West Point: An Intimate Picture of the National Military Academy and of the Life of the CadetRichardson, Robert C. (Robert Charlwood)
History
West Point: An Intimate Picture of the National Military Academy and of the Life of the Cadet
Richardson, Robert C. (Robert Charlwood)
United States Military Academy
TOTTEN General Joseph G. Totten, the tenth
graduate and _ex-officio_ the first
inspector of the Military Academy
while serving as Chief of Engineers
from 1838-1864.
THAYER Major Sylvanus Thayer, Father of
the Military Academy.
DELAFIELD Colonel Richard Delafield, Superintendent
from 1856 to 1861, under
whose administration much construction
was completed.
JEFFERSON Thomas Jefferson, third President
of the United States, during whose
administration, 1801 to 1809, the
Military Academy was founded.
MONROE James Monroe, fifth President of
the United States, 1817 to 1825,
under whose administration the Military
Academy developed and was
encouraged.
Upon the second floor is the Academic Board room, a Gothic hall
illuminated with stained glass windows containing emblems of the
various arts and sciences. The most striking feature of the room is the
massive stone mantel, modeled by Laurie and ornamented with statuettes
of the world’s greatest warriors.
The description of the statuettes and the reasons for selecting the
subject are given in a letter to Dr. Holden, late librarian, dated
November 23, 1906. An Advisory Board of officers recommended:
That the character of the figures on the mantlepiece be of a
general military type--historical or legendary--best suited to
harmonize with the architectural treatment and selected by the
architects themselves from the three lists in this letter of
November 23, 1906.
The heads appearing at the top of the mantel--in the crenelations--have
no relation to the statuettes underneath. The small shields immediately
below the statuettes are, however, indicative of the subjects as
follows:
JOSHUA. Sun and Moon--taken from the Biblical legend describing the
distinctly miraculous standing still of the Sun on the occasion of a
certain battle.
HECTOR OF TROY. Mycenæan Scroll--a sort of triangular fylfot, which
stands for Mycenæan civilization. This device would apply equally to
that of Troy of which Hector was the greatest figure.
[Illustration: Colonel Joseph G. Swift
First Graduate of the Military Academy
From the Painting by Thomas Sully, Library U.S.M.A.]
DAVID. King of all Israel, warrior and psalmist--the harp--selected by
the architects instead of a little sling, especially since the head of
Goliath is under the foot of the figure above.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT. A conventionalized Gordian knot severed.
JULIUS CÆSAR. The standard carried by the famous Roman Legions.
CHARLEMAGNE. King of the Franks--The imperial iron crown.
KING ARTHUR OF ENGLAND. The Holy Grail, symbolizing the whole purpose
of his career.
GODFREY DE BOUILLON. Heraldic cross of Jerusalem of which city he was
king and which forms a part of his own coat-of-arms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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