Minutes of the Board of Visitors of The Citadel, 1857

Minutes of the Board of Visitors of The Citadel, 1857

Official minutes of the governing body of The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina.

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The Citadel Board of Visitor Meeting Minutes

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English

Text

https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/372

Charleston (S.C.)

19 pages ; 32 cm

[Page 1]
At the annual meeting of the Board of Visitors held at the office of the Chairman of the Board – Gen James Jones – Nov 27th 1858 and continued by adjournment until Dec 1st

Present

General James Jones Chairman
His Excellency Gov Allston
General D. F. Jamison
Ex-Governor Means
Col. I. D. Wilson
General Dunovant Adjt & Insp Genl

The Report of the Supt of the Arsenal Academy was taken up when it was Resolved That the Supt of the Arsenal Academy be allowed to detail four cadets from every class to report at the Arsenal instead of the Citadel Academy for duty during the months of January & February of each year.

2nd That the suspension of Cadets R. F. Bostwick, F. M. Porcher, H. C. Belcher, J. Irby Jr. & S. P. Chisolm be confirmed.

3rd That Cadets Dargan, Wylie, Boylston, Haynsworth, Quattlebum, Palmer, June, R. Sams, Pickens, Wardlaw, Harris, Sitgreaves, Vance, Carwile, Hentz, Campbell, Heriot, Coffin, Patterson, Wilson, Guerard, Dove, Fraser, Keith, Colclough, Burns, Lartigue, Roath, Hall, Raysor, Nesbit, Joye, Mills,

[Page 2]
Anderson, Legare, Thurston, Simkins, Snow, Bee, Ragsdale, Wooten, Besselleu, H. Sams, Croft, Morrison, Blue, Tison, Austin, Bryce, Strother, Hayne, Coward, Prior, Witherspoon and Hamilton – now constituting the Fourth Class at the Arsenal Academy be transferred to the Citadel Academy to constitute the Third Class 1st January 1858.

4th That Cadets Rice, Green, Bartless, Davant, Shoolbred, and Norton, reported “deficient” by the Arsenal Academic Board be discharged.

5th That Cadet Jones reported by the same Board be allowed to join the Fourth Class of 1858.

6th That Cadet Lofton – furloughed during the greater part of the year on account of health be allowed to take the Fourth Class of 1858.

The Report of the Superintendent of the Citadel Academy was then taken up & considered – It was Ordered – 1st That Cadets Adams, Calhoun, Cothran, Huguenin, Law, Layton, Litchfield, Marshall, McDowall, Shooter, Smith, Weatherly and Youmans of the 2nd Class be allowed to rise to the First Class.

2nd That Cadets McCaslan, Mitchell, Spears and Garvin of 2nd Class be allowed to rise with their class but under censure for neglect of study and for conduct.

3rd That Cadets Ramsay and White, 2nd Class, be not allowed to rise with their class

[Page 3]
and be censured for conduct.

4th That Cadets Burrows, Caine, Caradeuc, Coleman, Connor, Crawford, Crum, Erwin, Farley, Gaillard, Hamilton, Harleston, Jenkins, Kerby, Law, Lewis, Moses, Muirhead, Nettles, Norris, Palmer, Parker, J. Ramsay, W. Ramsey, Stoney, Tennent, Ward, Wardlaw, B. Webb, S. Webb, Whetstone, White, Wilson, Wright and Yates of the 3rd Class be allowed to rise to the 2nd Class.

5th That Cadets Heyward, Hutchinson and Sutherland of the 3rd Class be not allowed to rise with their class and that Cadet Hunter of the same Class, for open and avowed neglect of study in two departments during the latter part of last session be also not allowed to rise with his class.

6th That Cadets Creswell, Davant, Alison, Green, Vardell and Strohecker of the 3rd Class be discharged for deficiency in studies and conduct; and that Cadet Hart of the same Class be discharged for deficiency in studies.

