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　sanctity　of　the　'hop'　room　was　to　be　violated　by　the　colored　cadet。

〃Meetings　were　held　by　the　different　classes；　and　resolutions　passed　to　the　effect　that　as　soon　as　the　colored　cadet　entered　the　'hop'　room；　the　'hop'　managers　were　to　declare　the　'hop'　ended；　and　dismiss　the　musicians。　But　the　'hops'　went　on　undisturbed　by　the　presence　of　the　colored　cadet　for　two　or　three　weeks；　and　all　began　to　get　quiet　again；　when　one　day　my　brother　and　sister；　with　a　couple　of　lady　friends　whom　they　had　come　to　visit；　came　to　camp　to　see　me。

〃This　started　afresh　the　old　report　about　the　'hops；'　and　every　one　was　on　the　qui　vive　to　get　a　glimpse　of　'nigger　Jim　and　the　nigger　wenches　who　are　going　to　the　hops；'　as　was　remarked　by　a　cadet　who　went　up　from　the　guard　tent　to　spread　the　alarm　through　camp。

〃In　a　few　minutes　thereafter　the　'gentlemen'　had　all　taken　position　at　the　end　of　the　'company　street；'　and；　with　their　opera…glasses；　were　taking　observations　upon　those　who；　as　they　thought；　had　come　to　desecrate　the　'hop'　room。　I　was　on　guard　that　day；　but　not　being　on　post　at　that　time；　I　was　sitting　in　rear　of　the　guard　tents　with　my　friendsthat　place　being　provided　with　camp…stools　for　the　accommodation　of　visitors　when　a　cadet　corporal；　Tyler；　of　Kentucky；　came　and　ordered　me　to　go　and　fasten　down　the　corner　of　the　first　guard　tent；　which　stood　a　few　paces　from　where　we　were　sitting。

〃I　went　to　do　so；　when　he　came　there　also；　and　immediately　began　to　rail　at　me　for　being　so　slow；　saying　he　wished　me　to　know　that　when　he　ordered　me　to　do　anything；　I　must　'step　out'　about　it；　and　not　try　to　shirk　it。　I　said　nothing；　but　fastened　down　the　corner　of　the　tent；　and　went　back　to　where　my　friends　were。

〃In　a　few　minutes　afterwards　he　came　back；　and　wanted　to　know　why　I　hadn't　fastened　down　that　tent　wall。　I　told　him　that　I　had。

〃He　said　it　was　not　fastened　then；　and　that　he　did　not　wish　any　prevarication　on　my　part。

〃I　then　told　him　that　he　had　no　authority　to　charge　me　with　prevarication；　and　that　if　he　believed　that　I　had　not　fastened　down　the　tent　wall；　the　only　thing　he　could　do　was　to　report　me。　I　went　back　to　the　tent　and　found　that　either　Cadet　Tyler　or　some　other　cadet　had　unfastened　the　tent　wall；　so　I　fastened　it　down　again。　Nothing　now　was　said　to　me　by　Cadet　Tyler；　and　I　went　back　to　where　my　friends　were：　but　we　had　been　sitting　there　only　about　a　half　hour；　when　a　private　soldier　came　to　us　and　said；　'It　is　near　time　for　parade；　and　you　will　have　to　go　away　from　here。'　I　never　was　more　surprised　in　my　life；　and　I　asked　the　soldier　what　he　meant；　for　I　surely　thought　be　was　either　drunk　or　crazy；　but　he　said　that　the　superintendent　had　given　him　orders　to　allow　no　colored　persons　near　the　visitors'　seats　during　parade。

〃I　asked　him　if　he　recognized　me　as　a　cadet。　He　said　he　did。　I　then　told　him　that　those　were　my　friends；　that　I　had　invited　them　there　to　see　the　parade；　and　that　they　were　going　to　stay。　He　said　he　had　nothing　to　do　with　me；　of　course；　but　that　he　had　to　obey　the　orders　of　the　superintendent。　I　then　went　to　the　officer　of　the　guard；　who　was　standing　near　by；　and　stated　the　circumstances　to　him；　requesting　him　to　protect　us　from　such　insults。　He　spoke　to　the　soldier；　saying　that　he　had　best　not　try　to　enforce　that　order；　as　the　order　was　intended　to　apply　to　servants；　and　then　the　soldier　went　off　and　left　us。

