The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-09-07
Pershins. Now Full General.
Didn't Always Have Smooth
Shedding Toward High Place

When. last week, congress conferred
upon John j. Pershing the permanent
rank and title of general, the leader of
the expeditionary forces in France be
came the fourth man to hold that Gov
eted post in the army of the United
States. The other three, in the order
named, We're Ulysses ). Grant, Philip
II. Sheridan and William T. 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
battlefields of Europe.
When some of Pershing's friends
speak Of his rise to position Of great
military importance in world annals
they refer to story quite commonly
told of Charles NJ. Schwab, the iron
master, who is said to have remarked
to his old Scotch gardener, Il friend of
his childhood:
You never expected to see me in
this place. did you?"
And the gardener is said to have re
piled:
You never expected il 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 ruams have been
written about how he took a prominent
part in the pacification OF the Philippine
islands and how President Roosevelt
made him a brigadier general jumping
him over 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
| a brigade in anything approaching ac
/ ton. 1t is true that the late General
| Funston commanded more than a brig
ade on the Vera Cruz expedition but
| Funston's troops never got into action
4 Soldier Since 1886
From the time Pershing graduated
from West Point in 1855 he had his full
share af active and valuable service in
the army. Like his classmates he i'm
mediately was plunged into the Indiar
wars, He entered campaign against
the great Apache chief Geronimo who
for many years had kept the grea'
southwestern country almost closed tC
immigration by his skill and bravery
1t was in those campaigns that many O
young American army officers received
that special training evolved in comba
with the willy savages which proved o
peculiar value in certain phases of tn,
highly scientific modern warfare il
France and Belgium.
They were taught the art OF scouting
of trailing and Of perfect self.reliance il
the school beyond the ken of any Euro
pean soldier and many a midnight raj,
by the Americans into No Mans Ian,
doubtless found its inception and cleve
execution in the brain Of one of thes
one-time Indian fighters of Pershing'
type.
1t is recorded officially Of Pershini
that at the beginning of his career, 70
instance, he was complimented by Gen
cneral Miles. his commander.in- chief il
the Geronimo campaigns, for marching
his troop, with pack train, over rougl
country. l4O miles i'm 46 hours, bringing
in every animal and man in good con
dition." Until he reached comman
rank Pershing always was a cavalr
officer and the records of the war de
partment show more than one honor
able mention for his conduct during hi
ten years service in the department O
Arizona. In the Spanish war as an OF
ficer of the Tenth cavalry he was pre-
NOTED for gallantry at the battle of +
Caney to be a major in the Noluntee
army and after a short detail in Wasf
ington in the Bureau Of Insular Affair
was sent out to the Philippines as aC
jutant general Of the Department o
Mmdanao and Jolo.
Turning Point in Career
That was the turning point IN Iel
shings career. He began to take hi
profession of arms more seriously an
to display the powers of concentrate
upon difficult problems that stood hin
in good stead in the great campaign
that were to follow in Europe. Attrac
. ed by his earnestness and soldierl
, qualities. Gen. Leonard Wood. who wa
his superior officer at the time, selec
ed Pcrshing to organize and conduct
, campaign againts the Moros who fc
centuries had successfully resisted a
, attempts of the Spanish army to subjl
| gate them.
t Up to that point something Of a pa
, allel may be found in the careers {
, Wood and Pershing. Each had mao
e brilliant regulations as Indian fighter
and each had been picked by Presider
Roosevelt for extraordinary promotio
70 because Of their high promise Of mil
7 tary ability. Roosevelt had made Woo
,