Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-06-04
PERsH|NG JUST THE MAN
TO HEAD !. S. SOLDIERS
Record Shows That Thi. Army ON.
Ger Can Study as Well
rs Fight.
VERY SPECTACULAR CAREER
For Successful Campaign Against
Moros. Was Promoted Over Heads
of S62 Other Officers by President
Roosevelt to Brigadicr.Gencral.

I
OF the 1917 brand OF warfare aud com
municating this knowledge to the
American army?
! That's VIVA, the generals orders to
20 10 tho battle front in advance of
the first United states force. which he
will later lead. really mean. Hes there
TO get every knk and twist OF modern
lighting into his brain and send it
along to the waves of troops Uncle
Sam is preparing to fling against the
Kaiser.
We'll. here's piece of Pershins's
record which shows what Kind Of stuff
he is made of--that he can study as
we'll as fight. Back in the early nine
ties. after he had spent arduous years
chasing Apaches and Sioux he was as
signed as instructor in military tactics
at the University of Nebraska, and re-
manned there four years
Most Young officers would have CON
sidered this a GOOD chance 10 loaf or
II least TO taiee rest Nothing to
do but supcrintcnd the drill OF the col
leSe boys and deliver a few elementary
lectures.
Fut not so Pcrshins. He saw an
opportunity TO put down solid foun-
dation which would some day stand
him. he thought. in good stead lie
entered and completed the course at
the university law school in addition
to his regular duties. His degree of
bacheloE OF laws came At the end of
an arduous four years. indeed
Right after the close of the Spanish
American War, Pcrshins'S farsishted-
ness and industry bore the natural
fruit.
There was urscn, need at Washing
ton OF clear, trained brains and tested
administrative experience to organize
/ the government, of Americas new
colonies. The authorities looked around
for such man. PershinS had had an
excellent record in the Cuban cam
| paisn. His habits of study. his thor
ouGhncss and his knowledge o. law
we're recognized. SO he was chosen to
organize the Bureau Of Insular Affairs.
and WAS its first chief.
PERSHING BELOVED
ny ALL HIS TROOPS
y man OF breadth and intelligence
and extraordinary mental activity Is
PershinS-Rnd also a man OF iron will
and determination, mingled with "a mel
lowncss OF temper which makes him
beloved by his troops
Born in Missouri in 1850. Pershins
got his intermediate education in the
/ quite tame atmosphere of "A normal
school at kirksvillc. lie jumped into
the warlikc surroundings of Yves,
Point and completed the course in 1856
| becoming second lieutenant in the
Sixth Cavalry. and almost Immediately
plunGinG into the campaign against
the Apaches. Four years later, in 1890.
nc served against the Sioux lie WAS
IN command OF the Sioux Indian Scouts
! Tor while; then came the experience
at the University of Nebraska. where
he was such success as An instructor
mat he was sent to teach tactics at
the West Point Academy There he
remained until the outbreak of the war
with Spain. He was remembered at
the academy for the strict seriousness
with which he taught.
Following his organization OF the
Furcau of Insular Affairs. after the
war, he was sent TO the Philippin.s
and assigned the difficult task OF sit
ting on the bloodthirSty Moros. whom
the Spaniards had always handled mos,
gingerIy.
These matchmaking Mohammedan
sarases respected nothing but force
| They rather welcome the Americans
as a new kind OF enemy on whom ,s
try their cruel barangs When tho
United States Army officers tried &c
tell them Uncle Sam was their SINGER.
friend they laughed and spat insults
They thought the Americans were
afraid OF them.
so there was nothing to do hut brcal
down the Moro strongholds. suhdu,
their chiefs. destroy their villages. hun
them day and night until they SHOULD
suffer SO fearfully they would admit
the American was their master.
This must be done to free the peace
ful tribes round about from the Moros
piratical raids and to institute a re
Eme OF peace and progress
DETERMINED TO TAKE
MOROs' STRONGEST pOJN1
hershine frs, took on a famous bod,
OF naked fighters who had fortified tn
crater OF an extinct volcano called i;u,
palo. on the Island OF Job. They ha,
held this point for some time and de
ned attack. icrshing announced n
was going TO take the volcano II
meant ten years steady work.
With thousand men. half OF then
his own trusted troopers. and the other
picked native scouts the campaign be
gan. The attackers had to marcel
through miles and miles Of dense jun
gle opposed At almost every yard h,
their fierce focmen Bu, pershini
fought his way TO the foot OF tn
mountain
Pershins's fighters cut a trail aroun
Inc mountain. and terrifying them
selves from attack from above hccaI
ihc siege The soldiers formed com
rietc Gordon and calmly instituted
campaiS Of watching for the frs
aisn OF the Moros leaving the era tie
and waiting chance TO &c, them whc
they tried 10 cut through.
In their retreat, tho Moros had bee
l 80 holly pursued that they had bee
Unable 70 stock up for Il long sier.
=, the iron ring began to be unhear
= ani". small detachments threw them
Il selves on the Americans. They fouSl,
s desperately. Instances are told q
7 warriors. pierced with a bayonct seiz