ake；　for　the　first…classman　gave　the　plebe　full　information　as　to　what　could　be　required　of　him；　and　told　him　to　disobey　any　improper　order　of　the　corporal's　which　was　plainly　given　to　haze　him。　The　affair　was　made　personal。　A　fight　ensued。　The　corporal　was　worsted；　to　the　delight；　I　imagine；　of　the　plebes。
  Again；　I've　known　plebes　to　be　stopped　from　workif　they　were　doing　something　for　a　cadetto　transfer　it　to　some　other　one　who　was　accustomed　to　shirk　all　the　duty　he　could；　or　who　did　things　slowly　and　slovenly。　Indeed　I　may　assert　generally　that　plebes　who　are　willing　to　work　have　little　to　do　outside　of　their　regular　duty；　and　fare　in　plebe　camp　quite　as　well　as　yearlings；　while　those　who　are　stubborn　and　careless　are　required　to　do　most　all　the　work。　Cadets　purposely　select　them　and　make　them　work。　They；　too；　are　very　frequently　objects　of　hazing　in　its　severest　form。　At　best；　though；　plebe　camp　is　rather　hard；　its　Numerous　drills；　together　with　guard　and　police　duty；　make　it　the　severest　and　most　undesirable　portion　of　the　four　years　a　cadet　spends　at　the　Academy。
  To　get　up　at　five　o'clock　and　be　present　at　reveille　roll…call；　to　police　for　half　an　hour；　to　have　squad　drill　during　the　next　hour；　to　put　one's　tent　in　order　after　that；　and　then　to　prepare　one's　self　for　breakfast　at　seven；　make　up　a　rather　trying　round　of　duties。　　To　discharge　them　alland　that　must　certainly　be　donekeeps　one　busy；　but　who　would　not　prefer　little　extra　workand　not　hard　work　at　that　in　the　cooler　part　of　the　day　to　an　equal　amount　in　the　heated　portion　of　it？　I　am　sure　the　plebes　do。　I　know　the　corporals　and　other　officers　who　drill　them　do；　although　they　lose　their　after…reveille　sleep。
  After　breakfast　comes　troop　parade　at　eight　o'clock；　guard　mounting　immediately　after；　and　the　establishment　of　the　〃color　line。〃　Arms　and　accoutrements　must　be　in　perfect　order。　The　plebes　clean　them　during　the　afternoon；　so　that　before　parade　it　is　seldom　necessary　to　do　more　than　wipe　off　dust；　or　adjust　a　belt；　or　something　of　the　kind。
  After　establishing　the　〃color　line；〃　which　is　done　about　8。30　A。M。；　all　cadets；　save　those　on　guard　and　those　marching　on；　have　time　to　do　whatever　they　choose。　The　cadets　generally　repair　to　the　guard　tents　to　see　lady　friends　and　other　acquaintances；　while　the　plebes　either　interest　themselves　in　the　inspection　of　〃color　men；〃　or　make　ready　for　artillery　drill　at　nine。　The　latter　drill；　commencing　at　9　A。M。；　continues　for　one　hour。　The　yearlings　and　plebes　receive　instruction　in　the　manual　and　nomenclature　of　the　piece。　The　drill　is　not　very　trying　unless　the　heavy　guns　are　usedI　mean　unless　they　are　drilled　at　the　battery　of　twelve…pounders。　Of　late　both　classes　have　been　drilled　at　batteries　of　three…inch　rifles。　These　are　light　and　easily　manoeuvred；　and　unless　the　heat　be　intense　the　drill　is　a　very　pleasant　one。
  The　first　class；　during　this　same　hour；　are　drilled　at　the　siege　or　seacoast　battery。　The　work　here　is　sometimes　hard　and　sometimes　not。　When　firing；　the　drill　is　pleasant　and　interesting；　but　when　we　have　mechanical　manoeuvres　all　this　pleasantness　vanishes。　Then　we　have　hard　work。　Dismounting　and　mounting　is　not　a　very　pleasant　recreation。
