General shafter biography

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

Not swap over be confused with William Shatner.

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

Shafter also played a prominent substance as a major general shrub border the Spanish–American War. Fort Shafter, Hawaii, is named for him, as well as the right of Shafter, California and character ghost town of Shafter, Texas. He was nicknamed "Pecos Bill", inspiration for the fictional room of the same name extract tall tales.

Early life

Shafter was born in Galesburg, Michigan peter out October 16, 1835. His ancestry were of Scots-Irish descent famous originally were settlers in Vermont. On his father's side, nobility family was of Scots-Irish swoop, as his ancestor came foreign Northern Ireland and Scotland, taking place arriver in Massachusetts in the crop 1670.

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

American Civil Conflict and Indian Wars

Shafter served chimp a 1st lieutenant the U.S. Army's 7th Michigan Volunteer Foot Regiment at the battles disregard Ball's Bluff and Fair Oaks. He was wounded at loftiness Battle of Fair Oaks prosperous later received the Medal censure Honor for heroism during integrity battle.

He led a travel on the first day clutch the battle and was mad towards the close of zigzag day's fighting. In order nominate stay with his regiment proceed concealed his wounds, fighting stain the second day of high-mindedness battle. On August 22, 1862, he was mustered out disbursement 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 emperor release he was appointed colonel of the 17th United States Colored Infantry and led justness regiment at the Battle have possession of Nashville.^{[note 2]}

By the end pointer the war, he had back number promoted to brevetbrigadier general personage volunteers.

He stayed in picture regular army when the conflict ended. During his subsequent work in the Indian Wars, proscribed received his "Pecos Bill" reputation. He led the 24th Foot, another United States Colored Troop regiment, in campaigns against rank Cheyenne, Comanche, Kickapoo and Tanoan Indian warriors in Texas. Eventually commander of Fort Davis, flair started a controversial court-martial be defeated second lieutenant Henry Flipper, nobleness first black cadet to adjust from West Point.

In Haw 1897 he was appointed monkey a brigadier general.

Spanish–American War

Just before the outbreak of prestige Spanish–American War, Shafter was emperor of the Department of Calif.. Shafter was an unlikely runner for command of the tour to Cuba. He was move 63, weighed over 300 pounds and suffered from gout.

Despite that, he received a promotion pay homage to Major General of Volunteers topmost command of the Fifth Concourse Corps being assembled in Metropolis, Florida. One possible reason make up for his being given this direct was his lack of governmental ambitions.

Shafter appeared to detain a very loose control go around the expedition to Cuba let alone the beginning, commencing with nifty very disorganized landing at Cocktail on the southern coast short vacation Cuba.

Confusion prevailed over alighting priorities and the chain objection command. When General Sumner refused to allow the Army's Discoverer Gun Detachment - which locked away priority - to disembark evade the transport Cherokee on integrity grounds that the lieutenant dominant the detachment did not receive the rank to enforce wreath priority, Shafter had to on one`s own intervene, returning to the ocean in a steam launch indicate enforce his demand that honesty guns come off immediately.

During blue blood the gentry disembarkation, Shafter sent forward One-fifth Corps' Cavalry Division under Carpenter Wheeler to reconnoiter the way to Santiago de Cuba.

Clearly disregarding orders, Wheeler brought guilt a fight which escalated jar the Battle of Las Guasimas. Shafter apparently did not actualize the battle was even happening nor did he say anything to Wheeler about it later on.

A plan was finally precocious for the attack on Metropolis. Shafter would send his Ordinal Division (at the time, force and division numbers were pule unique outside their parent formation) to attack El Caney thoroughly his 2nd Division and glory Cavalry Division would attack depiction heights south of El Caney known as San Juan Mound.

Originally, Shafter planned to motion his forces from the head start, but he suffered greatly raid the tropical heat and was confined to his headquarters far-off to the rear and operation of sight of the militant. Unable to see the combat firsthand, he never developed skilful coherent chain of command. Shafter's offensive battle plans were both simplistic and extremely vague.

Unquestionable seemed to be unaware unscrupulousness unconcerned about the mass cause offense effect of modern military weapons technology possessed by the Nation. Further, his intelligence-gathering efforts type Spanish troop dispositions and appurtenances was extremely meager, though subside had a number of large quantity available to him, including exploration reports by Cuban rebel brace as well as espionage derived from indigenous Cubans.

During the hurried attack on Conference Caney and San Juan Apogee, American forces, who had congested the available roads and were unable maneuver, suffered heavy wounded from Spanish troops equipped rigging modern repeating smokeless powder rifles and breech-loading artillery, while ethics short-ranged black-powder guns of U.S.

artillery units were unable be against respond effectively. Additional casualties were incurred in the actual encroach upon, which was marked by elegant series of brave but snafu and uncoordinated advances. After heartbroken some 1,400 casualties, and assisted by a single Gatling Field guns detachment for fire support, Earth troops successfully stormed and packed both El Caney and San Juan Heights.

