henry ossian flipper-第52节
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〃A few days after that； Howard was struck in the face by that young 'gentleman；' 'because；' as he says； 'the dd nigger didn't get out of the way when I was going into the boot…black's shop。' For that offence Mr。 McCord was confined to his room； but was never punished； as in a few days thereafter he failed at the preliminary examination； and was sent away with all the other unfortunates； including Howard。
〃On the 28th of June； 1870； those of us who had succeeded in passing the preliminary examination were taken in 'plebe camp；' and there I got my taste of 'military discipline；' as the petty persecutions of about two hundred cadets were called。 Left alone as I was； by Howard's failure； I had to take every insult that was offered； without saying any thing； for I had complained several times to the Commandant of Cadets； and； after 'investigating the matter；' he invariably came to the conclusion； 'from the evidence deduced；' that I was in the wrong； and I was cautioned that I had better be very particular about any statements that I might make； as the regulations were very strict on the subject of veracity。
〃Whenever the 'plebes' （new cadets） were turned out to 'police' camp； as they were each day at 5 A。M。 and 4 P。M。； certain cadets would come into the company street and spit out quids of tobacco which they would call for me to pick up。 I would get a broom and shovel for the purpose； but they would immediately begin swearing at and abusing me for not using my fingers； and then the corporal of police would order me to put down that broom and shovel； 'and not to try to play the gentleman here；' for my fingers were 'made for that purpose。' Finding there was no redress to be had there； I wrote my friend Mr。 David Clark； of Hartford； Ct。； to do something for me。 He had my letter published； and that drew the attention of Congress to the matter； and a board was sent to West Point to inquire into the matter and report thereon。 That board found out that several cadets were guilty of conduct unbecoming a cadet and a gentleman and recommended that they be court… martialled； but the Secretary of War thought a reprimand would be sufficient。 Among those reprimanded were Q。 O'M。 Gillmore； son of General Gillmore； Alex。 B。 Dyer； son of General Dyer； and James H。 Reid； nephew of the Secretary of War （it is said）。 I was also reprimanded for writing letters for publication。
〃Instead of doing good； these reprimands seemed only to increase the enmity of the cadets； and they redoubled their energies to get me into difficulty； and they went on from bad to worse； until from words they came to blows； and then occurred that 'little onpleasantness' known as the 'dipper fight。' On the 13th of August； 1870； I； being on guard； was sent to the tank for a pail of water。 I had to go a distance of about one hundred and fifty yards； fill the pail by drawing water from the faucet in a dipper （the faucet was too low to permit the pail to stand under it）； and return to the guard tent in ten minutes。 When I reached the tank； one of my classmates； J。 W。 Wilson； was standing in front of the faucet drinking water from a dipper。 He didn't seem inclined to move； so I asked him to stand aside as I wanted to get water for the guard。 He said： 'I'd like to see any dd nigger get water before I get through。' I said： 'I'm on duty； and I've got no time to fool with you；' and I pushed the pail toward the faucet。 He kicked the pail over； and I set it up and stooped down to draw the water； and then he struck at me with his dipper； but hit the brass plate on the front of my hat and broke his dipper。 I was stooping down at the time； but I stood up and struck him in the face with my left fist； but in getting up I did not think of a tent fly that was spread over the tank； and that pulled my hat down over my eyes。 He then struck me in the face with the handle of his dipper （he broke his dipper at the first blow）； and then I struck him two or three times with my dipper； battering it； and cutting him very severely on the left side of 'his head near the temple。 He bled very profusely； and fell on the ground near the tank。
〃The alarm soon spread through the camp； and all the cadets came running to the tank and swearing vengeance on the 'dd nigger。'
〃An officer who was in his tent near by came out and ordered me to be put under guard in one of the guard tents； where I was kept until next morning； when I was put 'in arrest。' Wilson was taken to the hospital； where he stayed two or three weeks； and as soon as he returned to duty he was also placed in arrest。 This was made the subject for a court…martial； and that court…martial will form the subject of my next communication。
