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ng　'gentleman'　did　it；　for　every　cadet　stated　that　he　knew　nothing　of　it；　although　the　corps　of　cadets　has　the　reputation　of　being　a　truthful　set　of　young　men。

〃'Upon　my　honor　as　a　cadet　and　a　gentleman；'〃　is　a　favorite　expression　with　the　West　Point　cadet；　but　what　kind　of　honor　is　that　by　which　a　young　man　can　quiet　his　conscience　while　telling　a　base　falsehood　for　the　purpose　of　shielding　a　fellow…student　from　punishmen　for　a　disgraceful　act？　They　boast　of　the　esprit　de　corps　existing　among　the　cadets；　but　it　is　merely　a　cloak　for　the　purpose　of　covering　up　their　iniquities　and　silencing　those　（for　there　are　some）　who　would；　if　allowed　to　act　according　to　the　dictates　of　their　own　consciences；　be　above　such　disgraceful　acts。　Some　persons　might　attribute　to　me　the　same　motives　that　actuated　the　fox　in　crying　'sour　grapes；'　and　to　such　I　will　say　that　I　never　asked　for　social　equality　at　West　Point。　I　never　visited　the　quarters　of　any　professor；　official；　or　cadet　except　on　duty；　for　I　did　not　wish　any　one　to　think　that　I　was　in　any　way　desirous　of　social　recognition　by　those　who　felt　themselves　superior　to　me　on　account　of　color。　　As　I　was　never　recognized　as　'a　cadet　and　a　gentleman；'　I　could　not　enjoy　that　blessed　privilege　of　swearing　'upon　my　honor；'　boasting　of　my　share　in　the　esprit　de　corps；　nor　of　concealing　my　sins　by　taking　advantage　of　them。　Still；　I　hope　that　what　I　lost　（？）　by　being　deprived　of　these　little　benefits　will　be　compensated　for　the　'still　small　voice；'　which　tells　me　that　I　have　done　my　best。


〃Yours　respectfully；

〃J。　W。　SMITH；　〃Late　Cadet　U。S。M。A。〃


COLUMBIA；　S。C。；　August　19；　1874。

To　the　Editor　of　the　New　National　Era：

〃SIR：　My　communications；　thus　far；　have　brought　me　to　the　end　of　my　first　year　at　the　Academy；　and　now　we　come　to　the　events　of　the　second。　In　June　of　1871；　the　proverbial　silver　lining；　which　the　darkest　cloud　is　said　to　have；　began　to　shine　very　faintly　in　the　West　Point　firmament；　and　I　thought　that　at　last　the　darkness　of　my　cadet　life　was　to　be　dispelled　by　the　appearance　above　the　horizon　of　another　colored　cadet。　And；　indeed；　I　was　not　disappointed；　for；　one　day；　I　was　greeted　by　the　familiar　face　and　voice　of　Mr。　H。　A。　Napier；　a　former　fellow…student　at　Howard　University。　Soon　after　his　arrival；　and　admittance；　the　corps　of　'cadets；　accompanied　by　the　'plebes；'　took　up　quarters　in　camp　'plebe　camp'　to　the　latter；　and　'yearling　camp'　to　us　who　had　entered　the　previous　year。

〃During　the　cadet　encampment　there　are　certain　dances　given　three　times　each　week；　known　as　'Cadet　Hops。'　These　'hops'　are　attended　by　the　members　of　the　first　and　third　classes；　and　their　lady　friends；　and　no　'plebe'　ever　has　the　assurance　of　dreaming　of　attending　the　'hops'　until　he　shall　have　risen　to　the　dignity　of　a　'yearling'third…classman。　So　long　as　I　was　a　'plebe；'　no　one　anticipated　any　such　dire　calamity　as　that　I　would　attend　the　'hops；'　but　as　soon　as　I　became　a　'yearling；'　and　had　a　perfect　right　to　go；　if　I　wished；　there　was　a　great　hue　and　cry　raised　that　the　sanctity　of　the　'hop'　room　was　to　be　violated　by　the　colored　cadet。

