Thereafter, for the next five years, Pershing's life was that of a
plainsman. He was successively at Fort Bayard, Fort Stanton, and Fort
Wingate, all in New Mexico, in the center of troubled country. In 1890
he was shifted north to take the field against the Sioux Indians, in
South Dakota, and in the Battle of Wounded Knee he had a considerable
taste of burnt powder, where the tribe that had massacred General
Custer and his band was practically wiped out. The next year he was
stationed at Fort Niobrara, in Nebraska, in command of the Sioux Indian
Scouts.
This rapid summary of a busy and adventurous life on the plains does
not convey any idea of its many activities. But it was an exceedingly
valuable period of training to the young officer. He was finding
himself, and learning something of the inner art of military science
that he was later to put to such good use.
Here is the opinion of an officer who was Pershing's senior in the
Sixth Cavalry by six years--all of them spent in the Apache country:
"In those days, when a youngster joined a regiment, he was not expected
to express himself on military matters until he had some little
experience. But there was a certain something in Pershing's appearance
and manner which made him an exception to the rule.
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