Ordered that Cadet Lythgoe of the 2nd Class be honorably discharged.

The communication of Prof. White asking for additional apparatus in the department of Astronomy was considered and the Chairman of the Board of Visitors was authorized to make the desired purchases if in possession of funds.

Furloughs were granted as follows:

To Cadet Law – one month
To Cadet Stoney – one month
To Cadets Hamilton & Weatherly – one month

[Page 4]
The petition of the Association of Graduates asking that the delivery of their annual address form a part of the commencement exercises of the Citadel Academy was granted.

The following resolutions were passed by the Board –

Resolved, That the military sessions of the Citadel Academy be hereafter consolidated so that there shall be a suspension of the Academic studies from the 13th day of August until the 13th day of October and that furloughs at discretion of the Superintendent be granted only during that period – That the annual examination at the said Academy shall be held on the first Tuesday <strike>after the 1st of in</strike> April and the semi-annual on the 1st Tuesday in August every year.

That paragraph 61 of the Regulations be amended by inserting after the words “conduct roll”, the “amounting to”, and striking out the words “greater than”; and again by inserting in the 3rd line after the word “conduct” the words “immediately suspended”, and by striking out after the word “and” in the same line the word “be” so that the regulation shall read thus “When any cadet shall have a number expressing his demerit on the general conduct roll amounting to 200 for any one year, such cadet shall be declared deficient in conduct, immediately suspended and reported by the Superintendent to the Board of Visitors for discharge.”

That hereafter the classes shall be considered as taking their commencement on the second Monday after the 1st Tuesday in April annually.

[Page 5]
That hereafter in making appointments to these Academies priority of application shall give precedence.

That Cadet Roath be transferred from the “pay” to the “state” roll.

Resolved 1st That the Board have examined the charges of immorality and infidelity presented by the Rev. Wm. Yates against Prof. Wm. Hume, and after weighing all the testimony adduced in support and refutation thereof, have decided that the charges are not sustained.

2nd That the Chairman of the Board transmit this decision to Prof. Hume.

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Board be instructed to transmit to Dr. Boylston an extract from the letter of the Rev. Wm. Yates to the Chairman of the Board of Visitors of so much as relates to Dr. Boylston, and that he inform the doctor that although the Board do not think proper to take cognizance of a charge made so vaguely yet it is sufficiently pointed to awaken their anxiety. The Board hope and will expect that hereafter no reason will be given by Dr. Boylston to excite even such vague charges and suspicions.

Resolved That the

[Page 6]
Resolved that the diploma of the Academy be conferred upon

Cadets 1 W. M. Tennent
2 V. E. Manget
3 R. K. Thomas
4 W. J. Davis
5 J. E. Black
6 H. B. D’Oyley
7 H. D. Moore
8 T. S. Hemingway
9 J. M. Adams
10 B. M. Walpole
11 H. A. Gaillard
12 T. H. Mangum
13 C. W. McCreary
14 R. T. Harper
15 J. K. Garmany
16 W. Z. Bedon
17 J. F. Hart
18 H. D. Garden
19 R. Campbell
20 E. Capers

Resolved That the following list of distinguished cadets be published in the Columbia papers.

[Page 7]
The Board then made the following appointments for 1858

To the Citadel Academy

Amory Coffin P Barnwell Dist
L. J. Sweat P Barnwell
J. B. C. Gibbes P Beaufort
Wm. Thomson P Beaufort
T. B. Ferguson P Charleston
C. J. Walker P Charleston
C. F. Turnbull P Charleston
J. A. Tennent P Charleston
J. F. Shecut P Charleston
J. M. Whilden P Charleston
Joel Copes P Charleston
J. E. Fripp P Charleston
Ed. DeTreville P Charleston
Graham Bailey P Colleton
W. H. Kerr P Fairfield
Chas. H. Tew P Richland
O. M. Roberts P Richland
J. D. Lee P Sumter

