"Pecos Bill": A Military Biography of William R. Shafter

Customer Reviews:

Revisionist History at Its Best.......2004-05-25

The image of William R. Shafter in American military history is one of a fat, incompetent buffoon who presided over one of the most disorganized escapades in our history, the American Expeditionary Force to Cuba in 1898. According to popular conception, what success that campaign did attain should be credited to Teddy Roosevelt or other commanders, not to Shafter. In this dandy military biography, Paul H. Carlson, a historian specializing in the development of Texas, has set out to correct these misconceptions and rescue Shafter from ill consideration and obscurity. The result is a fine addition to the literature of military biography and the Army during the latter nineteenth century.

Shafter, like so many Army officers during the Gilded Age, served well with volunteer units, most of them from his home state of Michigan, in the Civil War. With the Army of the Potomac at Ball's Bluff and the Peninsular Campaign, Shafter distinguished himself as a capable and effective junior officer. Later, with another regiment, Shafter served in the western theater, participating in the Tennessee campaigns. It was during this period that Shafter took command of his own regiment, a black infantry unit, earning a great deal of experience that served him later in the frontier army. By the end of the Civil War, Shafter had been promoted to brevet brigadier general of volunteers. In 1895 he would receive rather after the fact the Medal of Honor for gallantry at the battle of Fair Oaks Station on May 31, 1862.

When Shafter mustered out of service at the end of the war, he returned to Michigan but quickly found that he did not fit into civilian life any longer. In 1867 he applied for and received a commission in the regular Army and was sent to Texas as a lieutenant colonel of the 41st Infantry, a black regiment. Once again, he served with distinction.

Among his activities on the Texas frontier was the systematic exploration of the southern plains of the state. He was also involved in several Indian campaigns throughout the West, the most significant was probably the restoration efforts at Pine Ridge, South Dakota, following the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee. In 1894, Shafter commanded troops that maintained order in Los Angeles during the American Railway Union strike. Once again, in every instance, Shafter's superior officers considered him a capable, efficient, and results-oriented officer.

It made sense, therefore, that he would have been offered command of the American Expeditionary Force to Cuba during the Spanish-American War of 1898. Although by then a senior officer with a tremendous weight problem, Shafter was, with men like Sheridan gone from the Army, a reasonable choice. He had a broad base of experience, had been effective at every command, was a senior officer in the Army, and was a Civil War hero with a Medal of Honor to his credit. Even so, Carlson comments that the decision to give Shafter the command was largely political. Secretary of War Russell A. Alger, for instance, was a fellow Michigan native and looked kindly on Shafter, and Shatter had several other highly-placed friends supporting his appointment. Moreover, probably the best candidate, commanding general of the Army Nelson A. Miles, had political ambitions that opposed those of the Republicans and President McKinley was too astute a politician to give him the vehicle to make himself a war hero.

Shafter became the choice, then, and was promoted to major general of volunteers. According to Carlson, he did not do badly. Although he had his troubles, Carlson argues persuasively that most were related to Shafter's inexperience in organizing, equipping, and maneuvering large bodies of men. He had experience previously commanding nothing larger than the shrunken divisions of the frontier Army. Carlson presents a clear assessment of Shafter's strengths and weaknesses: "He failed to bring order at Tampa, the jumping off point for the expedition, neglected to draw clear lines of responsibility for staff officers and troop commanders, and too often overlooked important details. Indeed, his leadership may not have been decisive to the success of the expedition. Nonetheless, despite his shortcomings he moved an army of some 16,000 men a distance of 1,200 miles by water, landed on an enemy shore in open boats, in ten days drove the enemy back to his last line of entrenchments in front of Santiago de Cuba, and in fifteen days more compelled surrender of the city, the district, and an army of 24,000 men" (p 185). This is not the accomplishments, according to the author, of a buffoon.

Carlson's portrait of William R. Shafter, therefore, is a refreshing revisionist analysis of an important nineteenth century military figure. Perhaps at times the author is too persistent in trying to rescue Shafter from his reputation as an incompetent, but the arguments he makes are compelling. Even so, Carlson, does not paper over flaws in his character. Shafter was obstinate, profane, a womanizer, a sometimes drunk, and single-mindedly hard-boiled. He was also, Carlson admits, energetic, ambitious, self-reliant, and hard-working. When one finishes this book, there is a sense that Shafter was a flawed but capable figure. "Pecos Bill" is a fine book, well worth the reading.

