Mail arrived every day, and was sorted over, that for the cadets and plebes in each division was dropped on the floor in the halls near the entrances and the word mail called out in a loud tone of voice. Every one expecting mail buttoned up his coat and hastened to get such as might be for him. Now the policemen deliver mail to the cadets in their rooms.[13] In a few days more the candidates were sent in sections of about a dozen to the section for their preliminary or entrance examination. The section I was in was sent to a room having tables, chairs and writing materials, and we were here examined in writing and spelling. There was but one officer present, and after a certain time we put our names on and handed our papers to him whether we had finished them or not. We were next sent to another room, where there were about a half a dozen members of the Academic Board, and as many other army officers.[14] Each candidate, as his name was called, was assigned a subject and then sent to a blackboard. The first one called was numbered one, the second numbered two, and so on, until five or six candidates were sent to different blackboards. Each was directed to write his name and number at the upper right hand corner of the board, to put such data or work on the board as he wished, and when ready to recite to pick up a pointer in his right hand and face about. While those sent to the blackboard were getting ready to recite, another candidate was sent to the center of the room, facing the examiners, and then questioned by one of them. After finishing with the candidate on questions, No. 1 was called upon to recite, and after he was through, another candidate was assigned a subject and sent to the board, and so on. Some of the candidates were self-possessed, and made good recitations and ready answers to questions, while others trembled all over and lost control over themselves, their hearts got up into their throats or went down into their boots. The examination here was in grammar, history, and geography. We were then sent to another room before as many other Professors and Army Officers for examination in arithmetic and reading. I was satisfied with my examination up to this time. After the assignments to the blackboards I was called upon to read. I began to tremble, and had much difficulty in turning to the page designated. I read very poorly, because I could not hold the book steady, and the words on the page danced so that it was hard for me to catch them. I was then told to put down the book and was questioned in arithmetic. Professor C⸺h asked me a number of questions, the answers to which I knew perfectly well, yet all the answer I could make was “I don’t know, sir.” Professor C⸺h then talked kindly and said how important it was to me, that I answer the questions, because if I did not answer properly that I would be found deficient and sent home. I then said that the old cadets had told me he would “find” me, and I believed he would.