〃Soon　after　that　the　drum　sounded　for　parade；　and　I　was　compelled　to　leave　my　friends　for　the　purpose　of　falling　in　ranks；　but　promising　to　return　as　soon　as　the　parade　was　over；　little　thinking　that　I　should　not　be　able　to　redeem　that　promise；　but　such　was　the　case；　as　I　shall　now　proceed　to　show。

〃Just　as　the　companies　were　marching　off　the　parade　ground；　and　before　the　guard　was　dismissed；　the　'officer　in　charge；'　Lieutenant　Charles　King；　Fifth　Cavalry；　came　to　the　guard　tent　and　ordered　me　to　step　out　of　ranks　three　paces　to　the　front；　which　I　did。

〃He　then　ordered　me　to　take　off　my　accoutrements　and　place　them　with　my　musket　on　the　gun　rack。　That　being　done；　he　ordered　me　to　take　my　place　in　the　centre　of　the　guard　as　a　prisoner；　and　there　I　stood　until　the　ranks　were　broken；　when　I　was　put　in　the　guard　tent。　Of　course　my　friends　felt　very　bad　about　it；　as　they　thought　that　they　were　the　cause　of　it；　while　I　could　Not　speak　a　word　to　them；　as　they　went　away；　and　even　if　I　could　have　spoken　to　them；　I　could　not　have　explained　the　matter；　for　I　did　not　know　myself　why　I　had　been　put　thereat　least　I　did　not　know　what　charge　had　been　trumped　up　against　me；　though　I　knew　well　enough　that　I　had　been　put　there　for　the　purpose　of　keeping　me　from　the　'hop；'　as　they　expected　I　would　go。　The　next　morning　I　was　put　'in　arrest'　for　'disobedience　of　orders　in　not　fastening　down　tent　wall　when　ordered；'　and　'replying　in　a　disrespectful　manner　to　a　cadet　corporal；'　etc。；　and　thus　the　simplest　thing　was　magnified　into　a　very　serious　offence；　for　the　purpose　of　satisfying　the　desires　of　a　few　narrow…minded　cadets。　That　an　officer　of　the　United　States　Army　would　allow　his　prejudices　to　carry　him　so　far　as　to　act　in　that　way　to　a　subordinate；　without　giving　him　a　chance　to　speak　a　word　in　his　defencenay；　without　allowing　him　to　know　what　charge　had　been　made　against　him；　and　that　he　should　be　upheld　in　such　action　by　the　'powers　that　be；'　are　sufficient　proof　to　my　mind　of　the　feelings　which　the　officers　themselves　maintained　towards　us。　While　I　was　in　ranks；　during　parade；　and　my　friends　were　quietly　sitting　down　looking　at　the　parade；　another　model　'officer　and　gentleman；'　Captain　Alexander　Piper；　Third　Artilleryhe　was　president　of　my　second　court…　martialcame　up；　in　company　with　a　lady；　and　ordered　my　brother　and　sister　to　get　up　and　let　him　have　their　camp…stools；　and　he　actually　took　away　the　camp…stools　and　left　them　standing；　while　a　different　kind　of　a　gentlemanan　'obscure　citizen；'　with　no　aristocratic　West　Point　dignity　to　boast　ofkindly　tendered　his　camp…stool　to　my　sister。

〃I　only　wish　I　knew　the　name　of　that　gentleman；　but　I　could　not　see　him　then；　or　I　should　certainly　have　found　it　out；　though　in　answer　to　my　brother's　question　as　to　his　name；　he　simply　replied；　'I　am　an　obscure　citizen。'　What　a　commentary　on　our　'obscure　citizens；'　who　know　what　it　is　to　be　gentlemen　in　something　else　besides　the　namegentlemen　in　practice；　not　only　in　theoryand　who　can　say　with　Burns　that　'a　mans　a　man　for　a'　that；'　whether　his　face　be　as　black　as　midnight　or　as　white　as　the　driven　snow。

〃There　is　something　in　such　a　man　which　elevates　him　above　many　others　who；　having　nothing　else　to　boast　of；　can　only　say；　'I　am　a　white　man；　and　am　therefore　your　superior；'　or　'I　am　a　West　Point　graduate；　and　therefore　an　officer　and　a　gentleman。'