A FANTASTICALLY WRITTEN HISTORY ABOUT A FORGOTTEN HERO!.......1996-09-18

Paul Carlson writes history like most novelist would like to write fiction. He is informative about his subject without being a bore. Shafter was the man who cleaned up after Wounded Knee, put down the Pullman Strike and led our Armed Forces in Cuba during the Spanish American War. Why wasn't he publicized as an American hero? Because, he was too fat, was involved in a scandle or two and wasn't popular with the press. Carlson tells it like it happened. And that makes this book the absolute best of its kind.

Jim Wynne

Customer Reviews:

Parent in Control.......2007-04-24

I am an attorney who has worked with Mr. Bodenhamer in juvenile court and I have seen firsthand the wonderful success he has had with the families and the kids. I have seen parents who are ready to give up!! After using his techniques, which are outlined in his books, the parents are amazed at the results. The kids like him too!! His methods are simple and easy to implement. I have seen him work with blended families, kids who are runaways, single moms and kids with drug problems. No matter what the problem, he has the answers.

No more arguing with your kids! It's like magic!

Not the Entire Truth.......2007-03-08

Bodenhamer has written a useful approach to children whose behavior has not responded well to more traditional approaches to behavior management. He presents a step by step plan to deal with disrespectful and uncooperative kids. He, nevertheless, glosses over what some other authors have presented in their works and portrays their approach as not realistic. He states that Rudolf Dreikurs, Dinkmeyer and McKay suggest parents ignore many behaviors that are annoying or even dangerous. He purposely, it seems, does not provide the reader with the full story of the approaches that Adlerian's like Dreikurs, Dinkmeyer and McKay really present. They do not simply suggest that ignoring behaviors will work in all circumstances. They provide additional techniques to take an active approach to such misbehaviors. Bodenhamer just glosses over the entire theory these other authors tell to justify his approach. While his ideas do apply to children whose behavior is chronically disruptive, even his approach of simply staing your rules and insisting the child obey is not terribly efficacious without some sort of relationship and effective communication skills.

What a Joke!.......2007-03-03

This text is not meant for parents who truly need assistance. The author has a clear distain for the mental health profession and other professions designed to assist families in crisis. He offered no clear directives in how to address problem behavior, only to suggest the parents use structure, discipline, and love. This author clearly misses the mark for families who have provided these items to these children and the children are still "out-of-control". My guess is the author has not experienced the issue personally nor does he have children. Don't waste your time or money on this text, there are better ones out there.

From a Mother's Heart Who Knows!.......2000-10-02

EXCELLENT! Until my husband & I were given this wonderful book, along with his other book, "BACK IN CONTROL," we had exhausted countless hours in counseling, along with parenting book after book over the years, that didn't help, until Gregory Bodenhamers. I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN! I have given so MANY copies to other struggling parents of teens, like our son, along with "preaching" his techniques & words of wisdom on a daily basis with other parents I have spoken too. I call them, My Parent Bibles! Personally meeting Mr. Bodenhamer in his "Back In Control" workshops, he has a delightful, unique, & very funny way of bringing his words/skills to other parents, professionals, or anyone who works with troubled/struggling teens. His dedication shows thru & his heart is in the right place! I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND his books! They have given us the first sense of HOPE we had desperately needed. My Son has had control of our house for years, but UNTIL I READ THIS BOOK, I NEVER realized, even being a Nurse, HOW CRUCIAL it was to have a set "STRUCTURE," "CLEARLY DEFINED Rules," "CONSISTENT FOLLOW-THRU," & understanding what "MONITORING at the LEVEL OF NEED," means! Nursing school never taught me anything like these insightful books, when it comes to dealing with difficult kids! HOORAY! For Gregory, saving the day, to help us parents find a BETTER way!

From Publisher's Weekly - Publishers Weekly.......2000-08-04

Bodenhamer, a former probation officer who is director of the Back in Control Center in Portland, Ore., believes we are confronting ``the worst behaved generation of children in American history.'' For parents who need to retake charge of their children, he suggests a three-point focus based on ``rule-based discipline, supervision and emotional attachment.'' Offering sound, practical advice on dealing with provocative and manipulative verbal challenges raised by teenagers and early adolescents, he presents a convincing case for giving highly detailed ``job descriptions'' to teens (if McDonald's has a 600-page operations manual for its employees, parents shouldn't shy from explaining precisely how to take out the garbage). Bodenhamer directly faces such incendiary issues as sex, substance abuse and peer pressure (including that from gangs). Frequently, however, he sounds a reactionary note, as when he rails against the American Civil Liberties Union as the nation's ``most persistent enemy of adult authority'' and cites ``an inherited link between impulsive and immature unwed teenager parents and the impulsive and immature children to whom they give birth.'' While there is valuable help here, much of it sounds like the stuff of talk radio. (Oct.)

