The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-09-08
PERSHING IS
FOURTH MAN
To Hold Permanent Title of
General of Ameri-
can Army
GRANT, SHERIDAN
AND SHERMAN
Sketch of the Man Who Re-
turned Home from Eu-
rope To-day

ed title in the army of the United States.
The other three were Grant, Sheridan
ands Sherman.
As the central American figure in the
world war, with the single exception of
President Wilson, SO much has been
written about Pershing, and his life and
history are so fresh in the public mind
that it is difficult to tell the average
American anything new about the man
who commanded the great army on the
battlefelds of Europe.
When some of Pershings friends speak
OF his rise to position of great military
Importance in world annals, they refer to
a story quite commonly told of Charles
NJ. Schwab, the ironmaster, who is said
to have remarked to his old Scotch gar
dener, friend OF his childhood:
you never expected to see me in this
place, did your"
And the gardener is said to have re
Piled:
You never expected it yourself"
As late as the time of the Russia.
japanese war in 1904, Pershing, over 40,
still was captain in the regular army
His associates say he never grumbled,
but always Kept plugging at his job.
Reams and reams have been written
about how he took a prominent part in
the pacifieation of the Philippine islands
and how President Roosevelt made him
hriUaJiar tyaunroI s,tput,,n, L;,, ,,,-a,
the heads of exactly S62 other men who
were senior to him on the service roll.
When Pershing took the punitive ex
petition to Mexico after the bandit
Villa, he became the only living officer
in the American army who had com
manded any body Of troops so large as
brigade in anything approaching ac
ton 1t is 'true that the late General
Funston commanded more than a brigade |
on the Vera Cruz expedition but Fun.
ston's troops never got into action.
From the time Pershing graduated
from West Point in 1886 he had his fun |
share of active and valuable service in |
the army. Like his classmates, he i'm !
mediately was plunged into the Indian /
wars, He entered a campaign against !
the great Apache chief, Geronimo, who |
for many years had kept the great |
southwestern country almost closed to I
by his skill and bravery |
II was in those campaigns that many Of I
the young American army officers received |
that special training evolved in combat /
with the willy savages which proved OF I
peculiar value IN certain phases Of the 4
highly scientific modern warfare in
France and Belgium. They were taught
the art of scouting, of trailing and OF
perfect selfrelianee in the school beyond
the ken of any European soldier and
many a midnight raid by the Americans
into No Mans land doubtless found its
and clever execution in the
brain of one of these one time Indian
lighters Of Pershing's type.
1t is recorded officially of Pershing
hat at the beginning of his career. for
Instance, he was complimented by Gen
sral Miles his commander.in.chief in
he Geronimo campaigns, for marching
lis troop, with pack train, over rough
country, l40 miles in as hours. bringing
n every animal and man in good condi-
ion" Until he reached command rank
9ershing always was a cavalry officer
md the records of the war department
how more than one honorable mention
or his conduct during his 10 years serv-
ce in the department Of Arizona. In
he Spanish war, as an officer of the 10th
ayalry, he was promoted for galantrv
It the battle of Ell Caney to be a major
n the volunteer army and after short
letail in Washington in the bureau Of
nsular affairs was sent out to the Phil
ppines as adjutant general of the de-
'artment of Mindanao and Jolo.
The Turning Point in Pershing's Career. I
That was the turning point in Per 3
Kings career. He began to take his \
profession of arms more seriously and
o display the powers of concentration |
lpon difficult problems that stood him in !
God stead in the great campaigns that I
we're to follow in Europe. Attracted by II
rs earnestness and soldierly qualities. [
ieneral Leonard Wood who was his su- c
erior officer at the time, selected Per- !
hing to organize and conduct a cam.
aign against the Moros, who for CEN
uries had successfully resisted all at !
empts OF the Spanish army to subjugate 9
hem.
Up to that point something of paral- q
el may be found in the careers of Wood e
nd Pershing. Each had made brilliant I
equations as Indian fighters and each t
ad been picked by President Roosevelt 9
or extraordinary promotion because of l
heir high promise of military ability. c
had made Wood a brigadier t
eneral in 1901 and he made Pershing,
hen captain a brigadier general in i,
DOG to the absolute CONSERVATION of the
Id line of the army because it involved
he jumping" Of both officers over many
undreds of their seniors
Pershing justified the confidence that
Vood had imposed in him in his Moro
impaign. There was sultan of Baca
ID with unknown thousands of follow
rs intrenched in the marshes and noun
Tins of the tropical islands behind heavy
'rts OF palm wood, logs and giant creep.
IS and thorn bushes woven into what
as supposed to be mpregnable defenses
ershing had made a study of the con
tions and SO well had he organized his
tile force consisting of a battalion of 4
lfantry, squadron of cavalry and
'ction of artillery that in two DAYS the
-oros strongholds were cleared out and 1
lie Island of Nindanao was soon placed
nder Pershing's military governorship.
When he returned home in 1914 he
as given but short rest in San Fran
SEQ Trouble began on the Mexican
order and he was sent there in com
and of the eighth brigade, charged with
lie special duty of running down or driv-
g OIL Villa. His expedition penetrated
any miles into Mexico and army Off
RS believed that the ultimate capture
Villa was prevented only by recall
ders from Washington, where the au-