〃Meetings　were　held　by　the　different　classes；　and　resolutions　passed　to　the　effect　that　as　soon　as　the　colored　cadet　entered　the　'hop'　room；　the　'hop'　managers　were　to　declare　the　'hop'　ended；　and　dismiss　the　musicians。　But　the　'hops'　went　on　undisturbed　by　the　presence　of　the　colored　cadet　for　two　or　three　weeks；　and　all　began　to　get　quiet　again；　when　one　day　my　brother　and　sister；　with　a　couple　of　lady　friends　whom　they　had　come　to　visit；　came　to　camp　to　see　me。

〃This　started　afresh　the　old　report　about　the　'hops；'　and　every　one　was　on　the　qui　vive　to　get　a　glimpse　of　'nigger　Jim　and　the　nigger　wenches　who　are　going　to　the　hops；'　as　was　remarked　by　a　cadet　who　went　up　from　the　guard　tent　to　spread　the　alarm　through　camp。

〃In　a　few　minutes　thereafter　the　'gentlemen'　had　all　taken　position　at　the　end　of　the　'company　street；'　and；　with　their　opera…glasses；　were　taking　observations　upon　those　who；　as　they　thought；　had　come　to　desecrate　the　'hop'　room。　I　was　on　guard　that　day；　but　not　being　on　post　at　that　time；　I　was　sitting　in　rear　of　the　guard　tents　with　my　friendsthat　place　being　provided　with　camp…stools　for　the　accommodation　of　visitors　when　a　cadet　corporal；　Tyler；　of　Kentucky；　came　and　ordered　me　to　go　and　fasten　down　the　corner　of　the　first　guard　tent；　which　stood　a　few　paces　from　where　we　were　sitting。

〃I　went　to　do　so；　when　he　came　there　also；　and　immediately　began　to　rail　at　me　for　being　so　slow；　saying　he　wished　me　to　know　that　when　he　ordered　me　to　do　anything；　I　must　'step　out'　about　it；　and　not　try　to　shirk　it。　I　said　nothing；　but　fastened　down　the　corner　of　the　tent；　and　went　back　to　where　my　friends　were。

〃In　a　few　minutes　afterwards　he　came　back；　and　wanted　to　know　why　I　hadn't　fastened　down　that　tent　wall。　I　told　him　that　I　had。

〃He　said　it　was　not　fastened　then；　and　that　he　did　not　wish　any　prevarication　on　my　part。

〃I　then　told　him　that　he　had　no　authority　to　charge　me　with　prevarication；　and　that　if　he　believed　that　I　had　not　fastened　down　the　tent　wall；　the　only　thing　he　could　do　was　to　report　me。　I　went　back　to　the　tent　and　found　that　either　Cadet　Tyler　or　some　other　cadet　had　unfastened　the　tent　wall；　so　I　fastened　it　down　again。　Nothing　now　was　said　to　me　by　Cadet　Tyler；　and　I　went　back　to　where　my　friends　were：　but　we　had　been　sitting　there　only　about　a　half　hour；　when　a　private　soldier　came　to　us　and　said；　'It　is　near　time　for　parade；　and　you　will　have　to　go　away　from　here。'　I　never　was　more　surprised　in　my　life；　and　I　asked　the　soldier　what　he　meant；　for　I　surely　thought　be　was　either　drunk　or　crazy；　but　he　said　that　the　superintendent　had　given　him　orders　to　allow　no　colored　persons　near　the　visitors'　seats　during　parade。

