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WEST POINT CADET'S JOURNAL

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209. WEST POINT CADET'S JOURNAL A journal kept by Cadet James Noble Ward, class of 1845, covering the period from August 20, 1843 through March 21, 1844, while at the United States Military Academy, totaling 108 manuscript pages that have been penned into a large folio sized ledger. Ward recounts many experiences with his class mates, many of whom became famous Civil War officers. In very small part: "...we parted as if we never expected to meet again...my eyes dwelt upon the enchanting place until the old piney woods gradually intervened...[Aug. 21]...in the mail stage for Madison. My fellow passengers were...Genl G[?] of Ala, Col. Dill of Fort Gaines, Geo., Mr. Howell of Columbus...after dinner the little frenchman fell to nodding...down...on to me...my other neighbor...dropped his head on my other shoulder...[Aug. 23]...we left...for Wilmington...in a steam vessel...[Aug. 24]...I found Wilmn. very much changed...by the dreadful fire which occurred there... [Aug. 25]...drums and fife...were playing...onboard the ship Pennsylvania... we touched at...fortress Monroe in Va...the fort is the most beautiful...from the number of guns...impossible for a fleet to pass without being riddled by its batteries...[Aug. 26, Philadelphia]...here we found about a dozen of our classmates...some of our crowd were a little corned [drunk]...the rope of the conductors bell [was] jerk[ed]...immediately the train was stopped, the engineer supposing that some one wished to stop. He soon discovered that he was hoaxed...about fifteen minutes the bell...rang again...the conductor...became perfectly furious...the conductor came back to the car, and commenced jawing...when two or three jumped up...he went off...[Aug. 28]...our brother cadets...came down to greet us with three cheers...on the dock were Old Dick, Old Tom & several other officers...to see if any were corned...soon after that Old Toms performances commenced. He...order[ed] that the furlough men should havetheir heads shaved...[and] attend drill in the afternoon...a general spirit of rebellion was excited...when the signal sounded...I had not a stitch of cadet clothing on...and fell in without a gun Garnet [possibly C.S.A. Gen. Richard B. who was KIA Gettysburg] ordered me to go after one...[Sept. 3]...held inspection at Barracks this morning...much pleased with [future Union Bvt. Brig. Gen. Henry S.] Burton as an officer...[Sept. 10]...I got skinned...for `coat ripped'...[Sept. 11]...finished my first piece of landscape drawing. It was really well done as old Bob [Robert Walker] Weir testified by giving me a good mark...[Sept. 14]...south barracks caught on fire last night. Lieut. Allen...put it out...he wouldn't let any alarm be given to wake us up...if it was Old Tom he would have had all the cadets waked up...[Sept. 18]...[Prof.] Gilham...marked me...down...he would have given anyone else a max...[except] in the case of El...[future Union Gen. W. L. Elliot] and myself...[Sept. 20]...Lord somebody & General somebody...(British) visited the Point today...accompanied by Old Dick and...other officers...to see us drill...[Sept. 23]...went out...with [Richard] Rush & [Edward] Hunt to get some apples...[Sept. 24]...Superintendent Delafield lies seriously ill...[Sept. 25]...D is worst today...it is feared that he will not...live...there is little sympathy felt by the corps for him...[Oct. 2]...we commenced artillery drill today Old Allen gave us a hard drill...[Oct. 10]...playing at football...I ran into a fellow who kicked...at the same time that I did. I kicked the ball and he my shin...[Oct. 11]...fired...artillery...my piece failed to go off once and I was mad enough to have knock Allen off his horse for the manner in which he spoke to me...[Oct. 13]...[future C.S.A. Gen.] Bob Garnett passed by ...caused a salute to be given him. He passed...without returning the salute...several...fellows commenced laughing...[and] crying out `as you were'...my opinion is that the laughing was...at [future Union Gen. Fitz John] Porter...G[arnett]...went in a perfect fury to Old Tom...[Oct. 16]...Genl Wool...visit[ed] the academy...a salute of eleven was fired...the corps was reviewed...by the Genl...the first classmen on duty were invited by Old Dick [Delafield] to go to his house...[Oct. 24]...we had quite an`affair de honour'...between [Thomas G.] R[hett] & [Francis] C[ollin]s...[Collins] struck R[hett]...in the face...then & there they settled the difficulty by battering each others faces...[Oct. 28]...visited today by General Bertrande, one of Napoleons best officers...[Nov. 16]...[future Union Gen. Delos B.] Sacket was...reported...be[ing] found sleeping on his post...[Nov. 18]...I took a walk with [Alexander P.] Rodgers [KIA Chapultepec, Sept. 13, 1847] & [future C.S.A. Gen.] Davy Jones out by the cemetery...on the way home stopping...to plague the Bear...[Nov. 24]...went with Davy Jones...upon the new road...[Nov. 25]...took a walk all round `flirtation walk'...with C...we were joined by Pat & Cupid...[Nov. 28]...there were three plebe fights...how natural it is to see those creatures fight...[Nov. 29]...another fight...between the Dutchman (F...) and Plebe [future Union Col. Daniel] Huston...both came back unhurt...[Dec. 10]...Plebe fight...between Crane and Huston, they were both arrested...[Dec.16]...[future C.S.A. Col.] Billy Gilham went down to New York...to see that sweet little wife...[Dec. 24]...Dick had about twenty spies stationed around the Point to prevent cadets going to Benny's...Old Tom was going about Barracks...trying to catch someone drunk...[Dec. 25]...Old Tom arrested [future C.S.A. Gen. George] Pick[ett] for smoking on the parade ground...it will be a wonder if he don't report him for drinking...[Dec. 26]...Tom released P[ickett] from arrest...[Jan. 27, 1844]...on guard today...Bob Garnett...in charge...is too Military to take us off post even if we were freezing...[Jan. 28]...rumors of war with Mexico & England...[Feb. 1]...commenced riding...we have to ride...without stirrups...to learn the proper positions on a horse...[Feb. 11]...Plebe [Augustus H.] Seward [son of William Seward, Lincoln's secretary of state] who walked a Sunday tour for me...[Mar. 2]...heard...the big gun...on...the Princeton burst...and killed...the Secretary of the Navy...[Mar. 9]...Dugan...while making along...Bibb came up behind him and...struck him a violent blow in the temple. It staggered him...he laid Bibb flat on his back...[Mar. 10]...after dinner [future Union colonel of the 6th Penn. Cav., Richard] Rush and I took our old walk along the rocks of the river...[Mar. 19]...the bill to abolish the Academy...failed...in the House...". Overall a great look at life at the USMA while many Civil War officers were educated there. Upon graduation Ward served until he was killed on duty three years before the Civil War. Some loose pages with negligible mouse crews affecting the last pages of the journal, else very good.$2,000-3,000

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