The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-05
GEN. WOODS RECORD
Meteoric Career Of the Young Doc
tor-Soldier Who Has Been Ad-
vanced BY Roosevelt.
Justification for His, Rapid Progress
to High Rank Found in His
Achievements.
From The Journal Bureau, Room Is, Post Build
ing, WASHINGTON.

From The Journal Bureau, Room u.s. Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, Aug. 5.--Major General Leon
ard Wood is two years the Junior Of
President Roosevelt, and was born in 1860.
He will be forty three years old in October,
He was under forty when the performed in
Cuba the services which have brought him
conspicuous promotion in the army, and was
twenty-six and twentyAseYen when he dis
tinguished himself on the plains under Law
ton, in the campaigns agafnst1 Gerpnimo
!. His position is absoa11eiy UNIQUE IN the
history Of the American regular, army A
major general, he is not ~ graduate Of West
Point, nor has he ever. had any military
training whatever, and what little active ser
vice he has seen was against savages on the
plains and during the short war with Spain.
Educated as a physician, he entered the
army as a contract surgeon in 1888. In 1891
he was promoted to be captain and assistant
surgeon, on account of ahonors won IN the
Apache campaigns Referring to Woods
record in those campaigns, general orders OF
the army, Nc. 80, April 9, 1891, says that he
was commended ''for gallant and hazardous
service, courage and energy. encouraging the
command under the most trying circum-
stances, and for untiring efforts in the CAM
paign against hostile Apache Indians in
Sonora, Mexico, during the greater part OF
which he commanded a detachment OF in
fantry.' 49,
The services enumerated above had moth
ing whatever to do with medicine. During
the Geronimo campaign he was in active COM
mand Of troops, and acquitted himself so we'll
| under fire, in the face of q savage enemy,
the badge which is most highly priced by
| the American soldier, whether officer or in
the ranks.
AFTER tfe Geroliimo uprising had been put
| down he returned to his pill boxes and served
in his place as surgeon from 1887 to 1889 in
from 1888 70 1855 At Fort Mcpherson, and
| in this city from 1895 to 1898.
| Then came his ODDOrtunity. War with
Spain was declared, and Immediately Wood
assisted by President Roosevelt, organized
was made its colonel, Roosevelt being lieu.
! tenant colonel. That Wood was able to gel
together regiment uf this character is SUI
fcient evidence OF his hold on the people Of
tho southwest, and an eloquent endorsement
of the medal of honor and OF the gallantry Of
the conduct which called it forth. He was
commissioned as colonel May 8, 1898, and or
brilliant executive ability, which had beer
demonstrated during the Indian campaigns
he was promoted to be a brigadier general O
fifth army corps. in the Cuban campaign
Roosevelt succeeded him as colonel of thu
Rough Riders. Short as the Spanish wa
commanded his brigade in the battles Of La
Guasimas and San Juan, and carried him
self in a way that won the admiration Of tn
entire army. Roosevelt was in these battle
and had a splendid opportunity to judg
fighting stuff or not
Upon the surrender of the Spanish forces a
: military governor of that city, and on Oct
7, 1898, he was assigned TO the command o
the department. Of Santiago being also ciyi
July /, 1895, tie department rt OF Puerto Prin
cipe was consolidated with his department,
and known as the department of Santiag
department until December, 1899. On tn
goth Of that month he: was appointed mill
tary governor of the island of Cuba, and J.
command Of the United states troops s2eIs, sta
, until May 20, 1902, when he turned the islam
over to President. Palma II w.
, The executive services rendered by Woo
, in Cuba after the conclusion Of the war wer
of the highest order. The fact that he was
physician and a college graduate Che wa
: graduated from Harvard in 1884, four year
, put the cities of the island on satisfactor
sanitary basis. The full value of this wor
has probably not been appreciated by tn
fsa he pse hs b One Of tsoW evsr in
island since the American occupation
Woods splendid administrative ability wa
called into full play and the record OF hi
services as military governor makes one
the brightest chapters in the history OF tn
Spanish war.
! So much for General Woods militar
record, upon which the president has recent
advanced him to the exalted position of
, major general in the regular army:
: There has been much criticism OF that &C
vancement. There is something to be sal
! in behalf of the officers whom Wood has dis
) tanced In many instances they are men
: brilliant records. They are graduates
West Point, and understand thoroly IL
;, science Of war. Wood has none Of this, an
!. naturally there is discomfort and a feelir
that he has been unduly honored. It is in
e portant, however to set forth his milital
: record, upon which that honor is based
o It might be we'll to suggest in iconclusie
1 that it is not usually safe to follow strict
: the rule of seniority in the making Of pr,
motions in the army. This rule is not 70
lowed in business life, and the army is rea
u ly great business institution. Had it bee
e followed the civil war might have had
It different ending, and the world would kno
e nothing of Grant, Sherman or Sheridan.
= The Wood advancement is by some thong
to be due to favoritisnn. If there is an an
!, wer to that chasSe it lies in his milital
record, above set forth.
* w. w Jermane