Cadet corps

“ This latter use of the term arose in France, where it was applied to the younger sons of the noblesse who gained commissioned rank, not by serving in the ranks or by entering the écoles militaires, but by becoming attached to corps without pay but with certain privileges. “Cadet Corps,” in the British service, are bodies of boys or youths organized, armed and trained on volunteer military lines. Derived from “cadet,” through the Scots form “cadee,” comes “caddie,” a messenger-boy, and particularly one who carries clubs at golf, and also the slang word “cad,” a vulgar, ill-bred person. ”

“ While one-half the corps is at recitation, the other half, each cadet in his own room, is required to be at study; no visiting is allowed. At 11 the heavier recitations are over for the day. From this hour on the time given to each is only about fifty-five minutes in the section-room. At 12.55 the first drum beats for dinner. All sections are then dismissed; books are hurriedly returned to rooms, and by 1.5, in solid ranks, the battalion is marching down to Grant Hall. From the time they get back to barracks—about 1.35—until the bugle again sounds at 2, is release from quarters. ”

“ White pants are the forerunners of the many changes to soon occur at the Point; a class to be graduated, another to go on furlough, and the other two, with a new class added to the corps, to go into camp; the members of the Board of Visitors [41] and hundreds of other people to arrive, some to witness the graduating exercises, old graduates to attend their alumni meeting, others to see relatives in the corps, and still others to attend the summer hops. But with all these and other pleasures in store for the cadets about a dozen of the plebes were not satisfied. ”

“ You've heard of him before, Colonel; that's 'Corporal Pops.'"
The instant the order "Break ranks!" was given, Benny Frazier rushed upon Geordie with delight almost too eager, and loudly hailed him as Corporal Pops. The pet name of his boy days had followed him to the Point.
[88]
CHAPTER VI
It takes but little time for a boy to win a nickname in the corps of cadets, though a lifetime may not rid him of it. Physical peculiarities are turned to prompt account, and no account is taken of personal feelings. Certain fixed rules obtain as to the eldest and youngest of each class. ”

“ The officers gave a dance one evening, and Pops and Connell, as was perfectly proper, attired themselves in their newest gray coats, with the gleaming chevrons and lozenge of first sergeants, and immaculate white trousers set off by the sash of crimson silk net. The ladies, young and old, declared the cadet uniform far more effective than the army blue ”

“ Suddenly there rose on the still evening air the tramp of coming soldiery, quick and alert, louder and louder, swifter than the bounding of his heart and far more regular. Suddenly through the broad space between the academic and the north end of the mess-hall, straight as a ruler, came the foremost subdivision, the first platoon [31] of Company A, and instantly in response to the ringing order, "Column right," from some deep manly voice farther towards the rear, the young cadet officer in front whirled about and ordered "Right wheel." ”

“ Cadets of the First Class are therefore detailed for every kind of duty. They are company commanders, acting adjutants, lieutenants, officers of the day and of the guard. Whenever there is a chance to place responsibility upon the cadet, advantage is taken of it by the Commandant. ”

“ Each class is divided into convenient sections of from twelve to fifteen Cadets, for instruction in its special branches of study, the first Cadet on each section roll being its squad-marcher, and being responsible for its punctual attendance and deportment. The recitation hours are sounded on a bugle, when the sections for the hour are formed at the Barracks, their rolls are called, and they are marched to the Recitation-rooms by their several [68] squad-marchers. ”

“ The cadet officers and non-commissioned officers are selected from those who have been most studious, soldier-like in the performance of their duties, and most exemplary in their general deportment. In general, the cadet officers are taken from the first class, the sergeants from the second, and the corporals from the third. ”

“ Progress is with you, and you are all young. I wish I were sitting with you as a cadet, and not talking to you with the rank of a colonel. In this war my age seems a curse. Your field is wide and your opportunities are illimitable. ”

