argumentative boy could never have survived the breaking-in process
which eventually transformed him from a slouchy bumpkin into a smart,
soldier-like young fellow who made the most of his not excessive
inches. Still, he hated almost every moment of his first year and
ardently hoped that the bill for abolishing the Academy, which was
under discussion in Congress, would become a law and enable him
to return home without disgrace. But no such law was passed and
more experience convinced him that West Point was a very valuable
institution which should be strengthened rather than abolished. He
had not reached this conclusion, however, at the time of his first
furlough, and when he returned to his more and found that his
father had procured a fine horse for his exclusive use during his
holiday, it was hard to tear himself away and resume his duties.
Nevertheless, he did so; and, considering the fact that he was not
fond of studying, he made fair progress, especially in mathematics,
never reaching the head of his class, but never quite sinking to
the bottom. Indeed, if he had not been careless in the matter of
incurring demerits from small infractions of the rules, he might
have attained respectable, if not high rank in the corps, for he
was a clean living, clean spoken boy, without a vicious trait of
any kind. Even as it was, he became a sergeant, but inattention
to details of discipline finally cost him his promotion and reduced
him again to the ranks. At no time, however, did he acquire any
real love for the military profession. His sole ambition was to
pass the examinations and retire from the service as soon as he
could obtain a professorship at some good school or college. At
this, he might easily have succeeded with his unmistakable talent
for mathematics, and it is even conceivable that he might have
qualified as a drawing master or an architect, if not as an artist,
for he was fond of sketching and some of his works in this line