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The letter is bigger than 8 1/2 x 11, and was originally scanned in two parts.  I used merging software to put them back together.
Picture 
The merged appointment letter
Image #1 of four for this document
Scroll down for the audio reading
and for the transcript.​
Below are the two halves, unmerged, just in case it turns out there was a problem with the merging.
Picture 
The top half of the appointment letter
Image #2 of four for this document
Scroll down for the audio reading
and for the transcript.​
Picture 
The bottom half of the appointment letter
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and for the transcript.​
Picture 
The Congressman's accompanying lettere
Image #4 of four for this document
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and for the transcript.​
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1896-03-28​: tour stops---images---~AUDIO~---transcript---notes---links---site navigation
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1896-03-28: ​tour stops---images---audio---~TRANSCRIPT~---notes---links---site navigation
THE LETTER TO WILL

34852a.g.o.

War Department,
Washington,  March 28th, 1896

Sir:

You are hereby informed that the President has CONDITIONALLY selected you for appointment as a Cadet of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

Should you desire the appointment, you will report in person to the Superintendent of the Academy on the 13th day of June 1896, before 4 o’clock P.M. for examination.  If it be found that you possess the qualifications required by law and set forth in circular herewith, you will be admitted, with pay from date of admission, and your warrant of appointment will be delivered to you.

Should you be found deficient in studies at the semi-annual or annual examinations, or should your conduct reports be unfavorable, you will be discharged from the military service, unless otherwise recommended for special reasons by the Academic Board, but will receive an allowance for traveling expenses to your home.

Your attention is particularly directed to the accompanying circular, and it is to be distinctly understood that this notification confers upon you no right to enter the Military Academy unless your qualifications agree fully with its requirements, and unless you report for examination at the time specified.

You are requested to immediately inform the Department of your acceptance or declination of the contemplated appointment upon the above conditions.

Very respectfully,

Geo. D. Ruggles

​Adjutant General For the

Secretary of War

Mr. William P. Stokey,
Canton, Stark Co., Ohio.
Thro Hon. R.W.Tayler, MC
House of Representatives

Note.-This is to be presented to the Superintendent of the Military Academy.

(2 encls.)


THE ACCOMPANYING LETTER FROM US CONGRESSMAN ROBERT WALKER TAYLER, Jr.

March 29th, 1896.

Prof. C. F. Stokey,
Canton, Ohio.

Dear Sir:-

Enclosed, herewith, find papers from the Secretary of War announcing the appointment of your son, William P. Stokey, as cadet to the U.S. Military Academy.

Yours truly,
​

​
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1896-03-28​: ​​​tour stops---images---audio---transcript---~NOTES~---links---site navigation
1.
Should you desire the appointment, you will report in person to the Superintendent of the Academy on the 13th day of June 1896, before 4 o’clock P.M. for examination.
We have the biographical register for 1900: It says that Will was a cadet starting from June 18.  So processing took a while, maybe?

2.
​"Note.-This is to be presented to the Superintendent of the Military Academy."
Imagine how precious that piece of paper must have seemed.​

3.
Apparently the appointment letter was sent to the congressman for the district (Robert Walker Tayler Jr,  who was US congressman for Ohio’s 18th district from 1895 to 1903) at his DC office, and the congressman sent it on to Will’s father, with an accompanying letter that I've included below the appointment letter.

4.
Aunt Eva, who was a child at the time this letter was written, once told me about how desperately all the family was hoping that Will would get this appointment.  Eva wished on every lucky thing she saw.  The detail I remember is that she wished on red-headed girls.

The West Point website says:

Applicants must meet the following basic eligibility requirements: At least age 17, but not 23 or older, on July 1 of the year you enter West Point.

Will was born in November of 1875, so he was 20 at this time, and therefore he had two more years of eligibility, but I daresay if he hadn't made it this year, then it was unlikely that he would make it in the following two years.

Anyway, he got in, and I vaguely remember that Eva felt it was something like a birthday present, because she turned 11 on April 3, 1896.  The date of this letter is March 28.
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