First Year Fourth Class
Department Text-Books.
Mathematics, Davies Boudon s Algebra. Davies Legendre s
Geometry and Trigonometry. Church's Descriptive Geometry.
French Language, Bolmar s Levizac s Grammar and Verb Book.
Agnel's Tabular System. Berard s Lecons Francaises. Spier s
and Surenne s Dictionary.
Tactics of Artillery, Practical Instruction in the and
Infantry Schools of the Soldier, Company, and Battalion.
Practical Instruction in Artillery.
Use of Small Arms, Instruction in Fencing and Bayonet
Exercise.
Second Year Third Class
French Language, Bolmar s Levizac s Grammar and Verb Book.
Berard s Lecons Francaises. Chapsal s Lecons Et Modeles de
Litterature Francaise. Agnel s Tabular System. Rowan s
Morceaux Choisis des Auteurs Modernes. Spier s and Surenne s
Dictionary.
Spanish, Josse s Grammar. Morales Progressive Reader.
Ollen-Dorff s Oral Method applied to the Spanish, by
Velasquez and Simonne. Seoane s Neuman and Baretti s
Dictionary.
Drawing, Topography, etc. Art of Penmanship.
Tactics of Infantry, Practical Instruction in the Artillery,
and Cavalry Schools of the Soldier, Company, and Battalion.
Practical Instruction in Artillery and Cavalry.
Third Year Second Class
Natural and Experimental, Bartlett s Mechanics. Bartlett s
Philosophy Acoustics and Optics. Bartlett s Astronomy.
Chemistry, Fowne s Chemistry. Chemical Physics, from Miller.
Drawing, Landscape. Pencil and Colors. Tactics of
Infantry,......Practical Instruction in the Artillery, and
Cavalry Schools of the Soldier, Company, and Battalion.
Practical Instruction in Artillery and Cavalry.
Practical Military, Myers Manual of Signals. Engineering
Practical and Theoretical
Instruction in Military Signaling and Telegraphy.
Fourth Year First Class
Military and Civil, Mahan s Field Fortification.
Engineering, and Mahan s Outlines of Sciences of War.
Permanent Fortification. Mahan s Fortification a Stereotomy.
Mahan's Advanced Guard and Outpost,etc. *Moseley s Mechanics
of Engineering.
Mineralogy and Geology, Dana s Mineralogy.Hitchcock s
Geology.
Ethics and Law, French s Practical Ethics.
Halleck s International Law. Kent s Commentaries (portion on
Constitutional Law). Law and Military Law, by Prof. French.
Benet s Military Law and the Practice of Courts Martial.
Tactics of Artillery, United States Tactics for Cavalry, and
Infantry Calvary. Practical Instruction in the Schools of
the Soldier, Company, and Battalion. Practical Instruction
in Artillery and Cavalry.
Practical Military, Practical Instruction in Engineering
fabricating Fascines, Sap Faggots, Gabions, Hurdles, Sap
rollers, etc.; manner of laying out and constructing Gun and
Mortar Batteries, Field Fortifications and Works of Siege;
formation of Stockades, Abatis, and other military
obstacles; and throwing and dismantling Pontoon Bridges.
Myer s Manual of Signals. Practical Instruction in Military
Signaling and Telegraphy.
The second paper was a printed blank, a letter of acceptance
or non-acceptance, to be filled up, as the case may be,
signed by myself, countersigned by my father, and returned
to Washington, D. C.
The third, which follows, is simply a memorandum for use of
the candidate.
Memorandum
It is suggested to all candidates for admission into the
Military Academy that, before leaving their place of
residence for West Point, they should cause themselves to be
thoroughly examined by a competent physician, and by a
teacher or instructor in good standing By such an
examination any serious physical disqualification, or
deficiency in mental preparation, would be revealed, and the
candidate probably spared the expense and trouble of a
useless journey and the mortification of rejection. The
circular appended to the letter of appointment should be
carefully studied by the candidate and the examiners.
It should be understood that the informal examination herein
recommended is solely for the convenience and benefit of the
candidate himself, and can in no manner affect the decision
of the Academic and Medical Examining Boards at West Point.
Note: There being no provision whatever for the payment of
the traveling expenses of either accepted or rejected
candidates for admission, no candidate should fail to
provide himself in advance with the means of returning to
his home, in case of his rejection before either of the
Examining Boards, as he may otherwise be put to considerable
trouble, inconvenience, and even suffering, on account of
his destitute situation. If admitted, the money brought by
him to meet such a contingency can be deposited with the
Treasurer on account of his equipment as a cadet, or
returned to his friends.
After I had secured the appointment the editor of one of our
local papers, which was at the time publishing weekly, I
think brief biographies of some of the leading men of the
city, together with cuts of the persons themselves, desired
to thus bring me into notoriety. I was duly consulted, and,
objecting, the publication did not occur. My chief reason
for objecting was merely this: I feared some evil might
befall me while passing through Georgia en route for West
Point, if too great a knowledge of me should precede me,
such, for instance, as a publication of that kind would
give.
At this interview several other persons white, of course
were present, and one of them after relating the trials of
Cadet Smith and the circumstances of his dismissal, which,
apropos, had not yet occurred, as he would have me believe
advised me to abandon altogether the idea of going to West
Point, for, said he, "Them northern boys wont treat you
right." I have a due proportion of stubbornness in me, I
believe, as all of the Negro race are said to have, and my
Southern friend might as well have advised an angel to rebel
as to have counseled me to resign and not go. He was
convinced, too, before we separated, that no change in my
determination was at all likely to occur. Next day, in a
short article, the fact of my appointment was mentioned, and
my age and degree of education. Some days after this, while
in the post office, a gentleman beckoned to me, and we
withdrew from the crowd. He mentioned this article, and
after relating indeed, repeating, to my amusement, the many
hardships to which I should be subjected, and after telling
me he had a very promising son candid, wasn't he? whom he
desired to have educated at West Point, offered me for my
appointment the rather large sum of five thousand dollars.
This I refused instantly. I had so set my mind on West Point
that, having the appointment, neither threats nor excessive
bribes could induce me to relinquish it, even if I had not
possessed sufficient strength of character to resist them
otherwise. However, as I was a minor, I referred him to my
father. I have no information that he ever consulted him. If
he had, my reply to him would have been sustained. I
afterward had reason to believe the offer was made merely to
test me, as I received from strangers expressions of
confidence in me and in my doing faithfully all that might
devolve upon me from my appointment.
Henry Ossian Flipper, The Colored Cadet at West Point, 1878