THE AMERICAN LEADER IN FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3169, 21 August 1917, Page 5

THE AMERICAN LEADER IN FRANCE

"BLACKJACK" FERSHING

A PERSONAL GLIMPSE

j Major-General John J. Pershing—or, as j-h.O is known among the rank and file ol his men, "Black Jack" Pershing-who leads the first United States expeditionary force, to Europe, is the youngest pi' iis rank in tho United States Army. Ho is iifty-three years old, and was Eraduatcd from West Point in 1886 as teenior cadet-captain, the highest honour Eny undergraduates can. achieve. Ho befeaxi active service at onco as Becond lieutenant of the Sixth United States Cavalry, one of tho regiments that was sent to round up the old Indian chief, Gerolimo, who, with his Apacho braves, was causing tuo United States no end of iroublo. Pershing rodo hard and soldiered much in the next ten years, chasing tho Indians over tho South-West. ,'.and on one occasion showed the stuif that was'going to ivjn for him in the lator years, lio raarqned his troop with m pack-traiu 140 miloa in forty-six hours. SGonoral Miles paid him a line tribute for this feat, and pointed to the Fact that Lieutenant Porshing "had brought in 'every man and ununal in. good condition." For seven years Lieutenant Pershine never know a promotion, but in ■1593 ho was raised to the rank of first lieutenant. He was assigned to the J'enth Cavalry, the crack negro command (hat afterwards won fame at tho San Juan plockhouse. Because of tho fact that he was appointed to the coloured troop ha earned tho sobriquet tf "Black Jack," '.which has stuck to him since. Pershing, as a young officer, applied [himself strictly to tho business of'lighting, 110 niado a thorough study of ■tactics, and is now generally known 'as tho best strategist ■in the army. (After his Indian campaigning, Lieutenant Pershinu was assigned to iVVcst Point as instructor, but when tho war -with. Spain was declared he at once applied for the command of the old "Tenth," and his regiment was among tho first to bo shipped to Cuba, where lie distinguished himseli in the field, winning tho applause of hie colonel. At the Jmttle of El Canej- he was promoted to the rank of captain for gallantry in aeUion.

In the Philippines. After tho signing 01 the Treaty of Paris ajid when tko American Mag was ■thrown, to the bruezo over me i'iiilipjnues, Captain l'eisuiug was ordered to duty in. our now possessions. Tliero the iiret military problem w.as the pacification at tho Moros, those iierco fignters who Jiavo 6iuco become organised under cur Government as the l-'hilippme Scouts, and are known among army men as u crack company 01 fighters. At lliut time, however, they were fiercely antagonistic to the United States,, refused lo accept ,tue assurances ol tuo good intentions of this Government, and fought the odvanco of the Americans step by step. [The New York "Times" describes Pershing's campaign, against the natives:— Pershing was ordered, to finish tho Moro campaign, aud was named Governor of Mindanao and commander of tbo troops operating in that paTt of the province where the Moro opposition was still a problem of tho first magnitude. From a distance of several thousands of miles tho job did not sound big at tho t ; me, but H more difficult task Tiae seldom,' if ever, been placed on the shoulders cf an officer of tlie regular army. Ho gritted iiis teeth" "and undertook the work with liis famous 6inile. He had a picked lot of regulars under him, every man of jvhom he know and trusted, and every one of whom knew and loved "Black Jack." Tho Moros that Pershing was called upon to bring to terms had n.ohilised in tho crater of an extinct volcano called Bud Dajo, on the island of Jolo. To drive them out had been a task with which the army had contended since HOG. I'ershing announced to his men that the Jloros were coming out of tho crater if it took him ten years to accomplish the job. Thero were 600 Moros—every one a Mohammedan fanatic—in the crater-forti-fication when Pershiug started "to eiean but the mountain-hole. Without Bud Dajo safely and securely in American control the Moro problem could never bo solved. With a thousand men, fialf oE them his own "trusted troopers and the others picked Filipino scouts, the campaign for Bud Da]O began. The Americans and the scouts had to proceed through miles and miles of dense jungles, opposed every yard of the way by the fierce Moros. But Persliiug kept on, and iinally ho fought his way to the foot of the mountain.

