The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-03-20
LEONARD WOODS
ACTIVE CAREER
Brief Story of His Life as Doctor,
Soldier and Statesman-Hjs
BOyhood and Student Days.
BY JOHN G. HOLME.

On December l.. 1892 Leonard
Wood d Major-Generai of Volunteers
in the United States Army. received
/ one of the most remarkable orders that
| any government has ever issued to
/ any army officer
/ He was made GovernorGeneral of
! an island which for four hundred
years had been colonial dependency
of one of Ole most reactionary mon
arches on the face OF the earth and
WIS CoFi manded to train its million
ana half inhabitants, who had never
has any voice in their government, for
republican self-government. He was
ordered TO perform this gigantic task
Us quickly as possible. for the diplo-
matte telescopes of all the govern
mems Of the world were trained on the
United States and the island, which
happened 10 be, in natural resources,
probably the richest spot Of its size on
the globe. The governments of Eu-
rope. Asia and South America wanted
&c know whether Uncle Sam really
meant what he said when he pledged
himself 10 free Cuba. or whether he
Was really going to annex Cuba with
her inexhaustible sugar bowl.
The work b6Eore Wood was TO build.
rebuild and repair all the civil insti-
,utions OF Cuba. such as the courts, the
customs and postal departments, the !
school and electoral systems, establish
lines OF communication. expel the cpl |
dego.GS, train native public officials and
supervise the writing Of the Constitu- |
ton. When Cuba was able to stand |!
on her own feet, Wood was to come !
home.
Two years before the man who was
commanded to perform this extraordi- !,
nary task mad been en- obscure army /.
doctor with the rank and pay of a cap \
tain. He had distinguished himself in
the Spanish-American War as Colonel
OF the Rough Riders. the famous regi-
ment OF aristocrats and coxpunchers
OF which Theodore Roosevelt later be-
came the commander when Wood was
advanced TO the rank of Brigadier-Gea-
eral. Wood had done big lob as
Miiitary-Governor Of Santiago de Cuba,
and his success there had paved the
way for his Governorship Of all Cuba.
Now that he looms big as Presidential
the American people are
more than ever interested In his ca
reer, in the forces and influences which
have shaped his active life.
Leonard Wood was born in the vii
lage of Winchester, \. H., On October
D. 1860 and is therefore ffry-nine
~sars az age. He comes of an old
American stock which settled in New
England long before the Revelation. :
One OF his ancestors. Peresrine White.
was the 6rst white child born In
piymoath colony. Another ancestor.
Iohn Nixon. was one OF Washfngton's
Brigadiers. fighting through the Revo-
ution. Leonard Woods father. DR..
Charles Jewett Wood. left his wife and
infant son, the future General. to re-
pond 70 Iincoln's first call for solun-
GERS. Re was inyallded home lust be-
ore the Cnnfederacy surrendered.
After The Civil War the family NOV
d TO Cape Cod, Massachusetts, set
Ing in the VILLAGE of Pecassee. where
.eenard Wood grew up. attended the
istSct school and later Pierce Aeade-
". MifGleh0ro Mass. Here he dis '
ngptsaeyi himself as, an ail-around
.h'ete, He Showed = fo2iaess for the
ara hsstorv. Ia his ya~S he :
as FarSeverial< rather .isaa ready.
tTn fse eanr'nue