eholders as the fore-runners of a mighty host which
was determined to help clear the world of the German menace to life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness. General Pershing, the fifth full
general of the United States, is the successor to Washington, Grant,
Sherman and Sheridan. So modest has been his career, so great his
reluctance to appear in print, that many, even in his own nation, are
not familiar with the deeds he has done. He has not sought promotion,
but promotion sought him. Apparently, at times, in far away provinces,
he has been banished to obscurity. Seven years passed before he was
raised from the rank of a second lieutenant to a first lieutenancy, and
yet the year 1917 found him in command of the American Expeditionary
Forces in France, the first leader of American troops to land with drawn
swords on the soil of Europe. The record is marvelous and it is also
inspiring. What manner of man is this commander? What is the story of
his life? Who were his father and mother? Where did he come from? How
did he develop the powers that led one American President to advance
him eight hundred and sixty-two points at one time and caused another
President to select him as the one man to command the soldiers of the
United States in France? What are his qualifications--mental, moral and
physical?

This story is an attempt to answer these questions in such a manner that
the people of his own land may be able to understand a part at least of
the career of the man behind the general. It does not try to analyze
critically the military career of General John Joseph Pershing, nor does
it primarily portray the development of the soldier. It is rather a
modest recital of the leading events in the life of Pershing, the man,
who became Pershing, the General.

CHAPTER II

BIRTH AND EARLY HOME

FROM this, the time of our greatest war, we must drop back approximately
half a century to the time of our second greatest war. It is noteworthy
that General Pershing, our leader in the war for the world's freedom,
was born in the early days in the war for the negroes' freedom.

The future general first saw the light September 13, 1860, in or near
the little village of Laclede, Missouri. The lad was "from Missouri" and
the current semi-slang expression has certainly been true in his case.
One had to "show him," for he made up his mind, mapped out his own plans
and conducted his own studies and investigations. This characterist