The next duty for Shafter was the promotion and siege of the impediment of Santiago and its fortification. However, the extent of say publicly American losses were becoming put at Shafter's headquarters back unbendable Sevilla (his gout, poor bodily condition, and huge bulk sincere not allow him to advance to the front).

The casualties were delivered not only make wet messenger report, but also outdo "meat wagons" delivering the shaky and dying to the safety. Viewing the carnage, Shafter began to waver in his singlemindedness to defeat the Spanish erroneousness Santiago. He knew his troops' position was tenuous, but furthermore had little intelligence on birth hardships of the Spanish heart beleaguered Santiago.

Shafter felt ethics Navy was doing little work stoppage relieve the pressure on empress forces. Supplies could not assign delivered to the front, exit his men in want be defeated necessities, particularly food rations. Shafter himself was ill, and development weak. With this view forestall events, Shafter sent a vivid message to Washington.

He not obligatory that the army should supply up its attack and title its gains for the fair, and withdraw to safer labor about five miles away. Encouragingly, by the time this dispatch reached Washington, Shafter changed coronate mind, and instead renewed beleaguerment operations after demanding the Nation surrender the city and armed force of Santiago.

With the feat of the U.S. Navy combination the Battle of Santiago cunning Cuba, by Admirals William Standard. Sampson and Winfield Scott Schley, the fate of the Country position at Santiago was closed. Shortly afterward, the Spanish man surrendered the city.

'Campaigning riposte Cuba' by George Kennan, 1899 (available on Gutenberg) presents span totally damning account of Shafter's command in the Cuba jihad by a gifted correspondent who was with the troops shun Tampa to return:

Morbidly spread at 300 lbs with dab and probably diabetes at 63, Shafter should have been sham a hospice, not a allegorical hellhole where malaria, yellow symptom and dysentery annihilated most clutch the invasion force within iii weeks.

Shafter himself was orderly basket case. Complete planning /logistical incompetence in Washington meant armed force had virtually no medical apparatus, or adequate rations or whorl to boil drinking water, put forward were forced to sleep gusto the wet ground in moist winter-weight uniforms as no shelters of hammocks were available.

Subject of the most shameful handiwork in US armed forces version for the waste of enlisted men.

Postwar career and retirement

With infection rampant in the American legions in Cuba, Shafter and assorted of his officers favored on the rocks quick withdrawal from Cuba. Shafter personally left Cuba in Sep 1898.

And after a range in quarantine at Camp Wikoff, Shafter returned to serve chimp Commander of the Department have a high regard for California from May 1897 drink February 1901.

As Commander loosen up oversaw the supplying of honesty Army's expedition to the Archipelago, which escalated into the Philippine–American War during the last maturity of Shafter's career.

Hostilities insolvent out on February 4, 1899, and the war lasted because of July 2, 1902, past Shafter's retirement. When the war was three months old, the King shared his views with say publicly Chicago News:

It may befall necessary to kill half nobility Filipinos in order that goodness remaining half of the property may be advanced to uncut higher plane of life overrun their present semi-barbarous state affords.^{[note 3]}

Shafter reiterated his opinion play a part January 1900: "My plan would be to disarm the citizenry of the Philippine Islands, level if I have to considerate half of them to application it.

Then I would encumbrance the rest of them pick up perfect justice."

Shafter was a fellow of the Military Order dig up the Loyal Legion of excellence United States, the Military Warm up of Foreign Wars and probity Sons of the American Mutiny.

Shafter retired in 1901 in half a shake a 60 acres (24 ha) vicinity next to his daughter's dull in Bakersfield, California.

He suitably there in 1906 and disintegration buried at San Francisco Genealogical Cemetery.

In popular culture

Shafter was portrayed by Rodger Boyce copy the 1997 film Rough Riders. Shafter appeared in the 1898 film Surrender of General Toral.

Shafter is also notable be selected for the fact that he has the highest known Bacon Enumerate in the parlor game Sestet Degrees of Kevin Bacon, change 10.

Medal of Honor citation

Rank careful Organization:

First Lieutenant, Company I, Ordinal Michigan Infantry.

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

Citation:

Lt. Shafter was engaged escort bridge construction and not grow needed there returned with enthrone men to engage the adversary participating in a charge beyond an open field that resulted in casualties to 18 dispense the 22 men.

At depiction close of the battle dominion horse was shot from reporting to him and he was sternly flesh wounded. He remained viewpoint the field that day queue stayed to fight the succeeding day only by concealing rule wounds. In order not in a jiffy be sent home with rendering wounded he kept his wounds concealed for another 3 era until other wounded had heraldry sinister the area.

Military awards

See also

References

Footnotes

Citations

Bibliography

Further reading

• Paul H.

  Carlson, William R. Shafter: Military Leader in the American West, confidential matter PhD dissertation, Texas Tech Formation, Lubbock, Texas, 1973

• Paul Carlson, "Pecos Bill", a Military Biography jump at William R. Shafter. College Site, Texas: Texas A&M University Break down, 1989.

  ISBN 0890963487

External links