“ Woods on marching off guard on the morrow, or else give full satisfaction, cadet fashion, in fair fight with nature's own weapons, but he must be taught at once that he had too big an idea of his importance as a sentry. ”

“ For purposes of discipline a member of a Senior Cadet unit shall be considered to have been on duty although not in uniform, in respect to any act done, or omitted to be done, by him in a military capacity, or with intentional reference on his part to his military capacity. ”

“ But that half hour passed just as the other half hours had passed, that is, by the candidates furnishing amusement for the old cadets.
Upon going to our rooms at the signal of “Call to quarters,” Cadet H⸺d called to say that if we expected to pass our preliminary examination we had better “bone up” for it; he also informed [47] us that we could not retire until after “Tattoo.” A cadet’s bed is “made down,” when it is ready to get into, and it is “made up” when it is piled according to regulations and not ready for use. We were too tired to talk. At 9:30 we were turned out to Tattoo. ”

“ It would seem that the thing might go on indefinitely, and the coming of a new officer produce a regular 1st of May state of affairs."
"I perceive that you are slyly providing an antidote against the cadet fever. What large building is this?"
"The cadet barracks. There are over two hundred young fellows in the building. They have to study, I can tell you, nor can they slip through here as some of us did at college. All must abide the remorseless examinations, and many drop out. There goes a squad to the riding hall. ”

“ When I left my battalion for the cadet school I shed no tears. They were in the [2] trenches, or, rather, in the mud. And it cost a pair of brand-new boots to get on to the road. However, I survived, and in due time landed at Windmoor. This is a ‘blasted heath,’ swept by the winds, and isolated from picture-shows, barmaids, and revues; not a petticoat in sight, and at every corner a notice which amounts to: ‘England expects that every cadet this day will do his duty.’
‘This is no Utopia,’ I muttered, falling into the first hut by the way. Ye gods! ”

“ Will man ever cease to prejudge his fellow-being for color's sake alone? Grant, O merciful God, that he may!
But au fait! Anon a cadet, whose perfectly fitting uniform of matchless gray and immaculate white revealed the symmetry of his form in all its manly beauty, saunters leisurely by, his head erect, shoulders back, step quick and elastic, and those glorious buttons glittering at their brilliant points like so many orbs of a distant stellar world. Next a plebe strolls wearily along, his drooping shoulders, hanging head, and careless gait bespeaking the need of more squad drill. ”

“ Drill.” We “fell in” promptly and were corrected in the manner indicated when we fell in for dinner. Even now I seem to hear Cadets A⸺n, H⸺d and M⸺n shouting themselves hoarse at us poor, stupid candidates. There were about twenty “yearlings,” classmates of Cadets A⸺n and H⸺d, standing around our line, waiting to get a chance at the candidates, so as to compete with them and with one another for “Corporal’s chevrons.” We were separated into squads of four or five to the squad, and a cadet instructor assigned to drill each squad. Cadet H⸺d had the squad I was in. ”

“ No soldier is considered fit to command others until he can command himself. They purposely put a fellow through all manner of predicament just to test his grit. Don't let anything ruffle your temper, and they will soon find you need no lessons." And so, like a sentry, he patiently tramped his post, listening to the music of the band at an evening concert out on the Plain, and keeping watchful eye for the coming of cadet officials. Along towards nine o'clock up came Cadet Lieutenant Merrick, commanding the plebes; and "Pops," as he had been taught, halted, faced him, and stood attention. ”

“ It is on the above grounds that it is contested that the cadet system, as popularly understood, is not considered to be reliable as a solution to the fulfilment of the requirements laid down for the training of a citizen soldier. ”

“ There is something strange about the partiality young ladies manifest for the cadets. I have seen many an instance where a young lady would use all her power to be with a certain cadet, and at his graduating hop and afterward she would bestow her favors on some member of the next class; a cadet and an officer, although one and the same man, were different persons in her eyes. ”

