William Rufus Shafter (October 16, 1835 November 12, 1906) was a major general in the United States Army, winning the Medal of Honor for gallantry in action during the American Civil War. He later took a prominent part in the Spanish-American War. Fort Shafter, Hawaii, is named for him, as well as the city of Shafter, California.
Early life
Shafter was born in Galesburg, Michigan. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War and took part in the Battle of Ball's Bluff and the Peninsula Campaign. He was wounded at the Battle of Fair Oaks and later received the Medal of Honor for heroism during the battle. He was captured at the Battle of Thompson's Station and spent several months in a Confederate States Army prison. After his release he led the 17th Infantry, a regiment of the United States Colored Troops, at the Battle of Nashville.
By the end of the war, he had been promoted to brevet brigadier general. He stayed in the regular army when the war ended, and during his service in the Indian Wars, he received his nickname Pecos Bill. He led the 24th Infantry, another United States Colored Troops regiment, in campaigns against the Cheyenne, Comanche, Kickapoo and Kiowa Indians in Texas. In May 1897 he was appointed brigadier general.
Spanish-American War
When the Spanish-American War began, the United States organized a ground expedition for the island of Cuba. Shafter weighed over 300 pounds (136 kg) and was not fit for the tropical conditions, but he received the appointment anyway, due to his lack of political ambitions. In May 1898 he was appointed major general in the regular army and assumed command of the V Corps and sailed for Cuba. During the Santiago Campaign he suffered from gout. He was forced to be carried around on a door because of his immense weight and his illness.
After winning the battles of San Juan Hill and El Caney, Shafter's forces laid siege to Santiago. The city surrendered on July 17, 1898, bringing an end to the war on Cuba. Sickness and disease plagued the army, and Shafter returned to the U.S. with the V Corps in September. He took command of the Department of California after returning to the U.S. and was in that position when he retired in 1900.
