Jefferson Davis almost did not graduate from West Point. He had been caught at a tavern drinking liquor — a serious breach of regulations. He was tried by court martial and found guilty. Normally a cadet would have been dismissed, but his record saved him. This close shave should have kept him on the straight and narrow, but it didn't. Davis risked dismissal by returning to the tavern. During one visit, Davis jumped over a cliff in the dark and nearly killed himself to avoid being caught by an instructor checking for wayward cadets at the tavern. He also was involved in an eggnog party that got out of hand, leading to a number of cadets being dismissed. Again, Davis was lucky; he had been put on report and confined to quarters early on and avoided being lumped in with the rest of the rowdies. He also reportedly got in a fistfight with another cadet, Joseph E. Johnston, over a girl. Johnston and David would have further altercations in the future.