When I refused to move each member of the patrol placed an arm under
mine, lifting me from my seat. They dragged me along, the corporal
placing his bayonet against my back. I was placed in the prisoners'
tent. This was in June and the weather was very warm. The walls of the
tent were lowered and a sentinel placed over me and I was ordered to
take what was then known as the Shanghai step. The tactics had just
been changed from Scott's to Hardie's, Hardie's step being quicker and
longer than the step formerly used. The exercise I was ordered to take
was marking time by raising the feet as high as possible, bringing the
knee up against the stomach.
I did this until wet with perspiration and so exhausted that I almost
fell. Presently the sentinel called, "Turn out the guard, Officer of
the Day," when they hustled me with other prisoners to form on the
left of the guard.
The officer of the day was Cadet Lieutenant Porter, whom I had met.
My hopes brightened, thinking I would be released as soon as the
circumstances became known. When he came to me, he remarked, "Why,
plebe, what are you confined for?"
"I don't know," I replied.
"Well," said he, "if you don't know, I think I will keep you in
confinement until you find out."
I remained a prisoner until late in the evening, exercised frequently,
when the guard was again turned out. This time, as the officer of the
day said, "Well, plebe, have you found out yet what you are confined
for?" I replied, "Yes, sir."
"Well, what is it?"
"For smoking," said I.
"That's not a very serious offense. Will you promise not to let it
occur again if I release you?"
"Certainly," I replied, and was released.
I resolved to punish Crosman physically, but at the January
examination he was deficient and discharged. Before he left he came to
see me. "Plebe," he said cheerfully, "I am going away. Here's a set of
text books for your next course. If you will accept them, I will give
them to you." My impulse was to refuse and force him from my room, but,
on better thought, I accepted the books and thanked him.
He afterwards became a captain in the Tenth Infantry.
This was an extreme case of hazing of the kind that eventually brought
it into disrepute. I believe hazing held within bounds is of benefit
to the academy, in teaching the bumptious and presumptuous how little
they are prepared to enter a life of absolute discipline, and how
little imaginary personal, social, or political superiority has to do
with their future training.
Long experience as a commanding officer has borne out my belief
that the graduate (by reason of the cadet being placed upon honor
in all communications with his superiors) is generally superior to
other commissioned officers. But I am willing to admit that Crosman's
apparent cruelties and other similar vicissitudes better qualified me
to fight successfully my long battle of life.