〃I　asked　him　if　he　recognized　me　as　a　cadet。　He　said　he　did。　I　then　told　him　that　those　were　my　friends；　that　I　had　invited　them　there　to　see　the　parade；　and　that　they　were　going　to　stay。　He　said　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　me；　of　course；　but　that　he　had　to　obey　the　orders　of　the　superintendent。　I　then　went　to　the　officer　of　the　guard；　who　was　standing　near　by；　and　stated　the　circumstances　to　him；　requesting　him　to　protect　us　from　such　insults。　He　spoke　to　the　soldier；　saying　that　he　had　best　not　try　to　enforce　that　order；　as　the　order　was　intended　to　apply　to　servants；　and　then　the　soldier　went　off　and　left　us。

〃Soon　after　that　the　drum　sounded　for　parade；　and　I　was　compelled　to　leave　my　friends　for　the　purpose　of　falling　in　ranks；　but　promising　to　return　as　soon　as　the　parade　was　over；　little　thinking　that　I　should　not　be　able　to　redeem　that　promise；　but　such　was　the　case；　as　I　shall　now　proceed　to　show。

〃Just　as　the　companies　were　marching　off　the　parade　ground；　and　before　the　guard　was　dismissed；　the　'officer　in　charge；'　Lieutenant　Charles　King；　Fifth　Cavalry；　came　to　the　guard　tent　and　ordered　me　to　step　out　of　ranks　three　paces　to　the　front；　which　I　did。

〃He　then　ordered　me　to　take　off　my　accoutrements　and　place　them　with　my　musket　on　the　gun　rack。　That　being　done；　he　ordered　me　to　take　my　place　in　the　centre　of　the　guard　as　a　prisoner；　and　there　I　stood　until　the　ranks　were　broken；　when　I　was　put　in　the　guard　tent。　Of　course　my　friends　felt　very　bad　about　it；　as　they　thought　that　they　were　the　cause　of　it；　while　I　could　Not　speak　a　word　to　them；　as　they　went　away；　and　even　if　I　could　have　spoken　to　them；　I　could　not　have　explained　the　matter；　for　I　did　not　know　myself　why　I　had　been　put　thereat　least　I　did　not　know　what　charge　had　been　trumped　up　against　me；　though　I　knew　well　enough　that　I　had　been　put　there　for　the　purpose　of　keeping　me　from　the　'hop；'　as　they　expected　I　would　go。　The　next　morning　I　was　put　'in　arrest'　for　'disobedience　of　orders　in　not　fastening　down　tent　wall　when　ordered；'　and　'replying　in　a　disrespectful　manner　to　a　cadet　corporal；'　etc。；　and　thus　the　simplest　thing　was　magnified　into　a　very　serious　offence；　for　the　purpose　of　satisfying　the　desires　of　a　few　narrow…minded　cadets。　That　an　officer　of　the　United　States　Army　would　allow　his　prejudices　to　carry　him　so　far　as　to　act　in　that　way　to　a　subordinate；　without　giving　him　a　chance　to　speak　a　word　in　his　defencenay；　without　allowing　him　to　know　what　charge　had　been　made　against　him；　and　that　he　should　be　upheld　in　such　action　by　the　'powers　that　be；'　are　sufficient　proof　to　my　mind　of　the　feelings　which　the　officers　themselves　maintained　towards　us。　While　I　was　in　ranks；　during　parade；　and　my　friends　were　quietly　sitting　down　looking　at　the　parade；　another　model　'officer　and　gentleman；'　Captain　Alexander　Piper；　Third　Artilleryhe　was　president　of　my　second　court…　martialcame　up；　in　company　with　a　lady；　and　ordered　my　brother　and　sister　to　get　up　and　let　him　have　their　camp…stools；　and　he　actually　took　away　the　camp…stools　and　left　them　standing；　while　a　different　kind　of　a　gentlemanan　'obscure　citizen；'　with　no　aristocratic　West　Point　dignity　to　boast　ofkindly　tendered　his　camp…stool　to　my　sister。

〃I　only　wish　I　knew　the　name　of　that　gentleman；　but　I　could　not　see　him　then；　or　I　should　certainly　have　found　it　out；　though　in　answer　to　my　brother's　question　as　to　his　name；　he　simply　replied；　'I　am　an　o