to Baltimore； and thence to Washington； but there was also a two…horse hack ready to start for Washington direct。 Not having fall faith in the novel and dangerous railroad； I stuck to the coach； and in the night reached Gadsby's Hotel in Washington City。
The next morning I hunted up Mr。 Ewing； and found him boarding with a mess of Senators at Mrs。 Hill's； corner of Third and C Streets； and transferred my trunk to the same place。 I spent a week in Washington； and think I saw more of the place in that time than I ever have since in the many years of residence there。 General Jackson was President； and was at the zenith of his fame。 I recall looking at him a full hour； one morning； through the wood railing on Pennsylvania Avenue； as he paced up and down the gravel walk on the north front of the White House。 He wore a cap and an overcoat so full that his form seemed smaller than I had expected。 I also recall the appearance of Postmaster…General Amos Kendall； of Vice…President Van Buren； Messrs。 Calhoun； Webster； Clay； Cass； Silas Wright； etc。
In due time I took my departure for West Point with Cadets Belt and Bronaugh。 These were appointed cadets as from Ohio； although neither had ever seen that State。 But in those days there were fewer applicants from Ohio than now； and near the close of the term the vacancies unasked for were usually filled from applicants on the spot。 Neither of these parties； however； graduated； so the State of Ohio lost nothing。 We went to Baltimore by rail； there took a boat up to Havre de Grace； then the rail to Wilmington； Delaware； and up the Delaware in a boat to Philadelphia。 I staid over in Philadelphia one day at the old Mansion House； to visit the family of my brother…in…law； Mr。 Reese。 I found his father a fine sample of the old merchant gentleman； in a good house in Arch Street； with his accomplished daughters； who had been to Ohio； and whom I had seen there。 From Philadelphia we took boat to Bordentown； rail to Amboy； and boat again to New York City； stopping at the American Hotel。 I staid a week in New York。 City； visiting my uncle； Charles Hoyt； at his beautiful place on Brooklyn Heights； and my uncle James； then living in White Street。 My friend William Scott was there； the young husband of my cousin； Louise Hoyt； a neatly…dressed young fellow； who looked on me as an untamed animal just caught in the far West〃fit food for gunpowder；〃 and good for nothing else。
About June 12th I embarked in the steamer Cornelius Vanderbilt for West Point； registered in the office of Lieutenant C。 F。 Smith； Adjutant of the Military Academy； as a new cadet of the class of 1836； and at once became installed as the 〃plebe〃 of my fellow…townsman； William Irvin； then entering his Third Class。
Colonel R。 E。 De Russy was Superintendent； Major John Fowle； Sixth United States Infantry； Commandant。 The principal Professors were： Mahan； Engineering； Bartlett； Natural Philosophy； Bailey； Chemistry； Church； Mathematics； Weir； Drawing； and Berard； French。
The routine of military training and of instruction was then fully established； and has remained almost the same ever since。 To give a mere outline would swell this to an inconvenient size； and I therefore merely state that I went through the regular course of four years； graduating in June； 1840； number six in a class of forty…three。 These forty…three were all that remained of more than one hundred which originally constituted the class。 At the Academy I was not considered a good soldier； for at no time was I selected for any office； but remained a private throughout the whole four years。 Then； as now； neatness in dress and form； with a strict conformity to the rules； were the qualifications required for office； and I suppose I was found not to excel in any of these。 In studies I always held a respectable reputation with the professors； and generally ranked among the best； especially in drawing； chemistry； mathematics； and natural philosophy。 My average demerits； per annum； were about one hundred and fifty； which。 reduced my final class standing from number four to six。
