West Point Tour & Trophies of War

Join us for a walk around Trophy Point at the United States Military Academy at West Point as we talk about the history of the school and check out the Army's trophies of war from over the years.
Garry Adelman and Kris White are joined by our generous host Aaron Rowland.
The American Battlefield Trust preserves America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educates the public about what happened there and why it matters. We permanently protect these battlefields for future generations as a lasting and tangible memorial to the brave soldiers who fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, and the Civil War.

[@janerkenbrack3373]

The Hudson River remains an important artery of trade and commerce to this day. Back in the early 90s I took a 700+ foot cargo ship up around that point, to load grain at Albany. A very cool trip up and down. 145 miles from The Battery to Albany. Going around that bend, the river pilot talked about the chain across the river back in the day.

[@HistoryBoy]

Excited to see the dream team at it again! What a beautiful venue. Always such an amazing visit. So thrilled that I’ll have some more facts under my belt for the next time we visit!

[@JW-sy2yt]

ABT is always entertaining! I love those monuments at West Point. And I can never see enough artillery! Thank you for this episode.

[@LetsGetMagnetic]

I just had to come on and say thank you so much your energy is amazing and the historical backgrounds are fascinating to learn!

[@STINKYFISHBOY]

Loved this, over the weekend I got to encounter and interact with many of the West Point and Annapolis cadets family and friends heading home after the Army Navy game.

[@ATT-02]

DREAM TEAM IS RIGHT! 🤗 Thanks again guys! Your always knocking its out of the park with your phenomenal knowledge! 👏👏👏

[@philrogers8160]

I got an impromptu tour of West Point from my grandson who was there for a summer hockey camp. I tried signing in at the visitor center, but there was so many bus tours ahead of me. He walked down to the visitor's center and using his ID we did drive onto the campus. When camp concluded I picked him up and took him up to Norwich Univ for another hockey camp. GPS sent me to a closed gate and I was lost trying to enter West Point , ended up entering through the town of Highland Falls.

[@lawrencekirwin9665]

Outstanding guys! Outstanding!

[@dizzydean6835]

Please never stop being excited about teaching history.

[@StephenBuedell]

Great History and I want more!!! Thank You.

[@bf9414]

WOW! You guys are amazing Awesome job - I will be visiting West Point now.

[@terryeustice5399]

Aaron and Don’t underestimate Garry. Kris, Trophy point was obviously very important. They used a chain at Columbus KY. Just an awesome tour. Love the History of West Point.

[@traviswebb3532]

Fantastic video, loved every second of it.

[@Ian-xi6fs]

Very interesting and entertaining. Thank you

[@JoshBransonPhoto]

In 1830, David Crockett introduced a resolution to abolish the military academy at West Point, New York, which had opened in 1802. Crockett argued that those educated at West Point “receive their instruction at the public expense, and are generally the sons of the rich and influential.” His effort to close it drew on his constituents’ opposition to the military academy. Even if a poor student was accepted to the academy on the Hudson River, the cost of travel, Crockett explained, “would be at the risk of his ruin.” Crockett’s frontier personality came through in his declaration that the men educated at West Point were “too delicate, and could not rough it in the army like men differently raised.”

[@SapperleSuede]

As a Norwich University, MCV graduate, I’m glad to see the ‘Wich well represented. Well done men, ESSAYONS!

[@coolworx]

I was in the 101st back in the 80's, and we spent a summer at W.P. acting as drill sergeants for the soon to be 3rd year "Cows". Fun times.

[@Stakan79]

Been on this same exact spot just couple of months ago. My son is an MP at West Point.

[@kathycasey9153]

I live close to West Point but never knew you could just go visit. I always thought it was off limits.

[@mfreund15448]

I live near an active army base and here is you call they will put you on a “expected list” and can visit. Otherwise you have to answer a million questions and it takes forever to get on base

[@kmaher1424]

Passed by West Point on a trip from Texas. No time to stop, alas The whole area is famous for natural beauty. And reeks of history

[@kmaher1424]

Worth a long visit. Not in the winter!

[@kmaher1424]

@@LouieKaboom Erasing? How, exactly?

[@williamglahn]

I was hoping to see more on the trophies.

[@patrickbush9526]

Very cool I'd love to visit someday

[@roberthurley1685]

just want to acknowledge the mention of Norwich University, I grew up there as my Dad taught there (likely long before Kris went there)

[@SmedleyDouwright]

Hudson also connected to the Eire Canal, which connected to the Great Lakes. Edit: The entrance to the Eire Canal on the Hudson River was at Albany, NY. There was essentially a "harbor" formed by an island that river boats could tie up to on the East side with the "harbor" on the West. In the "harbor" were locks to access the canal. There were dead end side canals near the entrance to load and unload cargo. Many of these side canals were for storing, loading and unloading lumber. It was called the lumber district, which was a big deal before and during the civil war, when a lot of lumber was cut in the North East. Google "Albany Lumber District". None of this exists any more. Not even the island.

[@superdavem5104]

Good stuff. Well explained.

[@chrismurphy6728]

Chris - Not sure I'd call the lower Hudson valley "back woods"? And you neglected to mention the Hudson's connection to points west via the Mohawk River.

[@larry1824]

Many have spanish markings indicating prizes from mexican war

[@stephenrichey8487]

At 19:48 the guide says Mexican War when he means to say Spanish-American War. When I was a cadet at West Point in the early 1980s, there was a World War II period Japanese howitzer and a German antitank gun on display at Trophy Point. They have since disappeared, I know not where. If anybody could enlighten me as to where they went, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

[@tomwarner2468]

Chris mentioned Patton in the list of graduates, I'm pretty sure he wasn't a west pointer, he was a vmi graduate, which is a reason why he wasn't accepted by the other west pointers!

