Kautz, who had remained in the army from his graduation.  Two of the colonels also entered the service from other localities.  The other seven, General McGroierty, Colonels White, Fyffe, Loudon and Marshall, Majors King and Bailey, were all residents of Georgetown when the war broke out, and all of them, who were alive at the close, returned there.  Major Bailey was the cadet who had preceded me at West Point.  He was killed in West Virginia, in his first engagement.  As far as I know, every boy who has entered West Point from that village since my time has been graduated.

I took passage on a steamer at Ripley, Ohio, for Pittsburg, about the middle of May, 1839.  Western boats at that day did not make regular trips at stated times, but would stop anywhere, and for any length of time, for passengers or freight.  I have myself been detained two or three days at a place after steam was up, the gang planks, all but one, drawn in, and after the time advertised for starting had expired.  On this occasion we had no vexatious delays, and in about three days Pittsburg was reached.  From Pittsburg I chose passage by the canal to Harrisburg, rather than by the more expeditious stage.  This gave a better opportunity of enjoying the fine scenery of Western Pennsylvania, and I had rather a dread of reaching my destination at all.  At that time the canal was much patronized by travellers, and, with the comfortable packets of the period, no mode of conveyance could be more pleasant, when time was not an object.  From Harrisburg to Philadelphia there was a railroad, the first I had ever seen, except the one on which I had just crossed the summit of the Alleghany Mountains, and over which canal boats were transported.  In travelling by the road from Harrisburg, I thought the perfection of rapid transit had been reached.  We travelled at least eighteen miles an hour, when at full speed, and made the whole distance averaging probably as much as twelve miles an hour.  This seemed like annihilating space.  I stopped five days in Philadelphia, saw about every street in the city, attended the theatre, visited Girard College (which was then in course of construction), and got reprimanded from home afterwards, for dallying by the way so long.  My sojourn in New York was shorter, but long enough to enable me to see the city very well.  I reported at West Point on the 30th or 31st of May, and about two weeks later passed my examination for admission, without difficulty, very much to my surprise.

A military life had no charms for me, and I had not the faintest idea of staying in the army even if I should be graduated, which I did not expect.  The encampment which preceded the commencement of academic studies was very wearisome and uninteresting.  When the 28th of August came—­the date for breaking up camp and going into barracks—­I felt as though I had been at West Point always, and that if I staid to graduation, I would have to remain