It is not my wish to criticise the course of study; on the other hand, I doubt if it could be much improved for boys who had only the preparation required by the law.

But since we are trying to estimate its completeness as professional education fitting men to command armies in the field, it is absolutely necessary to note the fact that it did not pretend to include the military art in that sense.

Its scientific side was in the line of engineering and that only.

Its prize-men became engineers, and success at the academy was gauged by the student's approach to that coveted result.
That the French which was learned was not enough to open easily to the young lieutenant the military literature which was then found most abundantly in that language, would seem to be indicated by the following incident.

In my first campaign I was talking with a regular officer doing staff duty though belonging in the line, and the conversation turned on his West Point studies.