The daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Ind. Ter. [Okla.]) 1898-1902, 1898-10-18

~ l M 1 aAk W Rl --------- IA N s VI "A N l4l WI
Nine-tenths II the men IN the reg
ular army, fronl major generals. brig
adiers, oiiicelS of the line to ordinary
troopers, always refer to the com
mander Of the American forces at Sam
tiaeo as "Pecos Blll' Shafter. He is
known BY thai title from Vancouver
barracks to Tampa The sobriquetis q
"Reminiscences Cf the old days in the
southwest when Maj. Gen. Shafter, as
colonel Of infantry chased Indians,
rode hard. tramped harder and made
the hardest sort OF military life pleas
ant for everybody around him.
The hero Of Santiago was q slender
young man In those days, could ride his
go miles day, da, in and day out, or
tramp along at the head Of the troop
ers under him for week on army ra-
tions without complaining half as
much as some Of the volunteers who
have not progressed any further to-
ward actual war than Camp Alger in
Virginia.
They tell hundred stories in the
army to prove that"Pecos Bill" 6hafter
is a real soldier; not one Of the sort
that likes military hop as well as he
likes a scrimmage with the enemy.
They say of him that he is "hard-"
They don't mean. of course, that he is
"hard" in moral or humane sense,
because he is as gentle as a woman, and
as rigid in his views of life as Puritan
father. But he is a hard soldier, hard
rider, hard fighter and a strict disci-
plinarian.
Bill Shaftcr always has his coat
off when there is any thing doing, Is a
saying insthe army The last time he
was seen by the writer "Pecos Bill'' not
only had off his coat, but also his sus-
penders, and was giving the herders Of
mule pack train lesson or two
about their business and the accom-
panying art of persuading mules to do
things at Port Tampa.
In order to fully appreciate his en-
ergy it should be remembered that
Gen. Shafter is a sure-enough heavy
weight. He admits that he weighs
something over 800 pounds" The re-
ports from Santiago say that the big
general assumed direct command Of
his men; that he rode into the field
with his coat off and yelled orders just
as he used to do in the old days, when
batting renegade Indians was the ex-
tent of the nations military under
taking.
"Bill" Shafte~ is known as plain
man, too. There are no frills about
him. He wenteoff to Cuba not a whit
better equipped as far as clothing was
concerned, than the troopers who
went with him and swestcred under
heavy blue-cloth uniforms. A friend
who was with him at Tampa suggested
that. he have one Of the fashionable
khaki uniforms constructed for him
self. Most Of the generals and staff Of
ficers with him presented very natty
figures, and the bluff old Indian cam
paigner admired them in way.
"They are just the things for mil
itary ball." said he. "But,' he added,
81 don't want any of them in mine.
] guess ! will 60 just as ! am. will fit
in among the boys better"
So 'Bill" Shafter went off to the war
in regulation uniform of dark blue
cloth, Of the same quality as the
clothes worn by the private troopers.
The only difference was that upon each
of his shoulders there were two gold
stars--the insignia of major general
of the United States army. He en-
deared himself TO the troops in his
corps by advising the regimental
commanders to take off and leave off
their coats. And he left his off during
the trip from Tampa TO the landing
place in Cuba.
The troopers in the First regiment
Of infantry who served with Gen.
Shafter in the west. are sincerely fond
Of him. They give rigorous evidence OF
the fact upon every occasion, and no
man came In for heartier reception
than he the day when he went aboard
the transport at Seguranca at Port
Tampa to sail ont Of the port and point
the way to Cuba and the stronghold Of
the enemy. Boston Post.