The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1919-09-08
BLACK JACK PERSH|NG
AMERICAN HERO, RETURNS

OIL exactly S6Z men VINO 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 Of
ficer in the American army who had
commanded any body of troops SO
large as a brigade in anything ap-
preaching action. 1t is true that the
late General Funston commanded
more than brigade on the Vera
Cruz expedition 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
service in the army Like his class
mates he Immediately 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 immigration
by his skill and bravery. 1t was in
those campaigns that many a young
American officer received that special
training evolved in combat with the
willy savages which proved OF peculiar
value in certain phases of the highly
scientific modern warfare in France
and Belgium. They were taught the
art of scouting, Of trailing and of per-
feet self-reliance lii the school beyond
the ken of any European soldier and
many midnight raid by the Ameri- |
cans into No Mans land doubtless !
found it's inception and clever execu-
ton in the brain of one of these one !
time Indian fighters of Pershing's |
type.
1t is recorded officially of Pershing
that at the beginning of his career,
for instance, he was complimented by
General Miles, his commander-in
chief in the Geronimo campaigns, for
marching his troops, with pack train,
'ver rough country, 14O miles in 46
hours, bringing in every animal and
nan in good condition. Until he
cached command rank Pershing al
Ways was cavalry officer and the
ecords of the War department show
more than one honorable mention for
lis conduct during his ten years {
ervice in the department of Arizona.
n the Spanish war as an officer of {
he Tenth Cavalry he was promoted {
or gallantry at the battle of Ell
,aney to be major in the Volunteer
rmy and after a short detail in
Washington in the Bureau of Insular
lffairs was sent out to the Phillip S
ines as adjutant- general of the de- {
artment of Mindanao and Jolo
That was the turning point in '
ershing's career. He began to take
is profession of arms more seriously {
nd to display the powers of concen- !
'ation upon difficult problems that 7
food him in good stead in the great
ampaigns that were to follow in f
urope. Attracted by his earnestness I
nd soldierly qualities, General Leon G
"a Wood, who was his superior Of a
Ger at that time, selected Pershing a
organize and conduct a campaign il
sainst the Moros who for centuries :
I'd successfully resisted all attempts =
the Spanish army to subjugate =
em. ii
Up to that point something of a =
arallel may be found in the careers =
Wood and Pershing. Each had i
ade brilliant regulations as Indian n
ghters and each had been picked :,
: President Roosevelt for extra
binary promotion because of their r
gh promise of military ability.
)osevelt had made Wood a brigadier
neral in 1901 and he made Perish
g, then a captain, brigadier gen q,
al in 1906 to the absolute conster- ii
tion of the old line of the army be- OF
use it involved the Jumping" of +,
tn officers over many hundreds of to
cir seniors. W
Pershing justified the confidence lv
at Wood had imposed in him in his n
,ro campaign. There was a Sultan o,
Bacalod with unknown' thousands 40
followers intrenched in the On
rshes and mountains of the tropic- ,f
islands behind heavy forts of palm
cd, logs and giant creepers and
'rn bushes woven into what was
oposed to be impregnable defenses. tb
rshing had made a study of the cr,
lditions and so we'll had he organiz- M,
his little force consisting of a bat of
ion of infantry, a squadron of cav I'll
y and section of artillery that in la. las
(COntinued on page A. flc