Customer Reviews:

Comprehensive Veggie Cookbook.......2004-01-19

Every recipe I have tried in this book is top notch. They are easy to use and succinct. To begin with it clearly discribes a large vareity of vegetables and shows availability, how to pick the best in quality and basic cooking instructions. There is a unique section devoted to instructions for making edible centerpiece art. Of course there are salads hot and cold but also dressings, dips and sauces all a hit every time I use them. The Main dishes are both meaty and meatless. And how about desserts? A personal favorite is Carrot Cheese Cake. Then there is a large section devoted to canning and preserving your summertime and garden bounty. It also includes a spice chart to most effectively flavor your meals. Keep it handy for a lifetime of eating pleasure.

Average customer rating:

Awesome Soup Book!
Best ever lives up to it's title

400 Best-Ever Soups
Anne Sheasby
Manufacturer: Lorenz Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Soups & Stews | Meals | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0754816532

Book Description

Over 400 mouthwatering recipes for soups, broths, chowders, bisques, consommes, gumbos and laksas from all over the world.

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Soup Book!.......2006-09-05

I love this book. Its loaded with pictures of each soup. The ingredients are all easy to find. The recipes are 4-6 servings, so you can make a small batch easily or double it for larger batches. Definately worth 5 stars. I just made my first soup and its delicious. This book is going to get me through the long cold winter with yummy, warming soups.

You will definately enjoy this book. Even though I have only made one soup as of this writing, I can just tell that the layout of the book, the easy to following instructions, and pictures make this book a great buy!

Denise, Chesterfield NJ

Best ever lives up to it's title.......2006-05-21

The book contains a complete guide to ingredients and how to use
them. It also gives step-by-step instructions for making your own
stocks from vegetables, chicken, beef, fish and shellfish. There are also instructions on making the creative garnishes they show
throughout. At the bottom of every recipe you will find a the
complete nutritional information listed.

The Contents:
Introduction, which is quite thorough and then a listing of and information on:
Vegetables, legumes, meat & poultry, fish, shellfish, pasta &
noodles, herbs & spices, other flavorings, equipment & techniques, making stocks, thickening soups and garnishes.

Light & Refreshing Soups, Smooth Vegetable Soups, Chuncky Vegetable Soups, Legume Soups, Pasta & Noodle Soups, Chicken & Duck Soups, Meat Soups, Fish Soups, Shellfish Soups

One of the features I appreciate very much is that they show you with photos, such things as how to clean and prepare ingredients, such as raw prawns or squid.....not that I would ever prepare squid...but there you have it if you need it! ;-)

My first try from this book was the Castillian Garlic Soup - I already have several recipes for garlic soup from different regions of Spain, but this one wins overall....!

No step is taken for granted, each recipe in the book will guide you all the way from begining to end, so whether you're a newbie in the kitchen or an experienced cook, it guarantees the end results to be spectacular.

Except that the books are so big and heavy to carry around, I do like this series of Hermes House cookbooks very much. I have resorted to making copies of the pages where the recipes I'm interested in are located and take that to the kitchen instead.

CASTILLIAN GARLIC SOUP

Average customer rating:

Terror is gone

not all you see is paper pieced

Paper Piecing with Alex Anderson: Tips, Techniques, 6 Projects
Alex Anderson
Manufacturer: C&T Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Applique | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Quilts & Quilting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Alex Anderson | Expert Advice | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Show Me How to Paper Piece

Finish It with Alex Anderson: 6 Terrific Quilt Projects, How to Choose the Perfect Border, Options for Edges

Keep Quilting with Alex Anderson

Easy Machine Paper Piecing

Rotary Cutting with Alex Anderson: Tips, Techniques and Projects (Quilting Basics)

ASIN: 1571201386

Book Description

Learn to paper piece with everyone's favorite quilter! Machine piecing on paper foundations guarantees virtually perfect results. Here are six terrific paper-piecing projects, including five traditional blocks and a sampler quilt. And best of all, block construction is nearly foolproof, from a simple Square-in-a-Square to an impressive New York Beauty. Readers will learn basic methods of working from the center of the block out, and from one side to the other-as well as find practical advice for working with challenging fabrics like flannel and silk. Anderson also demonstrates when to paper piece, when not to, and how to head off potential problems as one goes. Join America's favorite quiltmaker and learn quick and easy paper piecing for a fun, rewarding quiltmaking experience!

