The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-07-20
- NOWN to his men variously as
r\ Fighting John" Kitchener"

JM Fighting John" Kitchener
- Pershing and "Black Jack" the
man who commands the first American
division in France is the ideal type of
American soldier. The grim lines of
his mouth indicate the qualities which
have made him successful in war. The
Pershing smile when it illumines his
lace hints of those other qualities
which have endeared him even to his
foes.
Major General Pershing--he won his
two stars for the conduct of the eXpe-
dition into MeNiCo--iS a chlvalruus sol
der. He Is the type who fights relent-
lessly until he has beaten his enemy
ana then helps him. His fellow Off
GERS say that he attained his present
rank because he "soldiered hard" and
1t is n pretty good sign that he has
fairly won his rank when he is so gen.
orally well thought of by the officers,
over the heads of SG2 of whom he was
advanced from the grade of captain to
that Of brigadler general by President
Roosevelt.
The Ideal American Soldier.
General Pershing began to be the
ideal soldier on the day he entered the
United States Military academy at
West Point. He graduated as senior
cadet captain, which Is the highest
rank which can be attained at the
academy.
He was Immediately appointed sec
Ond lieutenant in the Sixth cavalry
and, under Gen. Nelson A. Miles. plung-
ed into the thick of the fighting against
the ApaChes. He had not been in the
saddle full year when General Miles
cOmplimented him in orders for
marching his troop, with pack train.
over rough country 40 miles in 46
hours, bringing in every man and ami
NAL in good condition"
In Mexico General Pershing more
than lived up to the record Of a dash
ing cavalry leader which he establish
ed as a second lieutenant in 1887.
The campaigns against Geronimo
taught Pershing his first lessons in real |
war. The kind of fighting he learned |
from the Apache and Sioux campaigns |
stood him in good stead when he |
tackled the Moros. How modern .
armies fight, or did fight previous to
the present war, he learned in Cuba |
and as military attache and observer |
with the Japanese armies in their war
against Russia.
In 1889 the young Lieutenant Per-
shlng won Commendation again from |
General Miles when, as commander of ,
Troop A Of the Sixth cavalry, he took .
ten men, rescued n band Of cowboys
who had been captured by one hundred
hostile Indians, captured number Of
horse thieves who were among the In
dians. and returned with his party to
Fort Wingate, without having fired a
shot, lost a single man or killed an
Indian. That is typical of the man.
He is the true American soldier. He
does not kill when he can win with
out II.
The experience Pershing gained
fighting Geronimo and other Apache
chiefs caused him to be sent to the
DakOtas in command of the Sioux
scouts in the wars against the rebel
llous Sioux. After this period of fight
Ing he became military instructor in
the University Of Nebraska, where he
took the degree of LIB, and in the
early nineties he was sent to West
Point as an instructor.
VaIor at FL caney
When the Spanish-AmeriCan war be- ]
gan the young lieutenant became res
live and begged to be sent back to the
Inc. He was assigned to negro
and won cOmmendatiOn in s
orders for his work at FL Caney. A I
more substantial reward for his valOr |
'ame, after he was sent to the Philip
oines, in the form Of captains COM |
mission.
It was in the Philippines that "Black /
lack" Pershlng did his greatest work t
md won glory for himself and the I
American army. A little more than f
en- years ago the United States faced v
tremendous problem in the Philip C
lines. Almost incessant warfare had L
xisted between Christians and Mos t
ems in the archipelago since Magellan t
vas slain during the voyage in which il
Europeans first circumnavigated the a
lobe. SpanIards, British and Ameri-
ans so far had failed to settle the o
Its entire weight was shift o