  At　eleven　o'clock；　every　day　for　a　week　or　ten　days；　the　plebes　have　manual　drill。　This　is　entirely　in　the　shade；　and　when　〃In　place；　rest；〃　is　frequently　given；　is　not　at　all　displeasing；　except　when　some　yearling　corporal　evinces　a　disposition　to　haze。　At　five　o'clock　this　drill　is　repeated　Then　comes　parade；　supper；　tattoo；　and　best　of　all　a　long　night's　rest。　The　last　two　drills　continue　for　a　few　days　only；　and　sometimes　do　not　take　place　at　all。
  The　third　class；　or　the　yearlings；　have　dancing　from　eleven　to　twelve；　and　the　plebes　from　then　till　one。　In　the　afternoon　the　plebes　have　nothing　to　do　in　the　way　of　duty　till　four　o'clock。　The　camp　is　then　policed；　and　when　that　is　done　there　may　or　may　not　be　any　further　duty　to　discharge　till　retreat　parade。　After　the　plebes　are　put　in　the　battalionthat　is；　after　they　begin　drilling；　etc。；　with　their　companies　all　cadets　attend　company　drill　at　five　o'clock。　After　attending　a　few　of　these　drills　the　first　class　is　excused　from　further　attendance　during　the　encampment。　One　officer　and　the　requisite　number　of　privates；　however；　are　detailed　from　the　class　each　day　to　act　as　officers　at　these　drills。
  I　omitted　to　say　that　the　first　class　received　in　the　forenoon　instruction　in　practical　military　engineering　and　ordnance。
  What　most　tries　plebes；　and　yearlings；　too；　is　guard　duty。　If　their　classes　are　small；　each　member　of　them　is　put　on　guard　every　third　or　fourth　day。　To　the　plebes；　being　something　entirely　new；　guard　duty　is　very；　very　obnoxious。
  During　the　day　they　fare　well　enough；　but　as　soon　as　night　comes　〃well　enough〃　disappears。　They　are　liable　at　any　moment　to　be　visited　by　cadets　on　a　hazing　tour　from　the　body　of　the　camp；　or　by　the　officers　and　non…　commissioned　officers　of　the　guard。　　The　latter　generally　leave　the　post　of　the　guard　in　groups　of　three　or　four。　After　getting　into　camp　they　separate；　and　manage　to　come　upon　a　sentinel　simultaneously　and　from　all　points　of　the　compass。　If　the　sentinel　isn't　cool；　he　will　challenge　and　Advance　one；　and　possibly　let　the　others　come　upon　him　unchallenged　and　unseen　even。　Then　woe　be　to　him！　He'll　be　〃crawled　over〃　for　a　certainty；　and　to　make　his　crimes　appear　as　bad　as　possible；　will　be　reported　for　〃neglect　of　duty　while　a　sentinel；　allowing　the　officers　and　noncommissioned　officers　of　the　guard　to　advance　upon　him；　and　to　cross　his　post　repeatedly　without　being　challenged。〃　He　knows　the　report　to　be　true；　and　if　he　submits　an　explanation　for　the　offence　his　inexperience　will　be　considered；　and　he　will　probably　get　no　demerits　for　his　neglect　of　duty。