To the Arsenal Academy

Gilbert Tennent P Abbeville
W. R. Norwood P Abbeville
C. E. Watson P Abbeville
T. W. Bouchillon P Abbeville
E. E. Whitner P Anderson
J. D. Lively S Anderson
Wm. Hankerson P Barnwell
Benj. Martin P Barnwell
J. M. Richardson P Barnwell
A. A. Patterson P Barnwell
A. V. Eaves S Barnwell
J. B. Alison S Barnwell

[Page 8]
Wm. H. Cuthbert P Beaufort Dist
James Fraser P Beaufort
Ed. Chaplin P Beaufort
Wm. B. McKee P Beaufort
A. Huger P Beaufort
Rufus Mew S Beaufort
M. S. Elliott P Beaufort
W. I. Baker P Charleston
S. P. Smith P Charleston
W. N. Heyward P Charleston
E. B. Middleton P Charleston
J. L. Taylor P Charleston
W. S. Beckett P Charleston
A. Grimball P Charleston
G. A. McDowell P Charleston
J. S. Simons P Charleston
J. M. Horlbeck P Charleston
Y. B. Shuler P Charleston
P. W. Shuler P Charleston
C. J. Wilson P Charleston
F. M. Schirmer P Charleston
J. S. Hanckel P Charleston
Alfred Chisolm P Charleston
D. P. Campbell P Charleston
Theo. Alston P Charleston
F. M. Ronan P Charleston
P. T. Godfrey P Charleston
G. M. Lalane P Charleston
R. F. Lawton S Charleston
W. R. White P Charleston
F. A. Gyles P Charleston
H. P. Walker P Charleston
S. K. Slawson P Charleston
A. Doty P Charleston
W. H. Evans P Charleston

[Page 9]
W. P. McClure P Chester Dist
J. G. Barber P Chester
J. C. McCallman P Chesterfield
J. R. Evans P Chesterfield
Theo. Malloy P Chesterfield
J. C. Patrick S Chesterfield
J. V. Epps P Clarendon
J. G. McLeod S Clarendon
E. H. Gadsden P Colleton
J. P. Minus S Colleton
G. W. Dargan P Darlington
F. R. Williamson P Darlington
J. K. Law P Darlington
E. W. Cannon P Darlington
J. A. C. Jones P Edgefield
B. W. Smith P Edgefield
H. M. Quarles P Edgefield
S. J. Bouknight S Edgefield
A. J. Timmerman S Edgefield
N. P. Lyles P Fairfield
J. K. Fraser P Fairfield
A. C. Fraser P Fairfield
J. W. Rabb P Fairfield
R. M. DuBose P Fairfield
Edmund Gaillard P Fairfield
R. E. Matthews S Fairfield
E. B. Earle P Greenville
B. J. Earle P Greenville
T. P. Westmoreland P Greenville
G. B. Dyer S Greenville
G. G. Wells S Greenville
J. J. Workman P Kershaw
Lewis Clyburn & James Haile P Kershaw
A. M. Perry P Lancaster
B. Clyburn P Lancaster

[Page 10]
H. L. Garlington P Laurens
John Garlington P Laurens
J. W. Watts P Laurens
J. B. Watts P Laurens
W. B. Griffin P Laurens
M. R. Brown S Laurens
J. C. Summer P Lexington
S. B. Steedman S Lexington
C. C. Brown P Marion
W. Evans P Marion
R. A. Boothe S Marion
B. A. Rogers P Marlboro
J. S. Ruff P Newberry
John Henderson P Newberry
Wm. McKewn P Orangeburg
Jude Robinson P Orangeburg
J. W. Jamison P Orangeburg
J. W. Caldwell P Richland
Geo. W. Parker P Richland
B. T. Dent P Richland
J. G. Brown P Richland
M. C. Gladden S Richland
Andrew Bowie P Spartanburg
R. L. Poole S Spartanburg
J. R. Spann P Sumter
Thos. M. Rembert P Sumter
D. F. Lide P Sumter
B. B. Nichols S Sumter
Thos. H. Dunn P Union
James Norris and Thos. Jeter P Union
W. H. Haselden P Williamsburg
F. E. Cooper P Williamsburg
D. H. Jones S Williamsburg
C. L. Beaty P York
H. M. Orchard S York

[Page 11] The annual report of the Board was then read and it was Resolved – That it be adopted and sent to both Houses of Legislature.