Customer Reviews:

Terror is gone.......2007-03-09

This book really helped me understand the basics of paper piecing. I am no longer afraid of this fun aspect of quilting. thank you

not all you see is paper pieced.......2002-08-25

This is a wonderful book of beautiful projects. However. not all of the blocks are paper pieced. There are some difficult curved seams and a crazy pieced block that are not for the beginner. Also the template on page 44 is too large for the dimensions noted in the directions for finishing the remainder of the basket block. The triangle must be reduced to fit the remainder of the dimensions. I am in the process of finishing the sampler on page 45. Although not extremely difficult, this is not a paper piecing book for the beginner. The patterns are beautiful and except for the problem that I found trying to complete the basket blocks for the sampler, the directions are clear. I will probably make another one of the projects. Her color choices are exquisite.

Average customer rating:
F.L.O.: A Biography of Frederick Law Olmsted
Laura Wood Roper
Manufacturer: The Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Landscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
General | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Landscape | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Civilizing American Cities: Writings on City Landscapes

A Clearing In The Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the 19th Century

Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing the American Landscape (Universe Architecture Series)

The Man Who Made Parks: The Story of Parkbuilder Frederick Law Olmsted

Central Park, An American Masterpiece: A Comprehensive History of the Nation's First Urban Park

ASIN: 0801815088

Average customer rating:
F. L. O. : A Biography of Frederick Law Olmsted
Laura Wood-Roper
Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000P21HOG

Book Description

We all know names change with the times. In this century alone, Agnes has given way to Ashley and Dexter to Dylan. But what names will be the favorite choices of the future? This A-to-Z guide features thousands of names for boys and girls, with advice for parents on selecting names that won't fall out of fashion too quickly, updating traditional and timeless names, predicting the trends of tomorrow, and more.

* A fresh twist on a strong-selling category
* From the author of Name That Baby and The Very Best Book of Baby Names
* Includes the top 100 names for girls and boys and other fun features

Customer Reviews:

A Pretty Good Name Book!.......2005-07-31

This name book by Barbara Kay Turner is good, sure there are name books out there that have more names listed but some of those books have names that are actually just madeup kreativ (creative) spellings and some names that are just too weird and aren't all that realistic. Don't get me wrong, I actually like some names that are different and unique but there are some name books that list things that are just too off the wall that a kid with the name would be made fun of in school for it. This name book has good names from the classics to some more modern names and I recommend this book.

A little dissapointing..........2004-07-28

I was very excited to get this book, but I ended up being disappointed in the number of names included. Several of the names we were considering are not even in the book. It is a fun book to look through and the layout is great, but I think that there have to be better books out there.

Really, really good.......2003-07-19

This is, by far, my favorite name book. Each entry is clear and well organized with a little summary behind each name, including origin and meaning. Unlike many other name books, nicknames and spelling variations are, for the most part, reasonable and don't venture too far out into the land of absurdity and uselessness. It's not about quantity, but quality of names.

The entry pages include, among other things, a look back at naming trends over the last century and the reassurance that some names, no matter how far into the future we go, will always stand the test of time. There's also advice on selecting a middle name, and a few sensible rules for picking the perfect name.

Your baby will appreciate you.......2000-08-10

You are sure to be appreciated by your son or daughter for selecting name from this book - "A to Z Listings of Thousands of Names : BABY NAMES a new generation" by Barbara Kay Turner. This book has thousands of names, the source of the names, how-to-spell them, famous people bearing the respective names, alternative for the name and many more. Many pages have a small box at the bottom with "Less common classics : New, Unusual Names". This makes your job still easier. The meanings of the names are very appropriate and convincing. You are sure to get appreciated by your son or daughter, i.e the new generation.

1000's of Names with straight & convincing meanings.......1999-11-07

Cover page is really lovely covering varieties of babies - black , white, cute etc. Girls names and boys names are separately listed with most approriate meanings. Meanings are very convincing.Each name has variants after the meaning. Totally it is worth its value.

Baby Names for the New Generation: A Comprehensive, Mulitcultural Guide to Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby

Average customer rating:

Baby Names for the New Generation: A Comprehensive, Mulitcultural Guide to Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby
Pamela Samuelson
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

General | Parenting & Families | Subjects | Books

General | Parenting & Families | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0060823127
Release Date: 2006-05-30

Book Description

Welcome your beloved child ino this world with a name he or she can wear proudly through the 21 ^st century

Bless your new baby with a name that best reflects your hope for the future as well as a respect for the past and his or her cultural heritage.

Unique among all the baby name books currently available, Baby Names for the New Generation offers the most up-to-the-minute choices -- contemporary names that are beautiful, unusual, and evocative, ideal for your one-of-a-kind child -- as well as strong and lovely traditional names from literature and scripture, and the widest range from a vast array of nations and cultures.

From Anzu (Japan) to Zikomo (Malawi), each name listed includes the proper pronunciation, meaning, and origin, as well as nicknames and variations, to help you select the perfect name for a lifetime that will build a foundation for your child to forge his or her unique identity in today's -- and tomorrow's -- world.

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