“ There were drills to attend, lessons in tactics to learn, the best method to observe on a march, and illustrations given in artillery firing, for several field pieces had been brought along to use in the sham battle.
Cavalry exercises occupied a part of every day, and though the cadets had plenty of leisure they found that their time was pretty fully occupied, for Colonel Masterly and his staff wanted practical benefit to be derived from the camp life. Target practice in the open proved to many a cadet who had done well on the ranges that he had plenty yet to learn. ”

“ The cadets march to mess hall; they march to every place they go as a company. The building itself is just south of the "Academic" and barracks; it is built of gray stone, and forcibly reminds the candid observer of a jail. They tell stories at West Point of credulous candidates who have "swallowed" that, and believed that the cadet battalion was composed of disobedient cadets, about to be locked up in confinement. ”

“ And it is his duty to personally instruct them respecting their rights and duties in their relations to old cadets and to the cadets on duty over them. He causes to be read to them the present regulations pertaining to new cadets and explains to them what is meant by “Cadet [89] Limits.” Candidates are also informed that they must not submit to hazing, and that they must promptly report to the Commandant or to the Army Officer over them any attempt at hazing on the part of old cadets. But they must be respectful to all and perfectly subordinate and obedient to the cadets on duty over them. ”

“ A cadet without head-dress, or when carrying any­thing which prevents him from saluting properly, will, if halted, come to attention as an officer passes or addresses him. If walking, or on a bicycle, he will turn his head and eyes towards the officer in passing him. ”

“ It is indeed a case where "many are called but few chosen." Four out of five are doomed to disappointment, but the head of the class in scholarship stands not so high in cadet esteem as he who heads the list of officers. To be made senior corporal at the end of the first year, and, as such, acting sergeant-major, or first sergeant throughout camp, in the absence of the Second Class or furlough men, is to be the envied of almost every other yearling ”

“ Visiting between cadets is allowed only during recreation hours.
The gymnasium is open to cadets daily, except Sundays, from 1:30 to 2 p. m.; 4:00 to supper mess parade, and on Saturdays afternoons and evenings until tattoo.
We were arranged into sections of from eight [91] to ten cadets to the section, the arrangement of upper classmen being made according to class standing, [28] as determined at the last examination, while the arrangement of the plebes was alphabetical. The first cadet in each section was the section-marcher, that is, he marched the section to and from the section room. ”

“ The first captain is assigned to the right flank, Company A, and his responsibilities are great. He requires dignity and strength of character beyond the other officers. The adjutant should be a model in bearing, carriage, voice, command, but his duties are more picturesque than formidable. As a rule, these high offices—the captaincies, adjutancy, etc.—are given to cadets whose scholarship and class standing are also high; for in the greater number of cases soldierly ability and character are there to be found. ”

“ On, or before, that date the result of the examination held in the preceding month is announced and Cadets are advanced from one class to another. At no other time is a Cadet advanced from one class to another, unless prevented by sickness, or authorized absence, from attending the aforesaid examination; in such a case a special examination is granted; but in no case is a Cadet advanced from one class to another without having satisfied the Academic Board of his proficiency in each branch of study pursued by his class. ”

“ How vigorous and healthful the days of martial exercise! Squad drills were all finished now. Fully uniformed and equipped, the whole plebe class was in the [148] battalion. A "live" superintendent was watching every detail of their doings. The system of responsibility among the officers, both graduates and cadets, was such that no disturbance of any account occurred by night, no hazing of a harmful nature by day. The roar of the morning gun and the rattle and bang of the drums brought Pops from his blanket with a bound. ”

“ They are worthless at the Point. Even if he were really so ill he could not study, the cadet cannot be excused by the instructor. The young gentleman has to go to his first sergeant at reveille, ask to have his name put on the sick-book; then when sick-call sounds he is marched down to the hospital and states his case to the doctor, who can order him into hospital if the matter be at all serious, or prescribe some remedy, and mark him excused from first recitation, from drill, or whatever may be necessary. ”