tampa Bay。 My regiment； the Third Artillery； occupied the posts along the Atlantic coast of Florida； from St。 Augustine south to Key Biscayne； and my own company； A； was at Fort Pierce； Indian River。 At St。 Augustine I was detached from the company of recruits； which was designed for the Second Infantry； and was ordered to join my proper company at Fort Pierce。 Colonel William Gates commanded the regiment； with Lieutenant William Austine Brown as adjutant of the regiment。 Lieutenant Bragg commanded the post of St。 Augustine with his own company； E； and G （Garner's）； then commanded by Lieutenant Judd。 In； a