In June； 1840； after the final examination； the class graduated and we received our diplomas。 Meantime； Major Delafield； United States Engineers； had become Superintendent； Major C。 F。 Smith； Commandant of Cadets； but the corps of professors and assistants remained almost unchanged during our whole term。 We were all granted the usual furlough of three months； and parted for our homes； there to await assignment to our respective corps and regiments。 In due season I was appointed and commissioned second…lieutenant； Third Artillery； and ordered to report at Governor's Island； New York Harbor； at the end of September。 I spent my furlough mostly at Lancaster and Mansfield； Ohio； toward the close of September returned to New York； reported to Major Justin Dimock； commanding the recruiting rendezvous at Governor's Island； and was assigned to command a company of recruits preparing for service in Florida。 Early in October this company was detailed； as one of four； to embark in a sailing…vessel for Savannah； Georgia； under command of Captain and Brevet Major Penrose。 We embarked and sailed； reaching Savannah about the middle of October； where we transferred to a small steamer and proceeded by the inland route to St。 Augustine； Florida。 We reached St。 Augustine at the same time with the Eighth Infantry； commanded by Colonel and Brevet Brigadier…General William J。 Worth。 At that time General Zachary Taylor was in chief command in Florida； and had his headquarters at Tampa Bay。 My regiment； the Third Artillery； occupied the posts along the Atlantic coast of Florida； from St。 Augustine south to Key Biscayne； and my own company； A； was at Fort Pierce； Indian River。 At St。 Augustine I was detached from the company of recruits； which was designed for the Second Infantry； and was ordered to join my proper company at Fort Pierce。 Colonel William Gates commanded the regiment； with Lieutenant William Austine Brown as adjutant of the regiment。 Lieutenant Bragg commanded the post of St。 Augustine with his own company； E； and G （Garner's）； then commanded by Lieutenant Judd。 In； a few days I embarked in the little steamer William Gaston down the coast； stopping one day at New Smyrna； held by John R。 Vinton's company （B）； with which was serving Lieutenant William H。 Shover。
In due season we arrived off the bar of Indian River and anchored。 A whale…boat came off with a crew of four men； steered by a character of some note； known as the Pilot Ashlock。 I transferred self and baggage to this boat； and； with the mails； was carried through the surf over the bar； into the mouth of Indian River Inlet。 It was then dark； we transferred to a smaller boat； and the same crew pulled us up through a channel in the middle of Mangrove Islands； the roosting…place of thousands of pelicans and birds that rose in clouds and circled above our heads。 The water below was alive with fish； whose course through it could be seen by the phosphoric wake； and Ashlock told me many a tale of the Indian war then in progress； and of his adventures in hunting and fishing； which he described as the best in the world。 About two miles from the bar； we emerged into the lagoon； a broad expanse of shallow water that lies parallel with the coast； separated from it by a narrow strip of sand； backed by a continuous series of islands and promontories； covered with a dense growth of mangrove and saw…palmetto。 Pulling across this lagoon； in about three more miles we approached the lights of Fort Pierce。 Reaching a small wharf； we landed； and were met by the officers of the post； Lieutenants George Taylor and Edward J。 Steptoe； and Assistant…Surgeon James Simons。 Taking the mail…bag； we walked up a steep sand…bluff on which the fort was situated； and across the parade…ground to the officers' quarters。 These were six or seven log…houses； thatched with palmetto…leaves； built on high posts； with a porch in front； facing the water。 The men's quarters were also of logs forming the two sides of a rectangle； open toward the water； the intervals and flanks were closed with log stockades。 I was assigned to one of these rooms； and at once began service with my company； A； then commanded by Lieutenant Taylor。
The season was hardly yet come for active operations against the Indians； so that the officers were naturally attracted to Ashlock； who was the best fisherman I ever saw。 He soon initiated us into the mysteries of shark…spearing； trolling for red…fish； and taking the sheep's…head and mullet。 These abounded so that we could at any time catch an unlimited quantity at pleasure。 The companies also owned nets for catching green turtles。 These nets had meshes about a foot square； were set across channels in the lagoon； the ends secured to stakes driven into the mad； the lower line sunk with lead or stone weights and the upper line floated with cork。 We usually visited these nets twice a day； and found from one to six green turtles entangled in the meshes。 Disengaging them； they were carried to pens； made with stakes stuck in the mud； where they were fed with mangrove…leaves； and our cooks had at all times an ample supply of the best