             THE U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY AT WEST POINT, NEW YORK

     West Point's role in our nation's history dates back to the Revolutionary
War, when both sides realized the strategic significance of the Hudson River.
Had the British gained control of the river, they would have split the colon-
ies in two and defeated both sections.  the colonists sought to secure control
of the river by occupying the high ground dominating the narrow "S" turn in the
river at West Point.  Because of the strategic importance of this location,
General Washington considered West Point the most important position on the
continent.  He had a hand in fortifying West Point in 1778, transferring his
headquarters there in 1779.  Continental soldiers built forts, batteries, and
doubts, and they extended a 150-ton chain across the river to restrain river
traffic.  Fortress West Point was never captured by the British and is the
oldest continuously occupied military post in the U.S.

     Seeking independence from war-time reliance on foreign engineers, artil-
lerists, and drillmasters, several soldiers and legislators urged the creation
of an institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare.  Washington
stated that such a school "has ever been considered by me as an object of pri-
mary importance to the country."  President Jefferson signed legislation in
1802 establishing the United States Military Academy at West Point.  The Mili-
tary Academy opened on Independance Day of that year with ten cadets.

*This material has been copied nearly word-for-word from the 1987/88 West
Point admissions catelog.