〃After　the　usual　'investigation'　by　the　Commandant　of　Cadets；　I　was　sentenced　to　be　confined　to　the　'company　street'　until　the　15th　of　August；　about　five　weeks；　so　that　I　could　not　get　out　to　see　my　brother　and　sister　after　that；　except　when　I　was　at　drill；　and　then　I　could　not　speak　to　them。　I　tried　to　get　permission　to　see　them　in　the　'Visitors'　Tent'　the　day　before　they　left　the　'Point'　on　their　return　home；　but　my　permit　was　not　granted；　and　they　left　without　having　the　privilege　of　saying　'Good…by。'

〃I　must　say　a　word　in　reference　to　the　commandant's　method　of　making　'investigations。'　After　sending　for　Cadet　Corporal　Tyler　and　other　white　cadets；　and　hearing　their　side　of　the　story　in　reference　to　the　tent　wall　and　the　disrespectful　reply；　he　sent　for　me　to　hear　what　I　had　to　say；　and　after　I　had　given　my　version　of　the　affair；　he　told　me　that　I　must　surely　be　mistaken；　as　my　statement　did　not　coincide　with　those　of　the　other　cadets；　who　were　unanimous　in　saying　that　I　used　not　only　disrespectful；　but　also　profane　language　while　addressing　the　cadet　corporal。　I　told　him　that　new　Cadet　Napier　and　my　brother　were　both　there　and　heard　the　conversation；　and　they　would　substantiate　my　statement　if　allowed　to　testify。　　He　said　he　was　convinced　that　I　was　in　the　wrong；　and　he　did　not　send　for　either　of　them。　What　sort　of　justice　is　that　which　can　be　meted　out　to　one　without　allowing　him　to　defend　himself；　and　even　denying　him　the　privilege　of　calling　his　evidence？　What　a　model　Chief　Justice　the　Commandant　of　Cadets　would　make；　since　he　can　decide　upon　the　merits　of　the　case　as　soon　as　he　has　heard　one　side。　Surely　he　has　missed　his　calling　by　entering　the　army；　or　else　the　American　people　cannot　appreciate　true　ability；　for　that　'officer　and　gentleman'　ought　now　to　be　wearing　the　judicial　robe　so　lately　laid　down　by　the　lamented　Chase。

〃In　reply　to　my　complaint　about　the　actions　of　the　soldier　in　ordering　my　friends　away　from　the　visitors'　seats；　he　said　that　the　soldier　had　misunderstood　his　orders；　as　the　superintendent　had　told　him　to　keep　the　colored　servants　on　the　'Point'　from　coming　in　front　of　the　battalion　at　parade；　and　that　it　was　not　meant　to　apply　to　my　friends；　who　could　come　there　whenever　they　wished。

〃It　seems；　though；　very　strange　to　me　that　the　soldier　could　misunderstand　his　orders；　when　he　saw　me　sitting　there　in　company　with　them；　for　it　is　one　of　the　regulations　of　the　Academy　which　forbids　any　cadet　to　associate　with　a　servant；　and　if　I　had　been　seen　doing　such　a　thing　I　would　have　been　court…martialled　for　'conduct　unbecoming　a　cadet　and　a　gentleman。〃

〃The　cadets　were；　of　course；　very　much　rejoiced　at　my　being　'in　arrest；'　and　after　my　sentence　had　been　published　at　parade；　they　had　quite　a　jubilee　over　it；　and　boasted　of　'the　skill　and　tact　which　Cadet　Tyler　had　shown　in　putting　the　nigger　out　of　the　temptation　of　taking　those　black　wenches　to　the　hops。'　They　thought；　no　doubt；　that　their　getting　me　into　trouble　frightened　me　out　of　any　thoughts　I　might　have　had　of　attending　the　'hops；'　but　if　I　had　any　idea　of　going　to　the　'hops；'　I　should　have　been　only　more　determined　to　go；　and　should　have　done　so　as　soon　as　my　term　of　confinement　was　ended。　I　have　never　thought　of　going　to　the　'hops；'　for　it　would　be　very　little　pleasure　to　go　by　myself；　and　I　should　most　assuredly　not　have　asked　a　lady　to　subject　herself　to　the　insults　consequent　upon　going　there。　Besides；　as　I　said　before；　I　did　not　go　to　West　Point　for　the　purpose　of　advocatin