jungle-fighters cut a trail around tile mountain, and, fortifying ■themselves from attack from above, began the siege. Tho soldiers formed a complete cordon around the mountain and calmly instituted a campaign of watching for tho first sign of thu Moios leaving tho crater and waiting a chance to But thorn when they tried to cut through tho wirdon. In their retreat to the crater the Moros had been so hotly purfeued thait for onco they had beeii-unublu to taka -with them the supplies that ■would niako possible a long etaud. At last the "iron ring" began to make itself felt, and in email detachments the Moros tried to gain the open jungle by dashes through the American, cordon, livery dash was frustrated, the fanatics rushing forth to certain death. Finally, ou Christmas Day, 1911, the 400 Jloros ■etill in. tho crater did something a More seldom does—they inarched down the mountainside and surrendered. A few reached the jungle, but tho regulars pursued, beat the brush, and in tho end these desperadoes paid the penalty of their daring. Moros Subdued. Persbing then set about to complete tbo subjugation of tho lloros, and he accomplished tho task in Juue, 1913, when he won the Battle of Bagsag, where the natives had mado a last stand. Pershing's work in tho Philippines had naturally mado him a spectacular figure after the achievements of Fuuston had aroused Mich natural American approbation and delight. So tho Captain was sent to Manohuria to take a look at the squabble between tho Bear That Walks Like si Man and the Little Yellow Chap. He was attached to General Kuroki's staff, nnd what ho saw and what ho learned ho gave to tho Department in tho form of ono of its best, most compact, mid meaty reports ever filed by a military observer attached to armies in the held. In 1906 President Roosevelt jumped Captain Pershing over tho heads of b'62 officers, his seniors in rank and service, creating him a brigadier-general. Instantly there was a hubbub and furore, but tho President and tno advocates of Porshing's. causo remained firhi, and the tumult and tho ehouting died a natural death. Alter tho storm subsided tho ■truth was revealed. It developed, that Roosevelt did not want to make Pershing ii brigadier, but under tho law there was no authority to jump him over tho heads of the captains to a colonelcy. It was then a question of making him a general officer or keeping him rn his present rank. So Pershing became a brigadier. In Mexico, In January, 1916, General Pershing was assigned to the command of the Lighth

Brigade of the Tegular Army, with headquarters at El Pneo, Texas. After the ■Villa raid General Pershing commanded the punitive expedition into Mexico ami )ia*dled the problem in a manner entirely satisfactory to Iho Administration. Army officers have- Ion? predicted tlint xhnvHZ it become necessary for the Unito .States to send troops to Europe, General Pershing would lead iho first.. expedition. On the death of Major-Genoral Fnnstoii, General Pershing succeeded him in. rank and command. Ho remained on Ilia border until a fow weeks ago. when jie was summoned to Washington to lake command of the first American troops ever ordered across the ocean to battle in Europe. The "Ledger" recalls the romance of tho Roldfor's life:— About a year before Colonel Roosevelt, then President, addressed Congress on tho ever-rocurring question of promotions in the Army and Navy. Tho promotions usually wont by seniority, and tho csste in the Army was jealous of this tradition. Roosevelt, in a memorable ■message (o Congress, • n Jlncembrr 7, 1!X)3. wanted the seniority rule abridged, And specifically mentioned Cqptain IVrshing an a. gallant and distinguished qlliCflr who was held I)aclc by a trndition ihat Forced tay.oo and harm to tho wen

who might hvo licon advanced. In the gallcrj' during tho reading of his message was Miss Frances IVarreii. the daughter of United States Senator Francis F,. Warren, of Wyoming. Slio followed tho message- closely, and when leaving tho capital declared, that sho would liko to moot tho officer who had merited such commendation by tho President. Sho evidently lost no timo about it, for loss than two years afterwards the warrior and tho Senator's daughter were married.

Two years ago tragedy entered into the lifo of Genoral Pcrshing. His wifo and throe of his children wcro burned to death in his home. Warren, his five-year-old son, was rescued by tho servants. The blow was a hard one, but tho general met it liko & soldier.

"Black Jack" Pershing is loved by his men and respected by his superiors. Lean but rugged, his six feet and better every inch bone and muscle, he typifies the ideal cavalry officer. He has been broadened in executive service by several difficult posts. He cares little for swivel-chairs and desks, but ho dotes on boots and saddles.