Modern Americans Part 3

The most important battle in which the Rough Riders engaged was that of San Juan Hill, July 1 and 2, 1898. This helped to decide the war.

Roosevelt led the charge. His horse became entangled in a barb wire fence, but he jumped off, ran ahead, and still kept in front of his men. He lived up to his advice, "When in doubt, go ahead."

At the close of the war, when the Rough Riders returned to the United States, they landed on Long Island and the country rang with applause.

The men could talk of no one but their commander, Colonel Roosevelt.

The last night in camp was given over to a great celebration, and when goodbyes were said, he told them, "Outside of my own family I shall always feel stronger ties exist between you and me than exist between me and anyone else on earth."

After his bravery in the war, every one in the United States admired Theodore Roosevelt, and was glad to honor him. He was elected Governor of the State of New York. Two years later, when William McKinley was made president, Roosevelt was chosen as vice-president. He had held this office but three months when President McKinley was killed, and Theodore Roosevelt became president of the country he loved to serve.

In 1904 he was elected president to succeed himself, and so for seven and one-half years he gave his energies to the greatest office in our country.

When his duties in the White House ended, he went on a long hunting trip to South Africa. There he killed many strange and savage animals.

These he had mounted and sent home to government museums so they could be observed and studied.

Returning to the United States as a private citizen, he spent much time in writing, for he had always liked to set down his ideas and experiences. If you look in a library catalogue, you will find Theodore Roosevelt wrote more than twenty books during his life.

He died at his Sagamore Hill home in 1920, after a life of vigorous activity to the last.

So we see he was a cowboy, a hunter, an author, a soldier, and president, but it was not for any of these achievements alone that we honor Theodore Roosevelt. It is because he was first, last, and always, an American, eager to serve our country and follow its free flag.

"_Speak softly and carry a big stick._"

ROOSEVELT'S FAVORITE PROVERB.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GENERAL JOHN J. PERs.h.i.+NG ON A FAVORITE MOUNT]

JOHN PERs.h.i.+NG

For two long years we in America watched the progress of the great European War. Again and again, as we read the accounts of battles in which thousands of the brightest, best educated young men in Europe were cut down, we ardently prayed that we in America might escape the scourge of war. Protected by the broad Atlantic, we hoped that we might not be drawn into this vortex of destruction.

Finally, all our hopes were blasted when Germany, with her sly submarines, began sinking our s.h.i.+ps and drowning our citizens. As this was more than any honorable nation could endure, we, too, took up arms against Germany.

No sooner had we entered the war than the task of raising a large army was earnestly begun, and within a few weeks training camps were established in every part of our country. After raising the army the next most important task was to find a general big enough to lead it.

In this hour of need the nation turned to General John Pers.h.i.+ng, and asked him to lead our boys on the b.l.o.o.d.y battle fields of Europe.

As soon as he was chosen, General Pers.h.i.+ng, better known as "Jack"

Pers.h.i.+ng, sailed for Europe. Days before he arrived the eyes of all Europe were turned in eager expectation, and as soon as he reached there, the people gave him a joyous welcome and extended to him every possible courtesy. From the first, Europe liked General Pers.h.i.+ng.

Tall, broad shouldered, deep-chested, with frank, clear eyes, he impressed all with the fact that he was indeed a soldier.

The social life of London and Paris had small attraction for General Pers.h.i.+ng; he was restless for the battle front that he might thoroughly learn the war game, so that he could better teach it to our American boys. For weeks, a.s.sociating with French and English officers, he studied methods of modern warfare. As he was doing this a vast army of American boys landed in France, and it has now fallen to the lot of General Jack Pers.h.i.+ng to lead these brave lads into the midst of the most deadly war of all time.

Who then is Jack Pers.h.i.+ng? Where did he come from, and what has he done that should merit the confidence thus placed in him?

General Pers.h.i.+ng was born in Linn County, Missouri, Sept. 13, 1860. As his parents were poor, young Jack, from very early in life, had to work hard. Able to attend school for only a few months each winter, the lad often longed for a better opportunity to get an education.

Finally he was able to go for a term to the Normal School at Kirksville, Missouri. This was a proud day for him. But soon he had to quit school as his money had given out. Fortunately, he was able to pa.s.s the teacher's examination, and soon began teaching a country school. Now that he had a taste of knowledge, he resolved not to stop until he had secured a good education. Accordingly, he was soon back in the Normal School, where he was graduated at the age of twenty.

