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Having given in the previous chapter a brief
account of myself dropping now, by permission, the third
person prior to my appointment, I shall here give in full
what led me to seek that appointment, and how I obtained it.
It was while sitting "in his father s quiet shoeshop on
Decatur Street" as a local paper had it that I overheard a
conversation concerning the then cadet from my own district.
In the course of the conversation I learned that this cadet
was to graduate the following June; and that therefore a
vacancy would occur. This was in the autumn of 1872, and
before the election. It occurred to me that I might fill
that vacancy, and I accordingly determined to make an
endeavor to do so, provided the Republican nominee for
Congress should be elected. He was elected. I applied for
and obtained the appointment. In 1865 or 1866 I do not now
remember which: perhaps it was even later than either it was
suggested to my father to send me to West Point. He was
unwilling to do so, and, not knowing very much about the
place, was reluctant to make any inquiries. I was then of
course too young for admission, being only ten or twelve
years old; and knowing nothing of the place myself, I did
not care to venture the attempt to become a cadet.
At the time I obtained the appointment I had quite forgotten
this early recommendation of my father s friend; indeed, I
did not recall it until I began compiling my manuscript.
The suggestion given me by the conversation above mentioned
was at once acted upon, and decision made in a very short
time; and so fully was I determined, so absolutely was my
mind set on West Point, that I persisted in my desire even
to getting the appointment, staying at the Academy four
years, and finally graduating. The following communications
will explain how I got the appointment.*
*It has been impossible for the author to obtain copies of
his own letters to the Hon. Congressman who appointed him,
which is to be regretted. The replies are inserted in such
order that they will readily suggest the tenor of the first
communications.
Reply No. 1
Griffin, January 23,1873.
Mr. H. O. Flipper.
Dear Sir: Your letter of the 21st, asking me, as member
elect to Congress from this State, to appoint you cadet to
West Point, was received this morning. You are a stranger to
me, and before I can comply with your request you must get
your teacher, Mr. James L. Dunning, P.M., Colonel H. P.
Fanorr, and other Republicans to indorse for you. Give me
assurance you are worthy and well qualified and I will
recommend you.
Yours respectfully,
J. C. Freeman:
Reply No. 2.
Griffin, March 22, 1873.
Mr. H. O. Flipper.
Dear Sir: On my arrival from Washington I
found your letter of the 19th. I have
received an invitation from the War
Department to appoint, or nominate, a
legally qualified cadet to the United States
Military Academy from my district.
As you were the first applicant, I am
disposed to give you the first chance; but
the requirements are rigid and strict, and I
think you had best come down and see them.
If after reading them you think you can
undergo the examination without doubt, I
will nominate you. But I do not want my
nominee to fail to get in.
Yours very respectfully,
J. C. Freeman.
Reply No. 3.
Griffin, GA., March 26, 1873.
Mr. H. O. Flipper.
Dear Sir: Your letter of the 24th to hand,
and contents noted. While your education may
be sufficient, it requires many other
qualifications such as age, height, form,
etc.; soundness of lungs, limbs, etc. I will
send you up the requirements, if you desire
them, and call upon three competent
gentlemen to examine you, if you desire it.
Let me hear from you again on the subject.
Yours respectfully,
J. C. Freeman.
Reply No. 4.
Griffin, March 28, 1873.
Mr. H. O. Flipper.
Dear Sir: Yours of 26th at hand. I have
concluded to send the paper sent me to J. A.
Holtzclaw, of Atlanta, present Collector of
Internal Revenue. You can call on him and
examine for yourself. If you then think you
can pass, I will designate three men to
examine you, and if they pronounce you up to
the requirements I will appoint you.
Yours truly,
J. C. Freeman.
Reply No. 5.
Griffin, April 5, 1873.
Mr. H. O. Flipper.
Dear Sir: The board of examiners pronounce
you qualified to enter the Military Academy
at West Point. You will oblige me by sending
me your given name in full, also your age to
a month, and the length of time you have
lived in the Fifth District, or in or near
Atlanta. I will appoint you, and send on the
papers to the Secretary of War, who will
notify you of the same. From this letter to
me you will have to be at West Point by the
25th day of May, 1873.
Yours respectfully,
J. C. Freeman.
P.S. You can send letter to me without a
stamp.
Reply No. 6.
Griffin, April 17, 1873.
Mr. Henry O. Flipper.
Dear Sir: I this day inclose you papers from
the War Department. You can carefully read
and then make up your mind whether you
accept the position assigned you. If you
should sign up, direct and forward to proper
authorities, Washington, D. C. If you do not
accept, return the paper to my address,
Griffin, Ga.
I am yours very respectfully,
J. C. Freeman.
The papers, three in number, referred to in
the above letter, are the following:
War Department,
Washington, April 11, 1873.
Sir: You are hereby informed that the
President has conditionally selected you for
appointment as a Cadet of the United States
Military Academy at West Point.
