566 FAMOUS LIVING AMERICANS among the officers — especially the West Pointers — a trace of resentment over Wood's rapid advancement, but his thor- ough fitness for the high honors given him and the unassum- ing way in which he bore them took the sting from the thought. A young officer in the Philippine service is quoted by Robert H. Murray as follows : *
- *When Wood came out in 1903, the army in the Philip-
pines didn 't know him. There were plenty of officers who re- viled him as a favorite of the White House and ^'cussed him ouf for it. The worst were the old fellows whom he had jumped, and the youngsters took their cue from them. He was a doctor, he wasn't a soldier, they said. But that didn't last long after Wood started in down at Mindanao. Pretty soon part of the army began to realize that he was a hustler ; that he knew a good deal about the soldier's game ; that he did things and did them right ; that, when he sent troops into the field, he went along with them; that, when they had to eat hard-tack and bacon, he did it, too; that, when there were swamps to plod through, he was right along with them ; that, when the reveille sounded before day-break, he was usually up and dressed before us ; that, when a man was down and out and he happened to be near, he 'd get off his horse and see what the matter was and fix the fellow up if he could ; that he had a pleasant word for all hands, from the Colonel down to the teamster or packer ; that when he gave an order it was a sensible one, and he didn't change it after it went out; and that he remembered a man who did a good piece of work, and showed his appreciation at every chance.
- *Well, the youngsters began to swear by Wood, and the
old chaps followed ; so that from * * cussing him out" they began to respect him, then to admire and love him. That's the word — love. It's the easiest thing in the world now to pick a fight out there by saying something against Wood. It is al- ways the same when men come in contact with him. I don't honestly believe there is a man in the department now who wouldn't go to hell and back for Leonard Wood. He draws men to him, they feel that he is a big man. Take the older
- World*8 Work, October, 1908.