Yours respectfully；
〃J。 W。 SMITH； 〃Late Cadet U。S。M。A。〃
THE INJUSTICE AT WEST POINT。
〃COLUMBIA； S。C。； August 7； 1874。
To the Editor of the New National Era：
〃SIR： In my last communication I related the circumstances of the 'dipper fight；' and now we come to the court…martial which resulted therefrom。
〃But there was another charge upon which I was tried at the same time； the circumstances of which I will detail。
〃On the 15th of August； 1870； just two days after the 'dipper fight；' Cadet Corporal Beacom made a report against me for 'replying in a disrespectful manner to a file…closer when spoken to at drill； P。M。 For this alleged offence I wrote an explanation denying the charge； but Cadet Beacom found three cadets who swore that they heard me make a disrespectful reply in ranks when Cadet Beacom； as a file…closer on duty； spoke to me； and the Commandant of Cadets； Lieutenant Colonel Upton； preferred charges against me for making false statements。
〃The court to try me sat in September； with General O。 O。 Howard as President。 I plead 'not guilty' to the charge of assault on Cadet Wilson； and also to the charge of making false statements。
〃The court found both Cadet Wilson and myself 'guilty' of assault； and sentenced us to be confined for two or three weeks； with some other light punishment in the form of 'extra duty。'
The finding of the court was approved by President Grant in the case of Cadet Wilson； but disapproved in my case； on the ground that the punishment was not severe enough。 Therefore； Cadet W。 served his punishment and I did not serve mine； as there was no authority vested in the President to increase it。
〃On the second charge I was acquitted； for I proved； by means of the order book of the Academy that there was no company drill on that daythe 15th of August that there was skirmish drill； and by the guard reports of the same date； that Cadet Beacom and two of his three witnesses were on guard that day； and could not have been at drill； even if there had been one。 To some it might appear that the slight inconsistencies existing between the sworn testimony of those cadets and the official record of the Academy； savored somewhat of perjury； but they succeeded in explaining the matter by saying that 'Cadet Beacom only made a mistake in date。' Of course he did； how could it be otherwise？ It was necessary to explain it in some way so that I might be proved a liar to the corps of cadets； even if they failed to accomplish that object to the satisfaction of the court。
〃I was released in November； after the proceedings and findings of the court had been returned from Washington； where they had been sent for the approval of the President； having been in arrest for three months。 But I was not destined to enjoy my liberty for any length of time； for on the 13th of December； same year； I was in the ranks of the guard； and was stepped on two or three times by Cadet Anderson； one of my classmates； who was marching beside me。
〃As I had had some trouble with the same cadet some time before； on account of the same thing I believed that he was doing it intentionally； and as it was very annoying； I spoke to him about it； saying： 〃I wish you would not tread on my toes。' He answered： 'Keep your dd toes out of the way。' Cadet Birney； who was standing near by； then made some invidious remarks about me； to which I did not condescend to reply。 One of the Cadet Corporals； Bailey； reported me for 'inattention in ranks；' and in my written explanation of the offence； I detailed the circumstances； but both Birney and Anderson denied them； and the Commandant of Cadets took their statement in preference to mine； and preferred charges against me for falsehood。
〃I was court martialled in January； 1871； Captain Piper； Third Artillery； being President of the court。 By this court I was found I 'guilty；' as I had no witnesses； and had nothing to expect from the testimony of the witnesses for the prosecution。 Cadet Corporal Bailey； who made the report； Cadets Birney and Anderson were the witnesses who convicted me； in fact they were the only witnesses summoned to testify in the case。 The sentence of the court was that I should be dismissed； but it was changed to one year's suspension； or； since the year was almost gone before the finding of the court was returned from Washington； where it was sent for the approval of President Grant； I was put back one year。
〃I had no counsel at this trial； as I knew it would be useless； considering the one…sided condition of affairs。 I was allowed to make th
