The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-04-17
DIVISION COMMANDERS.
Omcers Who Will Probably Have
Charge of Troops i'm Cuba.

BRIG Gen William r. Shafter who takes
command at New Orleans, was born in Kali
amazoo county, Michigan, in 1885. He
served in the civil war as first lieutenant
of the Seventh Michigan Infantry and ma
jor and lieutenant colonel of the Nineteenth
Michigan Infantry He was engaged in
dozen holly contested battles, and was
breveted first as colonel and then as brig
adler for gallant and meritorious conduct.
After the war he retired to his farm, but
in 1866 was commissioned lieutenant colonel
in the regular army and assigned to the
Forty-first Infantry. In 1879 he was COM
missioned colonel of the First Infantry,
which was stationed at Angel island and
the Preside, California. AS colonel he is
said to have seen more officers promoted
over him than any other officer in the serv-
Ice. He was commissioned brigadier in
April, 1897, to succeed General Wheaton, of
the Department of Colorado, who was re-
tired at that time.
Brig. Gen. John ]. Coppinger. who has
been assigned to Mobile, was born in Ire
land in 1885, and was not naturalized in this
country until 1891. He joined the Papal
Guards to fight against Victor Emmanuel.
He came to America with letters from
Archbishop Hughes, and in 1861 was made
captain in the Fourteenth Infantry At the
close of the war he was colonel of the Fiji
brilliant record and was breveted lieutenant
colonel at Trevillians, Va. After the war
he was transferred to the Twenty-third
United States Infantry, and was breveted
colonel in battles with the Indians in 1866
1867 and 1868. He commissioned brig
adler general by President Cleveland, and
his appointment raised a storm OF oppcsi-
ton. His character was fiercey assaAled,
but in the meantime he had married the
daughter of James G. Blaine, and to the
influence of Mrs. Blaine his subsequent tri-
umph has been sometimes ascribed.
Brigadier General James F. Wade, who
takes command at Tampa, born in
Ohio in 1S43 and is a son OF the famous
Senator Ben Wade. In 1861, at the age of
eighteen, he was commissioned first lieuten-
ant of the Sixth Cavalry, and was after
wards lieutenant colonel and colonel of the
Sixth United States Cavalry. He was bre-
In May. 1866, he was appointed captain in
the Sixth Cavalry. He became major in the
Ninth Cavalry in July. of the same year;
In 1879 he was made lieutenant colonel of
the Tenth Cavalry and in 1887 colonel of
the Fifth Cavalry. Subsequently he was
commissioned brigadier general, and was in
Mcintosh and Fort Sam Houston in Texas.
Latterly he was in command of the De-
partment of Dakota where he succeeded
youngest of the four appointments, and
has ten years of active service before him.
Major General John r. Brooke, who goes
to Chickamauga, was born in POttSVille, Pa,
in 1885, He entered the Fourth Pennsyl-
vania Infantry as captain in 1861, and three
Pennsylvania Infantry. In 1864 he was COM
misSioned brigadier general of volunteers
in recognition of distinguished services. He
was brevetted major general of volunteers
and colonel in the regular army. He was
assigned to the command of the Valley of
the Shenandoah in 1865 and resigned his
volunteer commission in 1866. On the reor-
ganiZation of the army after the war he
was commissioned lieutenant colonel of the
Thirty-seventh Infantry In 1869 he was
transferred 10 the Third Infantry. In 1879
he was assigned to the Thirteenth Infantry.
and in 1883 was made brigadier general and
assigned to the Department of the Platte.
His commission as major general was given
to him at the beginning of the present year.