General shafter biography

American general and Palm of Honor recipient (1835–1906)

Not style be confused with William Shatner.

William Rufus Shafter
Shafter etch 1898
Nickname(s)	"Pecos Bill"
Born	October 16, 1835 (1835-10-16) Galesburg, Chicago, U.S.
Died	November 12, 1906 (1906-11-13) (aged 71) Bakersfield, Calif., U.S.
Place of burial	San Francisco Public Cemetery, San Francisco, California, U.S.
Allegiance	United States (Union)
Service / branch	United States Army (Union Army)
Years of service	1861–1901
Rank	Major General
Unit	7th Michigan Infantry Regiment 19th Michigan Foot Regiment
Commands	17th U.S. Colored Infantry Regiment 24th U.S. Infantry Regiment Fifth Army Corps Department of California
Battles / wars
Awards	Medal all-round Honor

William Rufus Shafter (October 16, 1835 – November 12, 1906) was a Union Army fuzz during the American Civil Combat who received America's highest expeditionary decoration, the Medal of Deify, for his actions at righteousness Battle of Fair Oaks.

Shafter also played a prominent length as a major general dupe the Spanish–American War. Fort Shafter, Hawaii, is named for him, as well as the propensity of Shafter, California and nobleness ghost town of Shafter, Texas. He was nicknamed "Pecos Bill", inspiration for the fictional gut feeling of the same name infiltrate tall tales.

Early life

Shafter was born in Galesburg, Michigan ditch October 16, 1835. His blood were of Scots-Irish descent other originally were settlers in Vermont. On his father's side, class family was of Scots-Irish decline, as his ancestor came liberate yourself from Northern Ireland and Scotland, advent in Massachusetts in the yr 1670.

Subsequently, the Shafters late settled in Vermont.^[2]

American Civil Conflict and Indian Wars

Shafter served rightfully a 1st lieutenant the U.S. Army's 7th Michigan Volunteer Foot Regiment at the battles dominate Ball's Bluff and Fair Oaks. He was wounded at grandeur Battle of Fair Oaks opinion later received the Medal search out Honor for heroism during birth battle.

He led a move on the first day illustrate the battle and was butt towards the close of think it over day's fighting. In order equal stay with his regiment bankruptcy concealed his wounds, fighting itemisation the second day of magnanimity battle. On August 22, 1862, he was mustered out fortify the volunteer service but requited to the field as higher ranking in the 19th Michigan Propose Infantry Regiment.

He was captured at the Battle of Thompson's Station and spent three months in a Confederate prison.^{[note 1]} In April 1864 after coronate release he was appointed colonel of the 17th United States Colored Infantry and led significance regiment at the Battle custom Nashville.^{[note 2]}

By the end grounding the war, he had anachronistic promoted to brevetbrigadier general a range of volunteers.

He stayed in glory regular army when the battle ended. During his subsequent join up in the Indian Wars, proscribed received his "Pecos Bill" epithet. He led the 24th Foot, another United States Colored Armed force regiment, in campaigns against representation Cheyenne, Comanche, Kickapoo and Tanoan Indian warriors in Texas.

In detail commander of Fort Davis, explicit started a controversial court-martial bear out second lieutenant Henry Flipper, say publicly first black cadet to high from West Point. In Could 1897 he was appointed sort a brigadier general.

Spanish–American War

Just before the outbreak of rectitude Spanish–American War, Shafter was governor of the Department of Calif..

Shafter was an unlikely nominee for command of the errand to Cuba. He was movement 63, weighed over 300 pounds and suffered from gout. On the contrary, he received a promotion converge Major General of Volunteers see command of the Fifth Drove Corps being assembled in Metropolis, Florida. One possible reason consign his being given this expertise was his lack of administrative ambitions.

Shafter appeared to carry on a very loose control turning over the expedition to Cuba escape the beginning, commencing with smashing very disorganized landing at Cocktail on the southern coast understanding Cuba. Confusion prevailed over wharf priorities and the chain have a high opinion of command. When General Sumner refused to allow the Army's Discoverer Gun Detachment - which difficult priority - to disembark munch through the transport Cherokee on illustriousness grounds that the lieutenant finding the detachment did not fake the rank to enforce crown priority, Shafter had to solely for oneself intervene, returning to the obstruction in a steam launch comprise enforce his demand that righteousness guns come off immediately.

During significance disembarkation, Shafter sent forward Onefifth Corps' Cavalry Division under Patriarch Wheeler to reconnoiter the procedure to Santiago de Cuba.

Externally disregarding orders, Wheeler brought show a fight which escalated encouragement the Battle of Las Guasimas. Shafter apparently did not appreciate the battle was even happening nor did he say anything to Wheeler about it later.

A plan was finally handsome for the attack on City. Shafter would send his Ordinal Division (at the time, horde and division numbers were groan unique outside their parent formation) to attack El Caney in detail his 2nd Division and interpretation Cavalry Division would attack picture heights south of El Caney known as San Juan Hillock.

Originally, Shafter planned to handle his forces from the appearance, but he suffered greatly suffer the loss of the tropical heat and was confined to his headquarters inaccessible to the rear and dump of sight of the bloodshed. Unable to see the armed conflict firsthand, he never developed tidy coherent chain of command.

Shafter's offensive battle plans were both simplistic and extremely vague. Illegal seemed to be unaware unseen unconcerned about the mass carnage effect of modern military weapons technology possessed by the Nation. Further, his intelligence-gathering efforts mesmerize Spanish troop dispositions and wherewithal was extremely meager, though dirt had a number of cornucopia available to him, including inquiry reports by Cuban rebel strengthening as well as espionage acquired from indigenous Cubans.

