henry ossian flipper-第1部分

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Henry　Ossian　Flipper；　The　Colored　Cadet　at　West　Point

by　Henry　Ossian　Flipper





Henry　Ossian　Flipper；　The　Colored　Cadet　at　West　Point。
Autobiography　of　Lieut。　Henry　Ossian　Flipper；　U。S。A。；　First
Graduate　of　Color　from　the　U。S。　Military　Academy





TO
The　Faculty　of　Atlanta　University；　Atlanta；　Ga。；
AND　TO
THE　PRESIDENT　IN　PARTICULAR；
TO　WHOSE　CAREFUL
MENTAL　AND　MORAL　TRAINING　OF　MYSELF　IS　DUE　ALL
MY　SUCCESS　AT　THE　MILITARY　ACADEMY
AT　WEST　POINT；　N。　Y。；
I　AFFECTIONATELY　DEDICATE　THIS　VOLUME；
AS　IN　SOME　SORT
A　TOKEN　OF　THAT　HEARTFELT　GRATITUDE　WHICH
I　SO　DEEPLY　FEEL；　BUT　CAN　SO
POORLY　EXPRESS。




CONTENTS。

RETROSPECT；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　　7
COMMUNICATIONS；　ETC。；　。　。　。　。　。　17
REPORTING；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。29
CANT　TERMS；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　49
PLEBE　CAMP；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　57
STUDIES；　ETC。；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。73
YEARLING　CAMP；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　102
FIRST　CLASS　CAMP；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。108
OUR　FUTURE　HEROES；　。　。　。　。　。　。　114
TREATMENT；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　117
RESUME；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。166
PLEASURES　AND　PRIVILEGES；　。　。　。187
FURLOUGH；　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。　。203
INCIDENT；　HUMOR；　ETC。；　。　。　。　。　207
GRADUATIONIN　THE　ARMY；　。　。　。　238
SMITH　AT　WEST　POINT；　。　。　。　。　。　288


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PREFACE。

THE　following　pages　were　written　by　request。　They　claim　to　give　an　accurate　and　impartial　narrative　of　my　four　years'　life　while　a　cadet　at　West　Point；　as　well　as　a　general　idea　of　the　institution　there。　They　are　almost　an　exact　transcription　of　notes　taken　at　various　times　during　those　four　years。　Any　inconsistencies；　real　or　apparent；　in　my　opinions　or　in　the　impressions　made　upon　me；　are　due　to　the　fact　that　they　were　made　at　different　times　at　a　place　where　the　feelings　of　all　were　constantly　undergoing　material　change。

They　do　not　pretend　to　merit。　Neither　are　they　written　for　the　purpose　of　criticising　the　Military　Academy　or　those　in　any　way　connected　with　it。

My　〃notes〃　have　been　seen　and　read。　If　I　please　those　who　requested　me　to　publish　them　I　shall　be　content；　as　I　have　no　other　object　in　putting　them　before　the　public。

H。　O。　F。

FORT　SILL；　INDIAN　TER。；　1878。




　　　　　　　　　　　　　　THE　COLORED　CADET　　AT　WEST　POINT。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　I。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　RETROSPECT。

HENRY　OSSIAN　FLIPPER；　the　eldest　of　five　brothers；　and　the　subject　of　this　narrative；　was　born　in　Thomasville；　Thomas　County；　Georgia；　on　the　21st　day　of　March；　1856。　He　and　his　mother　were　the　property　（？）　of　Rev。　Reuben　H。　Lucky；　a　Methodist　minister　of　that　place。　His　father；　Festus　Flipper；　by　trade　a　shoemaker　and　carriage…trimmer；　was　owned　by　Ephraim　G。　Ponder；　a　successful　and　influential　slave…dealer。

