The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-06-29
MAI. GEN. w. r.. sHAFTER.
Record of the DISTINGUISHED officer I'm
Charge at Santiago.
New York Times.

ANSW IcIh LINES.
Major General William Rufus Shafter
commander of the United States army of in
Vasion into Cuba, was recently described
by his lifelong friend, Senator Julius c.
just the man to clean the Spaniards out
OF Cuba" Since their youth Senator Bur
rows and General Shafter have been close
friends, having come together in Ka!ama-
zoo county Michigan. in the winter of 1889
when Burrows was a tutor and Shafter a
student in the Prairie Seminary.
The son of a pioneer farmer William r.
smarter was born in the town of Galesburg,
kalamazoo county. Michigan, Oct Is, 1885.
with WITH scant educational opportunities. the
future general toiled on his fathers farm
until he attained his majority. BY that
time he had saved sufficient money to carry
him through the winter term at the Prairie
Seminary. He returned to agricultural pur-
suits. but the monotony of a farmers life
was irksome to his ambitious spirit and the
ana eager to become soldier. At the first
opportunity that presented. young Shafter
rendered his services as private. He was
a fine specimen of manhood physically
hardy, athletic, a dashing rider, and very
handy with gun. Persons in local author
ity appreciated his worth. and he was COM
mlssloned first lieutenant to Company l. of
the Seventh Michigan Infantry. He was
mustered into service few days after the
repulse of the federal troops at Bull Run.
and from that time to the present he has
been in the military service of the United
States.
One of the first engagements in which
Lieutenant Skaters company participated
was the battle of Balls Bluff. which re-
suited IN disaster for the Union forces. For
tunately the Michigan militia emerged from
the battle in fair condition and rendered eff
fective service with Mcclellan in the PENN
sula campaign. At the battle of Fair Oaks
smarter was wounded. but he so distin-
guished himself that the commanding gen
eral said in his official report: Lieutenant
Shafter of the Seventh Michigan VOL
slightly wounded but kept the field and
furnished beautiful exhibition of gallant
econduct and intelligent activity" Lieut..
Shafter remained with the Seventh Infantry
throughout the peninsula campaign and url-
I'll its close at Malvern Hill.
In the summer of 1862 the Nineteenth
Michigan Regiment was organized and
Shafter was assigned to it with the rank
OF major. The regiment Joined the West
great deal of hard service in Kentucky and
tennessee. In the official reports of the
middle Tennessee campaign Major 5hafter
is praised for mertorious conduct and spe-
cially mentioned as "one of the most de-
serving officers of the Nineteenth Infantry"
together with other Federal officers he was
captured by the Confederates, but his gal
lantry in battle had been so conspicuous
that his captors allowed him to retain his
horse and side arms He was a prisoner of
war for three months and was exchanged
Soon after Major Skaters return to his
command he was commissioned lieutenant
colonel of the Nineteenth Regiment. and
this promotion was speedily followed by
two successive brevets. the first as colonel
~ iSNoShi'IuAi VI MS SdltdHeIy at fdlr oaks
and the second as bngadier general for
gallant and meritorious conduct at
Thompsor's Station. He served for about a
year lieutenant colonel of the Nine
teenth. and was promoted to be colonel of
the Seventeenth Regiment of colored
troops. He remained In this latter COM
mand until the close of the war. and was
mustered out of the volunteer service Nov
2, 1866.
Prior 10 his retirement from the volunteer
army however. Colonel Shafter was COM
missioned lieutenant colonel of the Forty
first United States Infantry and his con-
nection with the regular army has been un-
broken ever since. In April. 1869 he was
transferred from the Forty-iirst 10 the