Report of the Board of Visitors of the State Military Academies of the year 1857.

To the Honorable the General Assembly of South Carolina,

The Board of Visitors of the State Military Academies beg leave to submit the following report.

They have just concluded the annual examinations at the academies in Charleston and Columbia, and they have every reason to be satisfied with the proficiency of the Cadets and the high state of discipline maintained at both institutions.

The Board have heretofore felt the necessity of extending the academic term beyond the period of four years, as that time has been found too short to complete certain branches taught during the last year of the course, and as the almost yearly recurrence of yellow fever in the city of Charleston has forced upon them a change in the period of the military sessions, from April and December, to the months of August and September, they have also changed the time of the annual examination and commencement at the

[Page 12]
Citadel from November to April, thus extending the whole period of instruction to four years and three months.

These alterations of the military session and of the time of graduation at the Citadel, will involve no change in the period of the annual meeting of the Board, when the appointments of applicants for admission to the Academies are made, or in the time when the cadets of the Fourth Class are sent from the Arsenal to the Citadel Academy, which will be as heretofore, on the first of January each year.

At the annual meeting of the Board, on the 27th November, inst, there were forty three pay and nineteen state cadets remaining at the Citadel Academy. Forty seven pay (one of whom has been transferred to the list of state cadets) and seven state cadets were ordered to be sent from the Arsenal to the Citadel Academy – one pay and one state cadet retained at the Arsenal – making at present in the institutions ninety pay and twenty eight state cadets. There were appointed at the same time ninety four pay and twenty seven state applicants to enter the Arsenal Academy, and sixteen pay applicants to enter the third class at the Citadel Academy; so that on the first day of January next, there will be at the Citadel one hundred and five pay and twenty seven state cadets; and at the Arsenal ninety five pay and twenty eight state cadets; making in the aggregate two hundred and fifty five cadets in the Military Academies.

For the first time since the establishment of these institutions the number of pay applicants for admission have exceeded the means of accommodation at the Arsenal; and the Board greatly regret that they have been compelled to reject, this year, twenty eight pay applicants for that reason. Under this state of things, it may be that your honorable body will feel the

[Page 13]
necessity of taking steps to increase the accommodations at the Arsenal, by making suitable additions to the buildings at that post, and thus gratifying the desire of a large body of the people of the people of this state to have their sons taught at these schools.

The Board believe that no part of the appropriations for the support of the Military Academies has been more judiciously expended than the sum of five hundred dollars, which has been twice appropriated by honorable body for the commencement of a library for these schools, and they would respectfully recommend a similar sum the next year for the same purpose.

The Board make the following report of the receipts and expenditures for the fiscal year, from October 1st 1856 to September 30th 1857. For a more specific account of which they refer to the annual accounts of the bursars of the Academies herewith transmitted, accompanied by the proper vouchers:

Assets

Balance unexpended October 1st 1856 - $2,697.66 Received from appropriation for support of Academies – 30000.00
Received from pay cadets for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 1857 – 24424.06
Received from Treasury appropriations for library – 500.00

Disbursements
Paid salaries of officers - $14408.88
Paid subsistence of cadets – 15536.15
Paid clothing – 9267.61
Paid washing – 2209.15
Paid hire of servants – 2729.65

[Page 14]
Disbursements (continued)

Paid music - $412.52
Contingencies including fuel, lights, books, stationery, medicines, and chemicals – 8465.80 Permanent improvements – 922.33
Repairs to buildings – 879.38
Meteorological instruments – 11.25
Library – 532.10
Magazine Guard – 1052.34
Unexpended Balance – 1194.56
[Total] - $57621.72

An abstract from the reports of the Arsenal Keepers at Charleston and Columbia, is herewith submitted; also exhibit (B), which gives the number of cadets appointed, of those who failed to report, of those rejected, honorably discharged, discharged for deficiency, etc, from January 1st 1843 to November 27th 1857.