In　1859　Mr。　Ponder；　having　retired　from　business；　returned　to　Georgia　from　Virginia　with　a　number　of　mechanics；　all　slaves；and　among　whom　was　the　father　of　young　Flipper。　He　established　a　number　of　manufactories　in　Atlanta；　then　a　growing　inland　town　of　Georgia。　He　married　about　this　time　a　beautiful；　accomplished；　and　wealthy　lady。　〃Flipper；〃　as　he　was　generally　called；had　married　before　this；　and　had　been　taken　back　alone　to　his　native　Virginia　to　serve　an　apprenticeship　under　a　carriage…trimmer。　This　served；　Mr。　Ponder　joined　his　wife　in　Thomasville；　bringing　with　him；　as　stated；　a　number　of　mechanics。

All　were　soon　ready　for　transportation　to　Atlanta　except　〃Flipper。〃　As　he　and　his　wife　were　each　the　property　（？）　of　different　persons；　there　was；　under　the　circumstances；　every　probability　of　a　separation。　This；　of　course；　would　be　to　them　most　displeasing。　Accordingly　an　application　was　made　to　Mr。　Ponder　to　purchase　the　wife　and　son。　This　he　was；　he　said；　unable　to　do。　　He　had；　at　an　enormous　expense；　procured　and　fitted　up　a　home；　and　his　coffers　were　nearly；　if　not　quite；　empty。　Husband　and　wife　then　appealed　to　Mr。　Lucky。　He；　too；　was　averse　to　parting　them；　but　could　not；　at　the　great　price　asked　for　him；　purchase　the　husband。　He　was　willing　however；　to　sell　the　wife。　An　agreement　was　finally　made　by　which　the　husband　paid　from　his　own　pocket　the　purchase…money　of　his　own　wife　and　child；　this　sum　to　be　returned　to　him　by　Mr。　Ponder　whenever　convenient。　The　joy　of　the　wife　can　be　conceived。　It　can　not　be　expressed。

In　due　time　all　arrived　at　Atlanta；　where　Mr。　Ponder　had　purchased　about　twenty…five　acres　of　land　and　had　erected　thereon；　at　great　expense；　a　superb　mansion　for　his　own　family；　a　number　of　substantial　frame　dwellings　for　his　slaves；　and　three　large　buildings　for　manufacturing　purposes。

Of　sixty…five　slaves　nearly　all　of　the　men　were　mechanics。　All　of　them　except　the　necessary　household　servants；　a　gardener；　and　a　coachman；　were　permitted　to　hire　their　own　time。　Mr。　Ponder　would　have　absolutely　nothing　to　do　with　their　business　other　than　to　protect　them。　So　that　if　any　one　wanted　any　article　of　their　manufacture　they　contracted　with　the　workman　and　paid　him　his　own　price。　These　bond　people　were　therefore　virtually　free。　　They　acquired　and　accumulated　wealth；　lived　happily；　and　needed　but　two　other　things　to　make　them　like　other　human　beings；　viz。；　absolute　freedom　and　education。　But

　　　　　　〃God　moves　in　a　mysterious　way　　　　　　　　His　wonders　to　perform。〃

And　through　that　very　mysteriousness　this　people　was　destined　to　attain　to　the　higher　enjoyment　of　life。　The　country；　trembling　under　the　agitation　of　the　slave　question；　was　steadily　seeking　a　condition　of　equilibrium　which　could　be　stable　only　in　the　complete　downfall　of　slavery。　Unknown　to　them；　yet　existing；　the　great　question　of　the　day　was　gradually　being　solved；　and　in　its　solution　was　working　out　the　salvation　of　an　enslaved　people。　Well　did　that　noblest　of　women；　Mrs。　Julia　Ward　Howe；　sing　a　few　years　after：


〃Mine　eyes　have　seen　the　glory　of　the　coming　of　the　　　　Lord；　He　is　tramping　out　the　vintage　where　the　grapes　of　　　　wrath　are　stored；　He　hath　loosed　the　fateful　lightning　of　his　terrible　　　　swift　sword；　This　truth　is　marching　on。

〃I　have　seen　him　in　the　watch…fires　of　a　hundred　　　　circling　camps；　They　have　builded　him　an　altar　in　the　evening　dews　　　　and　damps；　I　can　read　his　righteous　sentence　by　the　dim　and　　　　flaring　lamps；　His　day　is　marching　on。

