Posted on 08/27/2023 10:40:09 AM PDT by lowbridge
A long-forgotten time capsule at West Point recently discovered inside the base of a monument and believed to have been left by cadets in the late 1820s is expected to be pried open Monday.
The contents of the small lead box could possibly provide a window into the early, more Spartan days of the storied US Military Academy.
It’s not certain exactly when the box was placed in the monument’s marble base or who chose any items inside, though a committee of five cadets that may have been involved with the time capsule included 1829 graduate Robert E. Lee, the future Confederate general.
The box will be opened during a livestreamed event.
“It’s a mystery, right? A mystery of history,” said Jennifer Voigtschild, the academy’s command historian.
The container was discovered in May during restoration to a monument honoring the Revolutionary War hero Thaddeus Kosciuszko.
A construction manager made the surprise find and carefully pulled out the hefty box, which is about a cubic foot.
“After I shut the job down and we roped off the area, then I realized, ‘Oh my gosh, what did we find?’” manager Chris Branson said.
Cadets in the 1820s honored Kosciuszko, a Polish military engineer, with a column near where current classes march and play soccer.
As an officer of the Continental Army, he designed wartime fortifications at the location along the Hudson River, before the military academy was established there in 1802.
A plaque indicates the monument was erected by the corps of cadets in 1828. Other evidence suggests it wasn’t completed until 1829.
That includes a July 1828 letter from a committee of cadets involved in the dedication, including Lee, seeking advice on lettering for the monument.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I spent about 12 years as a kid in Utica, Ithaca and Syracuse. Even then, I loved the local history and the people who came to NY from Europe as well as the natives. I loved learning about the Seven Tribes of the Iroquois. I remember having my mom take me to Taughannock Falls State Park to look for Indian arrowheads (didn’t find any). Mom was a great sport! You cannot beat a name like “Taughannock.”
Seventh Grade History was the best — NY State.
“Seventh Grade History was the best — NY State.”
Wasn’t it? It was all NYS. We had various field trips to historic sites. I remember our science class studied the glaciers that covered NYS a mile deep in ice and we took field trips to see glacial striations on bedrock and the glacial moraines at the end of Cayuga Lake. It was a great time.
I’m looking forward to what the LGBTQ+ contingent deposited in 1830
Yeah I wouldn’t e surprised if it goes back to Tappan Zee. A lot of people don’t seem to have adapted to the change to Cuomo. People are making noise about it.
They will find in the Time Capsule a Geraldo Rivera doll with pins in it.
I did eat some LRP rations back in the 70’s. Basically the same thing as MREs
There were a few that were ok, but really not much better than C-rats for the most part.
“ They’ll burn it, but claim it was an ad for high heels and instructions on how to breast feed in a fox hole.”
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That’s CHEST feed, soldier. Get with the program! /sarc
Aren’t those from the current Pentagon manual of approved wear for General officers?
No doubt they're adhering to a rich uniform history. Notice an ensemble for most every occasion.
I notice you didn’t post the approved undress for DIA personnel.
That information is top secret, eyes only, SCIF material. Even Hunter is prohibited from viewing it.
However, I'm leaking what's approved for closed door Congressional viewing.
Just watched the opening of the lead box. It was empty.
HA! Big build up for nothing. Was Geraldo in the area?
You tube has the entire ceremony. One of the hosts actually mentioned Geraldo. Guaranteed there would be something in it. Still might be something in the walls of the box, who knows.
several deployments.
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