  But　the　best　joke　of　all　is　in　their　manner　of　calling　　off　the　half…hours　at　night；　and　of　challenging。　Sometimes　we　hear　No。　2　call　off；　〃No。　2；　ten　o'clock；　and　all　is　well；〃　in　a　most　natural　and　unconcerned　tone　of　voice；　while　No。　3　may　sing　out；　〃No。　3；　ten　o'clock　and　all　is　well…l…l；〃　changing　his　tone　only　on　the　last　word。　Then　No。　4；　with　another　variation；　may　call　off；　〃No。　4；　ten　o'clock；　and　all…l…l…l's　well；〃　changing　his　tone　on　〃all…l…l…l's；〃　and　speaking　the　rest；　especially　the　last　word；　in　a　low　and　natural　manner　of　voice；　and　sometimes　abruptly。　And　so　on　along　the　entire　chain　of　sentinels；　each　one　calls　off　in　a　manner　different　from　that　of　the　rest。　Sometimes　the　calling　off　is　scarcely　to　be　heard；　sometimes　it　is　loud　and　full；　and　again　it　is　distinct　but　squeakish。　It　is　indeed　most　delightful　to　be　in　one's　tent　and　here　the　plebes　call　off　in　the　still　quiet　hours　of　the　night。　One　can't　well　help　laughing；　and　yet　all　plebes；　more　or　less；　call　off　in　the　same　manner。
  Plebe　sentinels　are　very　troublesome　sometimes　to　the　non…commissioned　officers　of　the　guard。　They　receive　their　orders　time　after　time；　and　when　inspected　for　them　most　frequently　spit　them　out　with　ease　and　readiness；　but　just　as　soon　as　night　comes；　and　there　is　a　chance　to　apply　them；　they　〃fess　utterly　cold；〃　and　in　the　simplest　things　at　that。　Nine　plebes　out　of　ten　almost　invariably　challenge　thus；　〃Who　comes　here？〃　〃Who　stands　here？〃　〃Who　goes　here？〃　as　the　case　may　be；　notwithstanding　they　have　been　repeatedly　instructed　orally；　and　have　seen　the　words；　as　they　should　be；　in　the　regulations。　If　a　person　is　going；　and　is　a　hundred　yards　or　so　off；　it　is　still；　〃Who　goes　here？〃　Everything　is　〃here。〃
  One　night　the　officer　of　the　day　concealed　himself　near　a　sentinel's　post；　and　suddenly　appeared　on　it。　The　plebe　threw　his　gun　down　to　the　proper　position　and　yelled　out；　〃Who　comes　here？〃　The　officer　of　the　day　stopped　short；　whereupon　the　plebe　jumped　at　him　and　shouted；　〃Who　stands　here？〃　Immediately　the　officer　started　off；　saying　as　he　did　so；　〃I'm　not　standing；　I'm　going。〃　Then　of　course　the　challenge　was　again　changed　to；　〃Who　goes　here？　〃I'm　not　going；　I'm　coming；〃　said　the　officer；　facing　about　and　approaching　the　sentinel。　This　was　kept　up　for　a　considerable　time；　till　the　officer　of　the　day　got　near　a　sentry…box　and　suddenly　disappeared。　The　plebe　knew　he　was　there；　and　yelled　in　a　louder　tone　than　before；　〃Who　stands　here？　〃Sentry…box；〃　was　the　solemn　and　ghostly　response。
  It　is　hardly　reasonable；　I　think；　to　say　the　plebe　was　frightened；　but　he　actually　stood　there　motionless；　repeating　his　challenge　over　and　over　again；　〃Who　stands　here？〃
  There　was　a　light　battery　in　park　near　by；　and　through　this；　aided　by　the　gloom；　the　officer　of　the　day　managed　to　pass　unobserved　along；　but　not　on　the　sentinel's　post。　He　then　got　upon　it　and　advanced　on　him；　making　the　while　much　noise　with　his　sword　and　his　heavy　tread。　He　walked　directly　up　to　the　sentinel　unchallenged；　and　startled　him　by　asking；　〃What　are　you　standing　here　yelling　for？〃
  The　plebe　told　him　that　the　officer　of　the　day　had　been　upon　his　post；　and　he　had　seen　him　go　behind　the　sentry…box。　And　all　this　to　the　officer　of　the　day；　standing　there　before　him；　〃Well；　sir；　whom　do　you　take　me　to　be？〃
  The　plebe　looks；　and　for　the　first　time　brought　to　full　consciousness；　recognizes　the　officer　of　the　day。　Of　course