Respectfully submitted,
(signed) James Jones
Chairman Board of Visitors

Columbia, November 30th, 1857.

[Page 15]
Military Academies, December 1857

Exhibit of number of cadets appointed, failed to report, and rejected, honorably discharged, discharged for deficiency, etc, from January 1st 1843, to November 27th 1857.

[See chart on original copy.]

[Page 16]
Abstract of ordnance and ordnance stores in the Arsenal of South Carolina for fiscal year ending 30th September 1857.

[Page 17]
[See chart on original copy.]

[Page 18]
The following is the action and decision of the Board of Visitors, in full meeting assembled, concerning the rebellion which took place at the Citadel Academy.

The Board greatly regret the recent disturbance at the Citadel Academy which has resulted in the suspension of Cadets J. H. Nettles, J. D. Palmer, J. T. Ramsey, S. W. Ramsay, C. L. Tennent, W. W. Whetstone, S. White, W. G. Wilson, J. E. Wright, J. L. Wardlaw, J. Yates, R. W. Crawford, F. deCaradeuc, B. Coleman, J. W. Crum, R. G. Muirhead, J. L. Moses, J. A. Law, W. E. Lewis, H. S. Farley, J. T. Parker, B. C. Webb, S. Webb and J. C. Caine for rebellion against the authorities of the institution. They have examined into the causes which led to this result, and have carefully considered the arguments by which the suspended cadets have attempted to justify their acts of disobedience and open defiance of the regulations designed by this Board for their government, but they are unable to discover any sufficient excuse for their conduct at the time of the outbreak, or in their subsequent course & bearing, which seems to call for any special relaxation of the institution in their favor. In the above conclusion there is however one exception afforded in the course of Cadet deCaradeuc, who since his suspension, after a very commendable acknowledgement of his error, has submitted the matter, with [illegible], to the decision of the Board. The proper & only redress for the [illegible] and grievances of cadets is clearly defined in the 86th regulation; and the Board of Visitors will not tolerate any other mode: but will visit with the severest punishment all attempts of cadets to take into their own hands the control of the discipline of the institution.

The Board, therefore decide, that the suspension of Cadet deCaradeuc be removed & that upon his [illegible] to the Academy his letter to the Board

[Page 19]
be read in orders: that the rest of the suspended cadets be dismissed.

The Board have also to regret the rebellious spirit manifested by a portion of the Third Class during the same period of excitement at the Citadel, but their instantaneous submission to the discipline of the institution, and their very commendable behavior ever since relieve the Board from subjecting them to any further punishment. (See report of Supt on the case)

The Board take pleasure in expressing their [illegible] and high appreciation of the conduct of Cadets Norris, Harleston, Gaillard, Jenkins, Stoney, D. H. Hamilton, Erwin, Kirby, Connor & Burrows of the Second Class, who by their finest fidelity to their obligations as cadets, have afforded a most useful example of proper subordination and true military obedience.

In connection with the recent disturbances at the Citadel Academy, the Board have been called on to express an opinion on a question raised by Professor Stevens, whether any other than the Superintendent is authorized to make regulations for the interior police and discipline of the Academies. On this point the Board entertain no doubt, as it is indicated by the letter and [illegible] of the regulations designed for the government of the Academies, that except as to the manner of imparting instruction, no other officer than the Superintendent is clothed with such power.
(signed) James Jones
Chairman Board of Visitors
S. M. A. S. C