The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-07-09

| Nine-tenths OF the men In the regular
army, from maj generals, brigadiers, Of
ficers Of the line to ordinary troopers, al
ways refer to the commander of the Amer
lean forces at Santiago as "Pecos Bill'
Shafter. He Is known by that title from
Vancouver barracks to Tampa. The So
briQuet Is a Renaissance of the old days
in the southwest when Major-General
Shafter. as a colonel of infantry. chased
Indians. rode hard. tramped harder and
made the hardest sort Of military life
pleasant for everybody around him.
The hero of Santiago was slender young
man in those days, could ride his sixty
miles day day in and day out, or tramp
along at the head of the troopers under
him for week on army rations without
complaining half as much as some Of the
volunteers who have not progressed any
| further toward actual war than Camp AL
ger in Virginia.
| They tell hundred stories in the army
to prove that "Pecos Bill" Shafter is a
real soldier; not one of the sort that likes
a military hop as we'll as he likes scrim-
mage with an enemy. They say of him
that he is hard" They don't mean of
course, that he is hard in moral or hui
name sense, because he is as gentle as
woman, and as rigid in his views of life as
a Puritan father. But he is hard SOL
der. hard rider, hard fighter and strict
dsciplinarian.
:" Bill Shafter always has his coat Oft
when there is anything DOING is say
ing in the army. The last time he was seen
by the reporter who is writing this story,
"Pecos Bill not only had Off his coat. but
also his suspenders, and was giving the
| herders of a mule pack-train a lesson or
two about their business and the accom-
panying art of persuading mules to do
things at Port Tampa.
General Shafter superintended the en-
barkation Of troops at Port Tampa, and
this statement means that he superintend-
ed every part of it. He was the busiest
man in Tampa, and hoped about with the
agility of cadet fresh from the military
academy and in perfect physical training.
In order to fully appreciate his energy 1t
should be remembered that General Shat
ter is a sure enough heavyweight" He
is pretty nearly as big from east to west
as he is from north to south. He frankly
admits that he weighs something over
three hundred pounds" And he looks the
part. too. His great girth of stomach
makes him look a lot shorter in stature
than he really Is, and If you could see him
in action, jumping about as lively as
cricket. with his coat off and his arms trav-
cling as fast as his tongue, giving orders
in a manner that is at once emphatic and
soldierly, you would not be inclined to de-
tract from the glory that the mem of tho
line and rank confer upon him.
The reports 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 extent of the
nations military undertakings
"Bilr' Shafter is known as plain man,
too. There are no frills about him. He
went off to Cuba not whit better equipped
as far as clothing was concerned than the
troopers who went with him and sweltered
under heavy blue cloth uniforms. A friend
who was with him at Tampa suggested
that he have one of the fashionable "kha-
XII" uniforms constructed for himself. Most
of the generals and staff officers with him
presented very natty figures, and the bluff
old Indian campaigner admired them in a
way.
"They are just the thing for military
ball." said he. But" he added, II don't
go just as am. I will fit in among the
boys better.
So "BilP' 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 a 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 in
fantry who served with Gen. Shafter in the
west are sincerely fond of him. They give
vigorous evidence of the fact upon every
occasion, and no man came in for heartier
reception than he the day he went aboard
the transport Seguaranca at Port Tampa
to sail out of the port and point the way to
Cuba and the stronghold of the enemy.
The boys in the First say there is a streak
of sporting blood in the general. They
prove it by reciting an incident that &C.
Cured few months ago at the post in
California. The general was enjoying a
siesta at the window Of his house when
some of the troopers who were playing
football in the parade ground kicked the
ball in through the open window and rudely
disturbed his nap. He woke up with
start, and visions of the guardhouse rose
before the men. But, much to their sur
prise. "Pecos Bill'' came out on the porch
of his house and kicked the ball back to
them. Incidentally he kicked his 800
pounds Of bulk off the porch, got up red
in the face and followed the ball to prove
that he could kick 1t without falling down.
He did it,
Gen. Shafter undoubtedly rides the big
gest horse in the army. The animal is a
long-barreled, sixteen-hand bay and
weighs more than 1900 pounds.-New York
World.
Business Suit on the Bench
There is something new on the bench, If
not under the sun. A justice Of the supreme
court discarding sober black and dispensing