[@alankordzikowski7670]

Patton started out at VMI, but he graduated in the class of 1909 at West Point. It was George C Marshall who was a VMI graduate

[@wirelessone2986]

Are there revolutionary war battle flags at west point?!Love civil war flags and there are MANY that survived...but the revolution and the continuation war of 1812 not so much that I have seen.

[@eviloverlordsean]

You all missed the highlight of the Sedgewick Statue!!! My good friend (WP Class of '86) said that legend among the cadets was that if you were nervous about passing an exam, you had to go out the night before the test and spin General Sedgewick's spurs, and you were guaranteed to pass. (Which is why, ladies and gentlemen, the General's spurs are polished to a high glow)

[@andrewzenn1719]

Great video, good question about the confederate graduates.....

[@tracyjones4180]

I have always wanted to visit my grandparent's former home.

[@thedukeofswellington1827]

13:21 dont the dolphins represent the Dauphin/Dauphine of France? It was a British gun??

[@ryleheart3835]

Where are the portraits of Lee and Jackson

[@eviloverlordsean]

The concept of Gary Adelman "containing his excitement" is a sure sign of the coming Apocalypse

[@daniedevite6781]

How far away is the West Point mint

[@jeffbybee5207]

Do they still have the gun with the rectangle bore? Is there an explannation? For it?

[@TCW838]

Whaaaat??????🤔🤔🤔

[@Sherman1862]

Is there an old Tavern down below on the banks of the Hudson called "Benny Havens"? If so can you comment on it's History?? Thank you! Awesome content!!! : )

[@alexkitner5356]

Fat Electrician just did a video that covered it...

[@davidpurll4570]

great stuff ,a new sub from scotland all the best

[@patttrick]

Where's King Georges Personal battle standard . I know you have it.

[@wirelessone2986]

Oooooh would love to see any flags and cannon from the revolution/1812...never see ANYTHING from them ALWAYS everything else

[@philkaiser6025]

Technically Kris is correct: White was the first Astronaut to walk in space; the first human was a Cosmonaut.

[@philkaiser6025]

Ooops! I could've sworn he said astronaut, lol!!!

[@gregwilliams386]

Saratoga was named Stillwater at that time.

[@doodoo66]

Can you just go to west point and hang out?

[@sethmaxfield6658]

I thought you might go with the "other" saying we have here.... Beat Navy!

[@Louis-ue7co]

New York city didnt fall to the British. It was taken back from Rebels.

[@billfairless6256]

If you really want to see trophies of war visit the British Museum.

[@wirelessone2986]

If GARISH is in BRONZE it should have been left alone

[@woodstock6792]

Ulster county waddup lol

[@laurabeach3421]

I was born here

[@beefweiner]

lol Americans love pointing out that 1800's Canada is British and French but it was called Canada

[@johnzajac9849]

.....a general for the British Army........? ......a general of the British Army..........*

[@glenrobertson9654]

Thank you for your informative video. I must, however, express my great disappointment with the inaccurate/dishonest? representation in the title. The video is not in fact about Trophies of War, but about West Point, its historical figures, and even about you tour guides. A book publisher wouldn't permit such inaccurate titling of a book on your content, interesting though your content was. I hesitate, now, to believe the titles of your other videos. My interest is specific, and my time is limited.

[@Pwnulolumad]

Similarly annoyed that this wasn’t about a serious of cannons

[@joncaulkett5198]

intro is too long

[@AmericanBattlefieldTrust]

Feel free to fast forward.

[@crippledcrow2384]

Has west point gotten rid of Robert E. Lee's history. Erasing history. I would go visit west point but it's on the wrong side of the Potomac.

[@ATT-02]

This isn’t a video on General Lee? They would not and could not ever erase General Lee from West Point, or anywhere else! Not from my mind anyways!

[@robgrandchamp7593]

Yes, he was a hero of the Mexican War, but all the 'good' he ever did for the United States went down the drain when he became a traitor and forsaked his oath to "preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution against ALL enemies."

[@wirelessone2986]

Something to ask and see if woke has invaded inside the walls

[@markcrampton5873]

Still fighting a war that has been over for 160 years ? How depressing !

[@jasontarlov3110]

Not erasing history. Just not glorifying a traitor.

[@GolfExcellence]

Love the ABT videos but I am shocked and saddened by Kris White calling Benjamin O. Davis Jr. "George". Even in death, Benjamin O. Davis continues to be disrespected at the U.S. Military Academy. I know that Kris blended Benjamin O. Davis Jr. and George Spanky Roberts (a noted Tuskegee Airmen Commander) names together, but the average individual wouldn't pick that up. That's the second mistake I've heard him make when it comes to minority military service. Please Kris, I know you mean well, but don't dive into the diversity field, that is not what you're there for. If you don't know just don't say anything because you are insulting all minority service members by messing or making it up. It is well documented that Benjamin O. Davis Jr. did not enjoy his time at West Point, most of it was wrought with discrimination and despair. Most cadets refused to speak to him during his attendance and the few who did, hurled slurs at him. Therefore no one would ask for, or even expect a reference to Benjamin O. Davis Jr. during your West Point videos. There was no need for that glaring faux pas.

[@CharlesKatehis-r1d]

These guys talk to much get to the chase. 6:24