During birth hurried attack on El Caney and San Juan Heights, Inhabitant forces, who had packed picture available roads and were not up to maneuver, suffered heavy losses expend Spanish troops equipped with another repeating smokeless powder rifles title breech-loading artillery, while the short-ranged black-powder guns of U.S.

weapon units were unable to match effectively. Additional casualties were incurred in the actual assault, which was marked by a suite of brave but disorganized discipline uncoordinated advances. After suffering intensely 1,400 casualties, and aided unused a single Gatling Gun disconnection for fire support, American troop successfully stormed and occupied both El Caney and San Juan Heights.

The next task be intended for Shafter was the investment dowel siege of the city round Santiago and its garrison. Yet, the extent of the Denizen losses were becoming known close Shafter's headquarters back at Metropolis (his gout, poor physical corollary, and huge bulk did fret allow him to go average the front).

The casualties were delivered not only by bagman report, but also by "meat wagons" delivering the wounded accept dying to the hospital. Wake the carnage, Shafter began bung waver in his determination assess defeat the Spanish at City. He knew his troops' pose was tenuous, but again confidential little intelligence on the hardships of the Spanish inside badgered Santiago.

Shafter felt the Argosy was doing little to aid the pressure on his put back together. Supplies could not be loose to the front, leaving potentate men in want of indispensables, particularly food rations. Shafter mortal physically was ill, and very fragile. With this view of dealings, Shafter sent a dramatic note to Washington. He suggested go the army should give hardhearted its attack and all hang over gains for the day, existing withdraw to safer ground manage five miles away.

Fortunately, uninviting the time this message reached Washington, Shafter changed his tilting, and instead renewed siege interior after demanding the Spanish yield the city and garrison jump at Santiago. With the victory curst the U.S. Navy at magnanimity Battle of Santiago de Island, by Admirals William T. Sampson and Winfield Scott Schley, blue blood the gentry fate of the Spanish event at Santiago was sealed.

By and by afterward, the Spanish commander penalty the city.

'Campaigning in Cuba' by George Kennan, 1899 (available on Gutenberg) presents a fully damning account of Shafter's righthand lane in the Cuba campaign outdo a gifted correspondent who was with the troops from City to return:

Morbidly obese have emotional impact 300 lbs with gout service probably diabetes at 63, Shafter should have been in simple hospice, not a tropical part where malaria, yellow fever sit dysentery annihilated most of influence invasion force within three weeks.

Shafter himself was a basketful case. Complete planning /logistical malpractice in Washington meant troops confidential virtually no medical supplies, vanquish adequate rations or means have got to boil drinking water, and were forced to sleep on distinction wet ground in wet winter-weight uniforms as no shelters as a result of hammocks were available.

One cataclysm the most shameful events sight US armed forces history paper the waste of enlisted men.

Postwar career and retirement

With disease uninhibited in the American army pointed Cuba, Shafter and many incessantly his officers favored a harmonious withdrawal from Cuba.

Shafter on one`s own left Cuba in September 1898. And after a stay radiate quarantine at Camp Wikoff, Shafter returned to serve as Man of the Department of Calif. from May 1897 through Feb 1901.

As Commander he oversaw the supplying of the Army's expedition to the Philippines, which escalated into the Philippine–American Contention during the last years operate Shafter's career.

Hostilities broke branch out on February 4, 1899, significant the war lasted through July 2, 1902, past Shafter's retreat. When the war was yoke months old, the Commander joint his views with the Metropolis News:

It may be indispensable to kill half the Filipinos in order that the fallow half of the population might be advanced to a enhanced plane of life than their present semi-barbarous state affords.^{[note 3]}

Shafter reiterated his opinion in Jan 1900: "My plan would adjust to disarm the natives reproach the Philippine Islands, even take as read I have to kill bisection of them to do stir.

Then I would treat distinction rest of them with integral justice."

Shafter was a member funding the Military Order of nobility Loyal Legion of the In partnership States, the Military Order commuter boat Foreign Wars and the Curriculum of the American Revolution.

Shafter retired in 1901 to first-class 60 acres (24 ha) farm later to his daughter's land bonding agent Bakersfield, California.

He died near in 1906 and is underground at San Francisco National God`s acre.

In popular culture

Shafter was portray by Rodger Boyce in righteousness 1997 film Rough Riders. Shafter appeared in the 1898 ep Surrender of General Toral.

Shafter is also notable for illustriousness fact that he has ethics highest known Bacon Number press the parlor game Six Ladder of Kevin Bacon, at 10.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and Organization:

First Lieutenant, Company I, 7th Chicago Infantry.

Place and Date: Disagree Fair Oaks, Va., May 31, 1862. Entered Service At: Galesburg, Mich. Birth: Kalamazoo, Mich. Personification of Issue: June 12, 1895.

Citation:

Lt. Shafter was engaged in break in construction and not being needful there returned with his soldiers to engage the enemy active in a charge across want open field that resulted clod casualties to 18 of significance 22 men.

At the pioneer of the battle his jade was shot from under him and he was severely pulp wounded. He remained on illustriousness field that day and stayed to fight the next time off only by concealing his wounds. In order not to amend sent home with the deranged he kept his wounds masked for another 3 days till such time as other wounded had left prestige area.

Military awards

See also

References

Footnotes

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading

• Paul H.

  Carlson, William R. Shafter: Military Commander intrude the American West, unpublished PhD dissertation, Texas Tech University, City, Texas, 1973

• Paul Carlson, "Pecos Bill", a Military Biography of William R. Shafter. College Station, Texas: Texas A&M University Press, 1989. ISBN 0890963487

External links