Note 1 — PART X. MILITARY SYSTEM AND SCHOOLS IN THE UNITED STATES.

The Militia System was broken up by the Volunteer System introduced by the United States and encouraged by State Legislation, and now (1872) even formal returns as to enrollment are not complied with by a majority of the States.

2 Prepared by Major E. D. Mansfield, a graduate of West Point in 1819, for Barnard’s American Journal of Education, March, 1862.

3 It is not meant to say that this subject was not mentioned before. It was by Col. Pickering, in 1783. But whoever reads the letters and memoirs of Washington, will see, that all the early ideas on the subject of military education and military science were derived from the experience of Washington.

4 The first diploma, which we suppose was a manuscript certificate, was the one given to the then Cadet Swift, and signed by Captains Barron and Mansfield.

5 Captain Partridge, who was a useful and energetic man, had subsequently full opportunity of carrying out his popular views in the military schools of Norwich and Middletown, which he founded by his own efforts.

6 These defects and irregularities arose from not obeying the law, and not pursuing the ideas it pointed out. The great effort of Professors Mansfield and Ellicott, was to get the spirit of the law followed practically.

7 The Class here spoken of graduated in 1819. Of its living members, are Henry Brewerton, late Superintendent at West Point; Edward D. Mansfield, Commissioner of Statistics for the State of Ohio; Justin Dimmick, late Commander of Fortress Monroe; Daniel Tyler, a distinguished Engineer and General in the Army of the Potomac; Wm. H. Swift, a distinguished Engineer, and President of the Illinois Canal Company; Joshua Baker, a Civil Engineer, Judge, and Planter, in Louisiana; and Major Turnbull, distinguished as a Topographical Engineer in the War with Mexico.

Among the dead was George H. Whistler, the most distinguished Civil Engineer our country has produced.

8 We use the word moral, in preference to spiritual, because, in its comprehensive sense, including the latter; but by no means intimating, that in this Christian country, we should make any place of education a mere reproduction of Persian or Greek models. Our servile imitation of the Ancients, often makes us forget that we are neither Spartans nor Romans. The man who attempts at this day to revive the institutions of Pagan Greece, is as false to true Philosophy, as he is to true Christianity.

9 The authorship of West Point has been quite extensive: too much so to enumerate here. Among the works of its graduates, we may mention the “Political Manual,” “American Education,” and Statistical Reports by Edward D. Mansfield, the “Review of Edwards on the Will,” by A. T. Bledsoe, and the Military Tactics of Generals McClellan, and Halleck. The Educational Works of Mr. Mansfield have been before the public for many years, and studied in all parts of the United States. In this class also may be mentioned the editorial labors of some twenty of the graduates, some of whom have had no small influence on public affairs.

10 We should not forget that a large number of West Point graduates from the south, (Maryland, Virginia, Carolina, and Tennessee,) have remained loyal, in spite of all the influences of social and political ties.

11 Mr. Courtnay was afterwards Professor of Philosophy and Mechanics in the University of Virginia. There he died, lamented by all who knew him.

12 From Instructions for government of the U.S. Military Academy, Report of Board of Visitors for 1871, and an account by Col. McDougall in Report of English Military Commission.

13 The duties of Inspector are now (1871) discharged directly by the Secretary.

14 See Boynton’s “History of Military Academy at West Point,” p. 293.

15 The successful candidate, out of twenty competitors, was a member of the Free Academy of the city of New York, and stood in scholarship about the middle of his class.

16 Report of Col. Barry, dated September 12, 1871.

17 Although no one institution contributed so large a number of officers to the Confederate Armies, the Military Institute at Frankfort, Ky., the Cadet Corps connected with the arsenals in Norfolk, Richmond, and other Southern cities, and the State Military Institutes in Alabama and Louisiana, furnished a large number of subordinate officers, which facilitated the early organization of the armed forces of the South.

18 Gen. Cocke, in 1866, gave $20,000 to endow this professorship.

19 Dr. Mercer of Louisiana, made a donation of $11,800 to this chair.

20 A Cadet in the military organization of the Army denoted a junior officer between the grade of lieutenant and sergeant, and was introduced from the French service. An Act of Congress, passed May 7th, 1794, provided for a Corps of Artillerists and Engineers, to consist of four battalions, to each of which eight cadets were to be attached, and authorized the Secretary of War to procure at the public expense the necessary books, instruments and apparatus for the use and benefit of said corps. In 1798, an additional regiment of Artillerists and Engineers was raised, increasing the number of Cadets to fifty-six. In 1798, the President was authorized to appoint four teachers of the Arts and Sciences necessary to Artillerists and Engineers. No appointment was made till 1801, and in 1802, the Military Academy was established at West Point, where the corps of Engineers was directed to repair with fifty Cadets, and the Senior Officer of the Corps was constituted Superintendent. Col. Williams was then Senior Officer of Engineers, and became, ex-officio, Superintendent, and continued such until 1812.

21 Captain Partridge attached much importance to pedestrian excursions in reference both to hygenic, and educational considerations. To these excursions he attributed his own robust health, and his familiar knowledge of all the details of American battles. In one year, (1830,) he made four excursions from Norwich, each occupying from four to six days—and from one hundred and fifty to four hundred miles—the last day’s walk generally averaging over sixty miles. He had ascended and measured the altitude of all the highest mountain elevations in the Northern States.

22 Miss C. E. Beecher’s “Appeal to American Women,” “Calisthenics,” &c.

23 [We do not share this alarm, or believe that hard study, apart from open or secret vice, has had much, if any thing, to do with such physical deterioration as does exist.— Ed. Am. Jour. of Ed.]

24 Aristippus.

25 Written December, 1861. Recommended by Governors Andrew and Morgan in their messages in January.

26 Such a Manual will soon be published by J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia.

27 An early friend of this institution, on learning the fact stated in the same Report of 1862, from which the above extract is taken, “that in the course of six years one hundred and twenty-four students were turned back to pursue a second time portions of the academic course,” and of this number only six passed the final examination, (thereby costing the country over $300,000 in pay, salaries, and equipment, for absolutely nothing, and at the same time depriving the naval service of an equal number of competent young officers,) writes to a member of this Board as follows:—“I have had the curiosity to question fifty middies, as I happened to meet with them, without selection, and representing different classes in the institution and different States, as to the circumstances of their appointment—and of these fifty, forty were the near relations or sons of political friends of the parties making the nominations, and five were the sons of persons in official stations at Washington, although appointed ‘at large,’ leaving but five for selection from other sources. In several cases the answers were significant—‘My father had to bleed freely for my appointment.’ ‘My brother worked hard for his election.’ ‘I had the promise of a cadetship at West Point, but as there was no vacancy that year, I got an appointment here.’ ‘I am an exchange. Senator —— got an appointment for Mr. C.’s nephew, and Mr. C. nominated Senator —— friend’s son for the place.’”—[Ed. of Amer. Journal of Education.]