The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1919-09-09
PERSHING'S CAREER

As late as the time of the Russia
Japanese war in 1904, Pershing, over
40, still was a captain in the regular
army. His associates say he never
glumbled, but always kept plugging
ar his job. Reams and reams have
been written about how he took a
prominent part In the paciication of
the Philippine islands and how Pres
ioent Roosevelt made him a brigadier
general, jumping him over the heads
of exactly 862 other men who were
senior to him on the service roll.
When Pershing took the punitive
expedition 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
action. 1t is true that, the late Cen
eral Funston commanded more than
a brigade on the Vera Cruz expedi-
ton but Funston's troops never got
into action.
From the time Pershing graduated
from West Point in 1886 he had his
full share of active and valuable serv-
ice in the army. Like his classmates
he Immediately was plunged into the
Indian wars. He entered a campaign
against the great Apache chief Gero-
mmo, who for many years had kept
the great southwestern country al
most closed to immigration by his
skill and bravery.
1t is recorded officially OF Pershing
that at the beginning of his career, he
was complimented by General Miles,
his commander-in-chief in the Gero-
nimo campaigns, for marching his
troop, with pack train, over rough
country, lao miles in 46 hours, bring
ing in every animal and man in good
condition" Until he reached command
rank Pershing always was a cavalry
officer and the records of the war de-
partment show more than one honor
able mention for his conduct during
his ten years service in the Depart
ment of Arizona. In the Spanish war
as an officer of the Tenth Cavalry he
was promoted for gallantry at the
battle of Ell Caney to be major, and
shortly afterwards was sent out to
the Philippines as adjutant- general of
the Department of Mindano and Jolo.
Attracted by mis- earnestness and
soldierly qualities, General Leonard
Wood, who was his superior officer at
the time, selected Pershing to organi-
ize and conduct a campaign against
the Moros who for centuries had sue
cessfully resisted all attempts of the
Spanish army to subjugate them.
Pershing justified the confidence
that Wood had imposed in him in his
Moro campaign. There was a sultan
OF Bacalod with unknown thousands
OF followers entrenched in the noun
tains and marshes of the tropical ISL
aids behind heavy forts of palm
wood, logs and giant creepers and
thorn bushes woven into what was
supposed to be impregnable defenses.
Pershing had made study of the
conditions and so well had he organic
&c his little force consisting of bat
talon of infantry, a squadron of cav
airy and section of artillery that in
two days the Moro's strongholds were
cleared out and the island of Min
danao was soon placed under Perish
ing's military goyernorship.
In 1914 when trouble began on the
Mexican border he was sent there in
command of the Eighth Brigade,
charged with the special duty of run
ming down or driving off Villa. Army
officers believed that the ultimate cap
ture of Villa was prevented only by
recall orders from Washington.
When Pershing was chosen to COM
md he
he took with him many of the Drowned
and hardened veterans of his Mexican
campaign and these men formed the
nucleus of the famous First Division
of the American Expeditiorary Force.
A terrible tragedy had come into
Pershing's life during his Mexican
border service through the loss of his
wife and three of their little children,
who were burned to death in their
home at the Presidio, in San Francis
co, during his absence. His life be-
came hard and stern; not towards his
soldiers, however, but in the regimen
he imposed upon himself and in the
objects he had marked for attainment.
1t was said of him in France that he
was never tired; he could be called
upon any hour out of the twenty-four
for consultation or direction without
complaint on his part. in contrast
with some of his famous colleagues in
the Entente armies.
Pershing believed in teamwork; he
knew that whatever success the Ger
mans had attained was through their
unified command of the armies of the
Central Powers. So he was not only
willing but anxious to see the same
principle adopted by the Entente arm
les. He sank his private ambitions
and freely rendered the services of
the last American soldier and all his
army equipment to General Foch at
the most critical point in the cam
paign. There is said to be no doubt