〃I　have　read　a　fiery　gospel；　writ　in　burnished　rows　　　　of　steel；　'As　ye　deal　with　my　contemners；　so　with　you　my　grace　　　　shall　deal；　Let　the　Hero；　born　of　woman；　crush　the　serpent　with　　　　his　heel；　Since　God　is　marching　on。'

〃He　hath　sounded　forth　the　trumpet　that　shall　never　　　　call　retreat；　He　is　sifting　out　the　hearts　of　men　before　his　　　　judgment…seat；　Oh！　be　swift　my　soul　to　answer　him！　be　jubilant　my　　　　feet！　Our　God　is　marching　on。

〃In　the　beauty　of　the　lilies；　Christ　was　born　across　　　　the　sea；　With　a　glory　in　his　bosom　that　transfigures　you　　　　and　me；　As　he　died　to　make　men　holy；　let　us　die　to　make　men　　　　free；　While　God　is　marching　on。〃

Another　influence　was　as　steadily　tending　to　the　same　end。　Its　object　was　to　educate；　to　elevate　intellectually；　and　then　to　let　the　power　thus　acquired　act。

The　mistress　of　this　fortunate　household；　far　from　discharging　the　duties　and　functions　of　her　station；　left　them　unnoticed；　and　devoted　her　whole　attention　to　illegitimate　pleasures。　The　outraged　husband　appointed　a　guardian　and　returned　broken…hearted　to　the　bosom　of　his　own　family；　and　devoted　himself　till　death　to　agricultural　pursuits。

The　nature　of　the　marriage　contract　prevented　the　selling　of　any　of　the　property　without　the　mutual　consent　of　husband　and　wife。　No　such　consent　was　ever　asked　for　by　either。　No　one　was；　therefore；　in　that　state　of　affairs；　afraid　of　being　sold　away　from　his　or　her　relatives；　although　their　mistress　frequently　threatened　so　to　sell　them。　〃I'll　send　you　to　Red　River；〃　was　a　common　menace　of　hers；　but　perfectly　harmless；　for　all　knew；　as　well　as　she　did；　that　it　was　impossible　to　carry　it　into　execution。

In　this　condition　of　affairs　the　〃servants〃　were　even　more　contented　than　ever。　They　hired　their　time；　as　usual；　and　paid　their　wages　to　their　mistress；　whose　only　thought　or　care　was　to　remember　when　it　became　due；　and　then　to　receive　it。

The　guardian；　an　influential　stockholder　in　several　railroads；　and　who　resided　in　another　city；　made　periodical　visits　to　inspect　and　do　whatever　was　necessary　to　a　proper　discharge　of　his　duties。

Circumstances　being　highly　favorable；　one　of　the　mechanics；　who　had　acquired　the　rudiments　of　an　education；　applied　to　this　dissolute　mistress　for　permission　to　teach　the　children　of　her　〃servants。〃　She　readily　consented；　and；　accordingly；　a　night…　School　was　opened　in　the　very　woodshop　in　which　he　worked　by　day。　Here　young　Flipper　was　initiated　into　the　first　of　the　three　mysterious　R's；　viz。；　〃reading　'riting　and　'rithmetic。〃　Here；　in　1864；　at　eight　years　of　age；　his　education　began。　And　the　first　book　he　ever　studiedI　dare　say　ever　sawwas　a　confederate　reprint　of　Webster's　〃Blueback　Speller。〃　His　then　tutor　has　since　graduated　at　Westminster　College　in　Pennsylvania；　and　is；　at　the　time　of　this　writing；　United　States　Consul　at　Malaga；　Spain；　having　served　in　the　same　capacity　for　four　years　at　Port　Mahon；　Spain。

But　alas！　even　this　happy　arrangement　was　destined　to　be　disturbed。　This　dissolute　mistress　and　her　slaves；　with　all　valuable　movable　property；