CHAPTER IV.
Although the home-training was valuable in its place, Mr. and
Mrs. Pendleton would not leave their sons too long without more
systematic and advanced education. In 1826, Mr. Pendleton
applied to his friend, Governor James Barbour, of Virginia, then
Secretary of War, for a warrant for one of his sons to the Military
Academy at West Point.
As he had overestimated the privilege of seniority during their
school-days, so now he requested that the Christian name in the
promised warrant might be left blank, so that if Walker should
prove indisposed for a military education, William might have
the opportunity.
As his father had surmised, the elder boy's quieter temperament
and disinclination to go so far from home caused him promptly
to decline the offered warrant. He would be a physician, not
a soldier, and cure men, instead of killing them. With anxious
heart William hung upon his brother's decision, and when that
accorded with his hopes, gladly agreed to have his name written in
the blank form. Here was a promise of the high and full education
he was beginning to long for, an opening to an honorable
career, and to a life of adventure tempting to his bold and lively
spirit. His personal appearance at that time is described as very
attractive. He was six feet tall, with an erect carriage and well-developed
figure. His finely-shaped head, well set on broad
shoulders, was covered with curly, brown hair. His clear, blue
eyes were frank and fearless. His cleanly-cut mouth, expressing
both strength and gentleness, was filled with regular, spotless
teeth. His nose was well-proportioned. His brow broad and
intellectual. A bright, sympathetic countenance and easy grace
of manner combined with face and figure to make him at the age
of sixteen years and six months a youth most pleasant to look
upon. "He was as handsome in his young days as in middle
life and age. A figure you would have remarked in any group
of boys; and so merry and bright, so high-spirited and generous,
that he was popular with young and old," says one who
was associated with him from boyhood.
In June, 1826, this comely, manly, ingenuous boy left his home
in Virginia to begin life as a cadet at West Point. The change
from the parental roof and family influence, from the thousand
restraints of home and habit to the military barracks, with its
heterogeneous society of youths from all parts of the country and
all ranks of life, may not have been greater then than now. But
external circumstances were far different. Not a foot of railway
was laid in the United States, and, except upon the large watercourses,
all travel was by stage or private conveyance. Young
Pendleton went by stage to the Potomac, up that river by steamboat
to Washington, on to Baltimore by stage, and across the
Chesapeake by boat to Frenchtown. From there to New Castle,
Delaware, he again took the stage. A steamboat carried him up
the Delaware to Trenton. Jersey was crossed by stage and canal
to Amboy, from which point steamboats ran daily to New York,
a city of less than two hundred thousand inhabitants.
The youth who had never travelled forty miles from home
found everything delightful. Novelty mitigated the pain of a
first separation from family and friends. Even the long, slow
staging was only disagreeable on account of the cramping of his
limbs, accustomed to freedom of motion. A week was passed on
the journey, now made in thirty-six hours, and the young cadet
reported for duty at West Point, was assigned to quarters, examined,
and put to work. The new cadets are graded alphabetically,
and Pendleton was placed in the third section of his class. His
application to his studies transferred him in the course of a month
to the first section, and from that time until his graduation his
name was never absent from the "merit roll." He showed great
aptitude for mathematics, and was, in the language of one of his
classmates, "brilliant in that branch of study, and especially
where it was applied to engineering; had he determined to devote
himself to the profession of civil engineering, few, if any, in the
United States could have surpassed him." Not only faithful as a
student, he evinced an ambition to become a ready speaker; was
an active member of a debating society among the cadets, and
always ready to argue on either side of any question.
During the four years of his cadet-life there were at West Point
not a few noble young men destined to make a name among their
fellows, and to exert influences scarcely to be measured by the
lapse of time. Leonidas Polk,[1]
admirable in character and elegant
in appearance, was in the graduating class when Pendleton became
a "plebe." Jefferson Davis was of the class of 1828, one
year after Polk. Robert E. Lee and Joseph E. Johnston were
a year ahead of Pendleton, while among his classmates were
Francis Vinton,[2]
John B. Magruder,[3]
and Albert Taylor Bledsoe.[4]
With these and other leading spirits in the corps he formed
friendships which continued throughout life. His room-mates
were John B. Magruder (also from Caroline County, Virginia),
Lloyd J. Beall, of Maryland, and William C. Heywood, of South
Carolina. Magruder, like Pendleton, was something of a musician,
playing on the flute, and the two enjoyed their own music
so much that their room was not infrequently reported for
"music in study-hours." Cadet Beall, finding he must share
the demerits, determined to take part in the fun, and took to
playing the fiddle on his own account. These musical proclivities
were turned to practical value. The most efficacious mode of
scrubbing the floor was found to be to sprinkle it with sand and
strike up a lively tune at recreation-time. The gay strains attracted
an audience, "put life and mettle in their heels," and
a spirited dance polished the boards in short order.
One of Cadet Pendleton's classmates, Colonel Thomas J. Lee,
writes of him, "The impression made by your father is lasting.
