The Washington herald., 1919-09-25
EARLY LIFE OF
GEN. JOHN J. PERSHING
AUTHENTIC STORY
OF THE BoYHooD DAYS
OF THE FAMOUS GENERAL
NJ HAROLD r. WHEELER

fhOm EST TEhDA1.
West Point days. long and arduous
Is they were when he lived them.
'eemed to General John Joseph
Pershing. looking back upon them
years afterwards. all too short.
In the old library at the United
States Military Academy. and one
takes time to delve among the IL
orary's priceless relics. is a letter Gen.
wrote telling Of those days
and OF Jack Pershing. cadet.
found the letter. thanks to Sidney
F. Cuthbertson. genial clerk Of the
West Point Hotel. and Arthur Ostran-
der. assistant librarian OF the West
Point Library. 1t was written by Gen.
in 1911 upon the occasion OF
the twenty fifth reunion OF his class -
the class of 'S6-heid in West Point. II
Is a letter of greeting to the class
from him as president of the class.
At the time Gen. Pershins was a
brigadier general. commander OF the
Department OF Mindanao ard governor
of Moro province. Philippine Islands,
A more human document was never
indited. One reads It and loves the
man who wrote It. the great leader
of Americas army in Franco.
The letter follows:
Gen. Pershine'. Letter.
Headquarters Department Of Min
danao
p
March IL, 1911.
TO the Class OF 1886
UNITED States Military Academy
west Point. New York
Dear Classmates-The announce
ment In the circular sent out by your
saying would write a
letter of greeting to be read at the
class reunion. imposes upon me a yery
pleasant obligation. II gives me an
opportunity as class president to VIII .e
you collectively. and to say many
things I would like to say IL were
writing each individual. Above all.
however. T am thus permitted to feel
myself a real part OF the reunion
This letter shall be a heartfelt and
sincere word Of greeting from the op-
posite side of the world. shall try
to imagine myself among you around
the banquet table. or perhaps again
in the old tower room. first floor, FIRST
division. or familiarly even in the
usual place With this greeting I
send also a word Of explanation for
my absence. a few lines OF reminis-
cence. and pages of affection and
friendship all recorded at random
1t is unfortunate indeed for me
that higher authority has concluded
that I should not leave my post just
at this time. This Is a great disap-
pointment to me. There is nothing
that could equal the pleasure of
meeting once more with old So
OF my youth. the
friendship for whom is, above all
others. the dearest and most last
ing.
TO be again for a few hours. as
in the olden days at West Point.
with those who stood shoulder to
with me. and I with them.
through four years, would be worth
great sacrifice. would gladly go
back into the corps (although of
course It has gone entirely to the
dogs since We were cadets) and
gladly Gn spite Of this) go through
the whole course from beginning to
md with you all as we were then.
Red Letter Days.
Life meant so much to us-prob-
ably more than il ever has since
when the soul was filled to the ut
most with ambition and the world
was full of promise.
THE proudest days OF my life.
with one exception. have come to
me in connection with West Point
days that stand out clear and dis
tinct from all others. The first of
these days was the day won my
in a competitive examination with
seventeen competitors. An old
friend of the family happened to be
in Trenton that day. and. passing
on the opposite side of the street,
called to me and said:
John. hear you passed with
flying coIors.'
I'm all seriousness. feeling the
great Importance of my success. |
replied in a loud voice:
Yes. ! did, feeling assured nc
one had ever quite passed such a
fine examination as I had.
The next red-letter day was
when I was elected president of the
class of IS. didn't know much
about class presidents until the
evening of our meeting to effect
class organization. To realize that
a body OF men for whom had such
an affectionate regard should honor
me in this way was about all my
would stand
Another important day was wher
I made a cold max (West Point slang
for maximum, or best mark possible
Fl. F. wy in Phil CphiIosophy-H F,
w at June examination. under dear
old Pete Peter Niche, professor OF
T. W. with Arthur
as instructor. This was the
only max I ever made in anything. ]
fairly f1oated out OF the library and
back to the barracks
THE climax Of days came when
the makes West Point slang for ap-
pointment to cadet officerships-H. F.
W. were read on graduation day in
June. 1885. Little Eddie Gayle "a tao
teal ofiicer. or tao as the cadets
tenn them-H. F. W. smiled when I
reported five minutes later with a
pair of captains chevrons pinned on
my sleeves. Gen. Pershing had been
appointed senior cadet captain-H. +,
W. No honor can ever come equal
to that I look upon it in the very
same light today as did then.
CTo be Contfnued.)