第23章

STUDIES， ETC.

THE academic year begins July 1st， and continues till about June 20th the following year. As soon after this as practicable--depending upon what time the examination is finished--the corps moves into camp， with the exception of the second class， who go on furlough instead.

Between the 20th of August and the 1st of September， the "Seps，" or those candidates who were unable to do so in the spring previous， report. Before the 1st they have been examined and the deficient ones dismissed. On the 1st， unless that be Sunday， academic duties begin. The classes are arranged into a number of sections， according to their class rank， as determined at the previous annual examination， or according to rank in some particular study--for instance， for instruction in engineering the first class is arranged according to merit in philosophy， and not according to general merit or class rank. The fourth， or "plebe" class， however， is arranged alphabetically since they as yet have no class rank.

The first class study， during the first term， engineering law， and ordnance and gunnery. They recite on civil engineering from 8 to 11 A.M.

daily， on ordnance and gunnery from 2 to 4 P.M.， alternating with law.

The second class have natural and experimental philosophy from 8 to 11 A.M. daily， and chemistry， alternating with riding， from 11 A.M. to 1 P.M.；also drawing in pencil from 2 to 4 P.M. For instruction in this department the class is divided into two as nearly equal parts as practicable， which alternate in attendance at the Drawing Academy.

The third class have pure mathematics， analytical Geometry， descriptive geometry， and the principles of shades， shadows， and perspective， from 8 to 11A.M. daily. They also have French from 11 A.M.， till 1 P.M.， alternating with Spanish.

The entire class attend drawing daily till November 1st， when it is divided into two equal parts or platoons， which attend drawing and riding on alternate clays. Riding！ "Yearling riding！" I must advert to that before I go further. First let me describe it. A platoon of yearlings， twenty， thirty， forty perhaps； as many horses； a spacious riding-hall， with galleries that seat but too many mischievous young ladies， and whose interior is well supplied with tan bark， make up the principal objects in the play.

Nay， I omit the most important characters， the Instructor and the necessary number of enlisted， men.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Area of barracks. At guard-house door stands an orderly， with drum in hands. In the area a number of cadets， some in every-day attire， others dressed à la cavalier. These à la cavalier fellows are going to take their first lesson in riding. About four-fifths of them were never on a horse in their lives， and hence what dire expectations hover over their ordinarily placid heads！ They have heard from the upper classmen what trials the novice experiences in his first efforts， and they do not go to the riding-hall without some dread. Four o'clock and ten minutes. The drum is beaten.

Officer of the Day.--Form your platoon！ Right， face！

Call your roll！

Section Marcher.--Bejay！ Barnes！ Du Furing！

Swikeheimer！ Du Flicket， etc.

Platoon (answering to their names).--Here！ Here-re-re！ ho-o-o！ hi-i-i！ har-ar-ar！ Heer-r！

Section Marcher (facing about salutes).--All are present， sir！

Officer of the Day (returning salute).--March off your platoon， sir！

Section Marcher (facing about).--Left face！ forward.

March！ (Curtain falls.)

ACT II.

SCENE I.

The riding-hall， a large， spacious， rectangular structure， door on each side and at each end， floor well covered with tan bark， spacious gallery over each side door， staircases outside leading to them. Galleries are occupied， one by ladies， and， perhaps a number of gentlemen， and the other by enlisted men usually. In the centre of the hall are a number of horses， each equipped with a surcingle， blanket， and watering bridle.

A soldier stands at the head of each one of them.

As curtain rises enter platoon by side door， and marches around the left flank of the line of horses and as far forward as necessary.

Section Marcher.--Platoon， halt！ left， face！

(Saluting Instructor) All are present， sir！

Instructor (saluting).--The Section Marcher will take his place on the left.

He then gives all necessary instruction.

"To mount the trooper the Instructor first causes him to stand to horse by the command 'Stand to horse！' At this command--" Well， see "Cavalry Tactics."We've got the trooper mounted now. After some further explanation the Instructor forms them into a column of files by the commands：

"By file， by the right (or left) flank. March！"They are now going around the hall at a walk， a slow， snail-like pace， but what figures some of them present！ Still all goes on quite well. The Instructor is speaking：

"To trot，" says he， "raise the hands" ("yearlings"use both hands) "slightly. This is to apprise the horse that you want his attention. Then lower the hands slightly， and at the same time gently press the horse with the legs until he takes the gait desired. As soon as he does， relax the pressure."A long pause. The occupants of the galleries are looking anxiously on. They know what is coming next.

They have seen these drills over and over again. And so each trooper awaits anxiously the next command.

Alas！ It comes！ "Trot！"

What peals of laughter from that cruel gallery！ But why？ Ah！ See there that trooper struggling in the tan bark while a soldier pursues his steed. He is not hurt. He gets up， brushes away the tan bark， remounts and starts off again. But there， he's off again！ He's continually falling off or jumping off purposely (？). What confusion！ There comes one at a full gallop， sticking on as best he can； but there， the poor fellow is off. The horses are running away.

The troopers are dropping off everywhere in the hall.