My recollections are of a youth who was more than liked,—he was
loved by all for his amiability, kindness of heart, disinterestedness,
sprightliness, being always full of fun, with a bright, laughing face,
—and of intelligence, for he was decidedly the most talented of
the class, always ready to assist the dull or indolent ones with
their lessons." His surviving room-mate, Colonel Lloyd J. Beall,
says of him, "Your father, as a cadet, was noted for his manliness,
his strict observance of regulations, and his studious habits.
He was the soul of honor, and bore himself with such an air of
dignity as to command the respect and esteem of all his fellow-students.
His high sense of honor would have prompted him to
resent an affront on the instant. Still, there was nothing haughty
or overbearing in his disposition; on the contrary, he was genial
and affable, and an agreeable companion at all times. Among
the large number of cadets at West Point during my term, few,
to my knowledge, were freer from the follies of youth, few pursued
the path of moral rectitude more strictly, than your father.
And in this connection I cannot refrain from mentioning the
name of one then among us,—one whom we all loved, one preeminent
for the purity of his character and his devotion to duty,
and one to whose memory your father devoted the labor of his
declining years,—need I say that the name I refer to is Robert E.
Lee? When my mind goes back to my West Point days, the roll-call
of memory brings up at once, foremost among the 'good
cadets,' the names of Robert E. Lee and William N. Pendleton,—
names distinguished on the merit rolls of their respective classes,
names linked together on the records of the battle-field, and names
closely associated in the closing scenes of their lives. Such names
must go down to posterity honored and revered."
In 1828, Cadet Pendleton chose to go home on furlough rather
than remain in camp and receive promotion. His return was celebrated
by a ball, and his beloved and godly mother gratified him
by dancing the first set with him. During this visit he met the
young lady who afterwards became his wife. In after-years he
loved to tell how, meeting a gay party out walking, he dismounted
from his horse and fell in love, on the spot, with a lovely blonde
among them. This, the one only attachment of his loyal heart,
proved the source of his greatest earthly blessing.
Diligent study and faithful attention to duty characterized
the last two, as they had done the first, years of his West Point
life. His proficiency as a soldier caused his steady promotion
until he became one of the four cadet captains. This position he
forfeited by getting into a dispute with Colonel Thayer, the superintendent,
and being reduced to the ranks for "insubordination."
Notwithstanding the demerits thus incurred, he graduated fifth in
a class of forty-two.
During his last year an incident occurred which is thus told by
Colonel Beall:
"I well remember the 'affair of honor' to which you refer.
The principals on that occasion were Cadet John B. Magruder
and Cadet Allen, better known in the corps as Baron Allen.
Magruder was a captain and Allen a private in the corps. The
offence was simply an order from Magruder, when in command
of the Cadet Battalion, calling upon Allen by name to 'close up.'
This was considered by Allen as a personal affront, for which he
demanded redress; but failing to obtain an apology or a satisfactory
response, a challenge was sent, which was accepted, and your
father acted as Magruder's second. The meeting took place, the
preliminaries were all settled, and the word was about to be given,
when your father stepped in between the hostile parties, insisting
that the matter had gone far enough, and protesting against further
proceedings. Allen said that it was too late, and requested him
to stand aside. This he declined to do, at the same time asking
Allen if he would listen to reason. To which Allen replied, 'If
you have anything to say, say it quickly.' A parley ensued, explanations
were made, the matter was adjusted, and amicable relations
were restored. Allen was killed, years after, by McClung,
a celebrated Mississippi duellist."
There are several facts indicating Pendleton's balance of character
and moral tone while a cadet. He was accustomed to rise
some time before the reveille drum, and give his concentrated
attention to the most difficult of his studies before the bustle and
din of the day began. Each successive truth presented to his
mind was well considered in relation to what had gone before.
Every formula was carefully memorized, each demonstration accurately
reasoned out; and when examinations approached he went
through no process of "cramming," but laid his books aside for
several days and reviewed the subjects in his own mind, thus
avoiding trepidation and anxiety when his hour of trial came.
Not less striking are the statements—taken, like the preceding,
from himself—that he never, even in the heat of passion, uttered an
oath; never bet on a game of cards, though a good player; never,
save on two occasions, in those days of universal convivial drinking,
was under the influence of wine; and never, enthusiastic
dancer as he was, waltzed in his life. He disapproved of round
dancing for his sisters and sweetheart, and would therefore ask
no other man's sisters or sweetheart to engage in it.
These evidences of purity of motive and rectitude of conduct
did not, however, proceed from Christian views and feelings.
Charles P. McIlvaine, afterwards Bishop of Ohio, was then the chaplain
at West Point. Under his ministrations a religious awakening
took place, and a number of the cadets became awakened.
Pendleton was not only not among those thus interested, but in
the course of his reading, especially in mental and moral science,
had lost the unquestioning faith of his childhood. He became
greatly influenced by infidel philosophy, and full of scepticism and
doubt. Destined to be a teacher of men, it was unquestionably
of great importance that he should investigate for himself the fundamental
grounds of human belief, and thus become established
in his own convictions, and better able to enter into the difficulties
and appreciate the hinderances which might harass other minds.
But the process was to prove a trying and painful one.
