were far more a matter of favor than they are to-day, and young
Lee, accompanied by Mrs. Lewis (better known as Nellie Custis, the
belle of Mount Vernon and Washington's favorite grandchild), sought
the assistance of General Andrew Jackson. Rough "Old Hickory" was
not the easiest sort of person to approach with a request of any
kind and, doubtless, his young visitor had grave misgivings as to
the manner in which his application would be received. But Jackson,
the hero of the battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812, only
needed to be told that his caller was "Light Horse Harry's" son to
proffer assistance; and in his nineteenth year, the boy left home
for the first time in his life to enroll himself as a cadet at West
Point.

Very few young men enter that institution so well prepared for military
life as was Lee, for he had been accustomed to responsibility and
had thoroughly mastered the art of self-control many years before
he stepped within its walls. He was neither a prig nor a "grind,"
but he regarded his cadetship as part of the life work which he
had voluntarily chosen, and he had no inclination to let pleasure
interfere with it. With his comrades he was companionable,
entering into all their pastimes with zest and spirit, but he let
it be understood, without much talk, that attention to duty was a
principle with him and his serious purpose soon won respect.

Rigid discipline was then, as it is to-day, strictly enforced at
West Point, and demerits were freely inflicted upon cadets for even
the slightest infraction of the rules. Indeed, the regulations
were so severe that it was almost impossible for a cadet to avoid
making at least a few slips at some time during his career. But
Lee accomplished the impossible, for not once throughout his entire