Should you desire the appointment, you will
report in person to the Superintendent of
the Academy between the 20th and 25th days
of May, 1873, when, if found on due
examination to possess the qualifications
required by law and set forth in the
circular hereunto appended, you will be
admitted, with pay from July 1st, 1873, to
serve until the following January, at which
time you will be examined before the
Academic Board of the Academy. Should the
result of this examination be favorable, and
the reports of your personal, military, and
moral deportment be satisfactory, your
warrant of appointment, to be dated July
1st, 1873, will be delivered to you; but
should the result of your examination, or
your conduct reports be unfavorable, you
will be discharged from the military
service, unless otherwise recommended, for
special reasons, by the Academic Board, but
will receive an allowance for traveling
expenses to your home.
Your attention is particularly directed to
the accompanying circular, and it is to be
distinctly understood that this notification
confers upon you no right to enter the
Military Academy unless your qualifications
agree fully with its requirements, and
unless you report for examination within the
time specified.
You are requested to immediately inform the
Department of your acceptance or declination
of the contemplated appointment upon the
conditions annexed.
Geo. M. Robeson,
Acting Secretary of War.
Henry O. Flipper, Atlanta,
Georgia.
Through Hon. J. C. Freeman, M.C.
Circular.
I. Candidates must be actual bona
fide residents of the Congressional district
or Territory for which their appointments
are made, and must be over seventeen and
under twenty-two years of age at the time of
entrance into the Military Academy; but any
person who has served honorably and
faithfully not less than one year as an
officer or enlisted man in the army of the
United States, either as a Volunteer, or in
the Regular service, during the war for the
suppression of the rebellion, shall be
eligible for appointment up to the age of
twenty-four years. They must be at least
five feet in height, and free from any
infectious or immoral disorder, and,
generally, from any deformity, disease, or
infirmity which may render them unfit for
arduous military service. They must be
proficient in Reading and Writing; in the
elements of English Grammar; in Descriptive
Geography, particularly of our own country,
and in the History of the United States.
In Arithmetic, the various operations in
addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division, reduction, simple and compound
proportion, and vulgar and decimal
fractions, must be thoroughly understood and
readily performed.
Feeble constitution and
muscular tenuity; unsound health from
whatever cause; indications of former
disease; glandular swellings, or other
symptoms of scrofula.
Chronic cutaneous
affections, especially of the scalp.
Severe injuries of the bones
of the head; convulsions.
Impaired vision, from
whatever cause; inflammatory affections of
the eyelids; immobility or irregularity of
the iris; fistula, lachrymalis, etc., etc.
Deafness; copious discharge
from the ears.
Loss of many teeth, or the
teeth generally unsound.
Impediment of speech.
Want of due capacity of the
chest, and any other indication of a
liability to a pulmonic disease.
Impaired or inadequate
efficiency of one or both of the superior
extremities on account of fractures,
especially of the clavicle, contraction of a
joint, extenuation, deformity, etc., etc.
An unusual excurvature or
incurvature of the spine.
Hernia.
A varicose state of the
veins of the scrotum or spermatic cord (when
large), sarcocele, hydroccle, hemorrhoids,
fistulas.
Impaired or inadequate
efficiency of one or of both of the inferior
extremities on account of varicose veins,
fractures, malformation (flat feet, etc.),
lameness, contraction, unequal length,
bunions, overlying or supernumerary toes,
etc., etc.
Ulcers, or unsound
cicatrices of ulcers likely to break out
afresh.
Every person appointed, upon
arrival at West Point, is submitted to a
rigid medical examination, and if any causes
of disqualification are found to exist in
him to such a degree as may now or hereafter
impair his efficiency, he is rejected.
No person who has served in any capacity in
the military or naval service of the so
called Confederate States during the late
rebellion can receive an appointment as
cadet at the Military Academy.
II. The pay of a cadet is $500 per
annum, with one ration per day, to commence
with his admission into the Military
Academy, and is sufficient, with proper
economy, for his support.
III. Each cadet must keep himself
supplied with the following mentioned
articles, viz.:
One gray cloth coatee; one gray cloth riding
jacket; one regulation great coat; two pairs
of gray cloth pantaloons, for winter; six
pairs of drilling pantaloons for summer; one
fatigue jacket for the encampment; one black
dress cap; one forage cap; one black stock;
*two pairs of ankle boots; *six pairs of
white gloves; two sets of white belts;
*seven shirts and twelve collars; *six pairs
winter socks; *six pairs summer socks; *four
pairs summer drawers; *three pairs winter
drawers; *six pocket handkerchiefs; *six
towels; *one clothes bag, made of ticking;
*one clothes brush; *one hair brush; *one
tooth brush; *one comb; one mattress; one
pillow; *two pillow cases; *two pairs
sheets; one pair blankets; *one quilted bed
cover; one chair; one tumbler; *one trunk;
one account book; and will unite with his
room mate in purchasing, for their common
use, one looking glass, one wash stand, one
wash basin, one pail, and one broom, and
shall he required to have one table, of the
pattern that may be prescribed by the
Superintendent.
