The Personal Memoirs of General U. S. Grant | Page 9

did not take hold
of my studies with avidity, in fact I rarely ever read over a lesson the
second time during my entire cadetship. I could not sit in my room
doing nothing. There is a fine library connected with the Academy
from which cadets can get books to read in their quarters. I devoted
more time to these, than to books relating to the course of studies.
Much of the time, I am sorry to say, was devoted to novels, but not
those of a trashy sort. I read all of Bulwer's then published, Cooper's,
Marryat's, Scott's, Washington Irving's works, Lever's, and many others
that I do not now remember. Mathematics was very easy to me, so that
when January came, I passed the examination, taking a good standing
in that branch. In French, the only other study at that time in the first

year's course, my standing was very low. In fact, if the class had been
turned the other end foremost I should have been near head. I never
succeeded in getting squarely at either end of my class, in any one
study, during the four years. I came near it in French, artillery, infantry
and cavalry tactics, and conduct.
Early in the session of the Congress which met in December, 1839, a
bill was discussed abolishing the Military Academy. I saw in this an
honorable way to obtain a discharge, and read the debates with much
interest, but with impatience at the delay in taking action, for I was
selfish enough to favor the bill. It never passed, and a year later,
although the time hung drearily with me, I would have been sorry to
have seen it succeed. My idea then was to get through the course,
secure a detail for a few years as assistant professor of mathematics at
the Academy, and afterwards obtain a permanent position as professor
in some respectable college; but circumstances always did shape my
course different from my plans.
At the end of two years the class received the usual furlough, extending
from the close of the June examination to the 28th of August. This I
enjoyed beyond any other period of my life. My father had sold out his
business in Georgetown--where my youth had been spent, and to which
my day-dreams carried me back as my future home, if I should ever be
able to retire on a competency. He had moved to Bethel, only twelve
miles away, in the adjoining county of Clermont, and had bought a
young horse that had never been in harness, for my special use under
the saddle during my furlough. Most of my time was spent among my
old school-mates--these ten weeks were shorter than one week at West
Point.
Persons acquainted with the Academy know that the corps of cadets is
divided into four companies for the purpose of military exercises.
These companies are officered from the cadets, the superintendent and
commandant selecting the officers for their military bearing and
qualifications. The adjutant, quartermaster, four captains and twelve
lieutenants are taken from the first, or Senior class; the sergeants from
the second, or junior class; and the corporals from the third, or

Sophomore class. I had not been "called out" as a corporal, but when I
returned from furlough I found myself the last but one--about my
standing in all the tactics--of eighteen sergeants. The promotion was
too much for me. That year my standing in the class--as shown by the
number of demerits of the year--was about the same as it was among
the sergeants, and I was dropped, and served the fourth year as a
private.
During my first year's encampment General Scott visited West Point,
and reviewed the cadets. With his commanding figure, his quite
colossal size and showy uniform, I thought him the finest specimen of
manhood my eyes had ever beheld, and the most to be envied. I could
never resemble him in appearance, but I believe I did have a
presentiment for a moment that some day I should occupy his place on
review--although I had no intention then of remaining in the army. My
experience in a horse-trade ten years before, and the ridicule it caused
me, were too fresh in my mind for me to communicate this
presentiment to even my most intimate chum. The next summer Martin
Van Buren, then President of the United States, visited West Point and
reviewed the cadets; he did not impress me with the awe which Scott
had inspired. In fact I regarded General Scott and Captain C. F. Smith,
the Commandant of Cadets, as the two men most to be envied in the
nation. I retained a high regard for both up to the day of their death.
The last two years wore away more rapidly