A Boy's Experience in the Civil War, 1860-1865 — John Shaqi
A Boy's Experience in the Civil War, 1860-1865Hughes, Thomas
History
A Boy's Experience in the Civil War, 1860-1865
Hughes, Thomas
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Personal narratives, Confederate
furnished his own two pronged fork and a good large table knife, both of
the rough bone handled variety, colored a dark brown. This fare with
undue discipline would have been unbearable but with the free and
independent life led there it was only a pleasing passing incident in
the daily routine of cadet life constantly filled with ever recurring
incidents to surprise, interest and exhilarate and no grumbling ever
took place, only high spirits and the fullest animal enjoyment in the
flush of health.
A bell rang for classes or lectures and the class rooms were a wonder.
The classes were so large that many would have to stand up grouped
together, usually near the door. Before the lecture was finished the
groups would be greatly thinned out, for from time to time while the
professor was absorbed in his work or inspecting the black boards the
door would softly open and out would slip some member of the group who
would softly close the door and walk past the windows of the class room
as naturally as if he were on a mission, the only evidence of
irregularity being the exceedingly expert quick way with which he
vanished through the door. Another result of the large classes was the
effort to test the students by requiring several to recite at once, as
one at a time would never have reached around. This was supposed to be
accomplished by means of the blackboard, at each of the five or six
boards was stationed one cadet and the same test was furnished to all at
once. Out of the entire number at work usually at least one knew his
task well. The others made a show of great industry and with much waste
of chalk and many changes and corrections and with a sharp eye on his
neighbor’s work he managed to construct a passable performance. The last
exhibit I saw in the geography class was a curiously drawn map in chalk
outlining South America. It was not difficult to identify the copies of
various grades and conditions, nor the original from which made. I
suppose the professor was charitable in not holding his students to a
too strict accountability. I wonder indeed how they could do any
studying with such conditions or surroundings, instead of showing the
general faithfulness that they did to their work.
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