The articles marked thus * candidates are
required to bring with them; the others are
to be had at West Point at regulated prices,
and it is better for a candidate to take
with him as little clothing of any
description as is possible (excepting what
is marked), and no more money than will
defray his traveling expenses; but for the
parent or guardian to send to "The Treasurer
of the Military Academy" a sum sufficient
for his necessary expenses until he is
admitted, and for his clothes, etc.,
thereafter.
The expenses of the candidate for board,
washing, lights, etc., prior to admission,
will be about $5 per week, and immediately
after being admitted to the Institution he
must be provided with an outfit of uniform,
etc., the cost of which will be $88.79. If,
upon arrival, he has the necessary sum to
his credit on the books of the Treasurer, he
will start with many advantages, in a
pecuniary point of view, over those whose
means are more limited, and who must, if
they arrive, as many do, totally unprovided
in this way, go in debt on the credit of
their pay a burden from which it requires
many months to free themselves; while, if
any accident compels them to leave the
Academy, they must of necessity be in a
destitute condition.
No cadet can receive money, or any other
supplies, from his parents, or from any
person whomsoever, without permission from
the Superintendent.
IV. If the candidate be a minor, his
acceptance must be accompanied by the
written consent of his parent or guardian to
his signing articles, binding himself to
serve the United States eight years from the
time of his admission into the Military
Academy, unless sooner discharged.
V. During the months of July and
August the cadets live in camp, engaged only
in military duties and exercises and
receiving practical military instruction.
The academic duties and exercises commence
on the 1st of September, and continue till
about the end of June.
The newly appointed cadets are examined at
the Academy prior to admission, and those
not properly qualified are rejected.
Examinations of the several classes are held
in January and June, and at the former such
of the new cadets as are found proficient in
studies and have been correct in conduct are
given the particular standing in their class
to which their merits entitle them. After
either examination cadets found deficient in
conduct or studies are discharged from the
Academy, unless, for special reasons in each
case, the Academic Board should otherwise
recommend.
These examinations are very thorough, and
require from the cadet a close and
persevering attention to study, without
evasion or slighting of any part of the
course, as no relaxations of any kind can be
made by the examiners.
VI. A sound body and constitution, a
fixed degree of preparation, good natural
capacity, an aptitude for study, industrious
habits, perseverance, an obedient and
orderly disposition, and a correct moral
deportment are such essential qualifications
that candidates knowingly deficient in any
of these respects should not, as many do,
subject themselves and their friends to the
chances of future mortification and
disappointment, by accepting appointments to
the Academy and entering upon a career which
they can not successfully pursue.
Method of Examining
Candidates for Admission
into the Military Academy.
Candidates must be able to read with
facility from any book, giving the proper
intonation and pauses, and to write portions
that are read aloud for that purpose,
spelling the words and punctuating the
sentences properly.
In Arithmetic they must be able to perform
with facility examples under the four ground
rules, and hence must be familiar with the
tables of addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division, and be able to
perform examples in reduction and in vulgar
and decimal fractions, such as:
Add 2/3 to 3/4; subtract 2/5
from 5/6; multiply 3/4 by 7/8; divide 2/5 by
3/8;
Add together two hundred and
thirty four thousandths (.234), twenty six
thousandths (.026), and three thousandths
(.003).
Subtract one hundred and
sixty-one ten thousandths (.0161) from
twenty-five hundredths (.25).
Multiply or divide
twenty-six hundredths (.26) by sixteen
thousandths (.016).
They must also be able to
change vulgar fractions into decimal
fractions, and decimals into vulgar
fractions, with examples like the following:
Change 15/16 into a decimal
fraction of the same value.
Change one hundred and two
thousandths (.102) into a vulgar fraction of
the same value.
In simple and compound
proportion, examples of various kinds will
be given, and candidates will be expected to
understand the principles of the rules which
they follow.
In English Grammar candidates will be
required to exhibit a familiarity with the
nine parts of speech and the rules in
relation thereto; must be able to parse any
ordinary sentence given to them, and,
generally, must understand those portions of
the subject usually taught in the higher
academies and schools throughout the
country, comprehended under the heads of
Orthography, Etymology, Syntax, and Prosody.
In Descriptive Geography they are to name,
locate, and describe the natural grand and
political divisions of the earth, and be
able to delineate any one of the States or
Territories of the American Union, with its
principal cities, rivers, lakes, seaports,
and mountains.
In History they must be able to name the
periods of the discovery and settlement of
the North American continent, of the rise
and progress of the United States, and of
the successive wars and political
administrations through which the country
has passed.
Henry Ossian Flipper, The Colored Cadet
at West Point, 1878
