It was a proud day for all these new plebes when they "drew" their
rifles and bayonets and began the laborious study of the manual of
arms.
One after another, as fast as they were sufficiently proficient, the
new plebes were sent into one of the companies into which the
Corps of Cadets is divided.
Cadet Prescott entered D Company four days before Greg Holmes
was assigned to the same company. Dick's success indeed spurred
Greg on to new efforts, although poor young Holmes had felt that
he was working as hard already as human flesh could endure.
Early in April nearly all of the new plebes had joined their
companies. It was a wholly new, revolutionized life.
Many of the new plebes had come from homes of luxury, where
servants had abounded.
But here at West Point former social lines had no significance,
unless it was to invite trouble down upon the head of any new
cadet who felt inclined to be priggish.
No cadet had a servant, nor could he engage anyone to perform
any of his own duties for him.
Each cadet in the entire corps rose at the tap of a
drum--"reveille"--at 5.
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