In less than a month after his graduation, he learned of a compet.i.tive examination for entrance into West Point Military Academy. With no rich or influential friends to help him, the young normal graduate had little hope of getting into West Point. So excellent, however, were his examination papers that the poor Missouri boy was readily accepted and soon became a student in this great Military Academy. How fortunate that he was a hard working student and pa.s.sed that examination, otherwise America today would be without General Pers.h.i.+ng.

Relieved of all financial burden, for the government paid all his expenses in West Point, he settled down to four years of hard work. So successful was he in this work that upon his graduation he was made senior cadet captain--the highest honor West Point can give to any student.

Immediately after graduation he was sent into New Mexico and Arizona to help settle Indian difficulties. Life among the cowboys and Indians was indeed exciting, but perhaps his most exciting experience was with an Apache Chief by the name of Geronimo. This old chief, with his group of warriors, had defied the entire United States for two years.

Finally he fled into Mexico and young Pers.h.i.+ng with his army was sent in pursuit. Odd as it may seem, the old Indian chief took almost the same route through Mexico that Villa followed some thirty years later.

No doubt General Pers.h.i.+ng in his pursuit of Villa often thought of his experiences years before when after Geronimo and his warriors.

After spending several years in the Southwest, at the age of thirty, he was made Professor of Military Tactics in the University of Nebraska. Here he remained four years during which time, in addition to his work as teacher, he completed the law course in the University.

His next promotion pleased him greatly, for he was chosen a professor in his old school, West Point, where he remained but one year when the Cuban War broke out. Immediately he felt his country's call, and with the Tenth United States Cavalry sailed for Cuba.

No sooner did he land than he found himself in the thick of the war. Among the hardest battles he was in were those at San Juan Hill and Santiago de Cuba. Twice during this war he was recommended for brevet commissions "for personal gallantry, untiring energy, and faithfulness." General Baldwin, under whom he served, had this to say of him, "I have been in many fights, through the Civil War, but Captain Pers.h.i.+ng is the coolest man under fire I ever saw."

At the close of the Cuban War he was made Commissioner of Insular Affairs with headquarters in Was.h.i.+ngton. Here he remained but a short time when again he heard his country's call and was sent to the far distant Philippine Islands.

The task a.s.signed him was by no means easy. On Mindanao, one of the larger islands in the group, lived the Moros. So cruel and fierce were they that during all the years Spain held the Islands she had never attempted to civilize them. To Pers.h.i.+ng was given the task of going back into the mountains and capturing these Moros. To him was a.s.signed the most stubborn problem the Islands presented.

The best description of this Moro campaign is written by Rowland Thompson who says: "Up in the hills of western Mindanao some thirty miles from the sea, lies Lake Linao, and around it live one hundred thousand fierce, proud, uncivilized Mohammedans, a set of murderous farmers who loved a fight so well that they were willing at any time to die for the joy of combat, whose simple creed makes the killing of Christians a virtue.

"Pers.h.i.+ng warned the hot-head of them all, the Sultan, if there were any further trouble he would destroy their stronghold. The Sultan in his fortress, with walls of earth and living bamboo forty feet thick, laughed at the warning. In two days his fortress was in ruins. So skillful was Pers.h.i.+ng's attack that he captured the stronghold with the loss of but two men."

In a similar manner he later took stronghold after stronghold until finally all the Moros were conquered. Having subdued the Moros he was then made Governor of the Island, holding the office until he was sent to help settle the bandit difficulty on the Mexican border.

In his journey from the Philippine Islands to the Mexican border, General Pers.h.i.+ng was called upon to fight the hardest battle of his entire life. Leaving his wife and four children at the Presidio Hotel in San Francisco, he went to El Paso, Texas, to rent a house. While in El Paso he was shocked to get a telegram stating that the Presidio had burned and that his wife and three daughters had perished in the flames. Surely this was enough to crush an ordinary man, but again he showed the superior qualities of his manhood by bearing up bravely, and continuing faithfully to perform the responsible tasks a.s.signed him.

Though the Mexican trouble did not give General Pers.h.i.+ng a chance to show his ability to lead men under fire, it did give him ample opportunity to convince his countrymen that he possessed remarkable skill in rounding up and developing a large army.

During the World War, General Pers.h.i.+ng was placed in command of the entire American Army in Europe and, through his wise council and able handling of his forces, was proclaimed one of the greatest officers who took part in this great war.

"_Lafayette, we are here!_"

--GENERAL PERs.h.i.+NG AT LAFAYETTE'S TOMB.

[Ill.u.s.tration: EX-PRESIDENT WILLIAM H. TAFT At His Son's Wedding]

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT