WOOD, Leonard, Any , can soldier and administrate ' ".' • N. H., 9 Oct. 1860. He was graauateo at the Harvard Medical School in 1884, and in 1885 became a con .pct-- on in al United States army. In 189 ., 11 I CU t ' and assistant surgeon, he served in me campaign against Geronimo and was awarded a medal of honor for his services. In 1898, when the war with Spain began, he received authority to raise and was commis sioned as colonel of the first volunteer cavalry, commonly known as the 'Rough Riders.* Theodore Roosevelt was lieutenant-colonel of this regiment and succeeded to its command on General Wood's promotion. Colonel Wood commanded the regiment at Las Guasimas and the second cavalry brigade consisting of the first volunteer cavalry (Rough Riders) and the first and tenth regular regiments of cavalry at San J Juan Hill. On 8 July 1898, he was, on the recommendation of his superiors, appointed brigadier-general of volunteers for services at San Juan and Las Guasimas. On the surrender of the city of Santiago, he was appointed gov ernor • di, ty and later, on the relief of General Lawton, he was made governor of all the captured territory embracing the eastern portion of Cuba, Inchiding the province of Puerto Principe and Santiago. On 7 Dec. 1898, he vac appointed a major-general of vol unteers in recognition of his services as gov ernor of the captured territory. On 13 April 1899 he was mustered out as major-general of volunteers and reappointed on the same day as brigadier-general of volunteers and continued in this grade until 5 Dec. 1899, when he was again appointed as major-general of volunteers and designated to relieve Maj.-Gen. John R. Brooke as military governor of Cuba. General Wood continued in this capacity until its transfer as an organized republic to the duly elected Cuban through its representative, Thomas Estrada Palma, the duly elected president.
During this period of reorganization school laws were written, sanitary regulations were enforced throughout the island, laws of public works and charities were revised and rewritten, an entirely new railroad law was prepared and put in force and most extensive judicial reforms accomplished. Especially great attention was given to sanitation, schools and courts. It was tinder General Wood's supervision that Maj. Walter Reed and his assistants, Doeters Carroll and Lazear of the medical department, con ducted the great work which led to the cowry of the means of transmitting yellow fever and consequently of its control. The
death rate of the island was greatly reduced and the system of public education established proved to be admirable.
On 4 Feb. 1901, General Wood was appointed a brigadier-general of the regular army. Dur ing his incumbency of the office of military gov ernor of Cuba, the post-office cases occurred which led to the indictment, trial and conviction of Rathbone and others and incidentally, through their friends, resulted in an effort to defeat General Wood's confirmation as major general. He was, however, confirmed by an overwhelming majority, 8 Aug. 1903. In the fall of 1902 he was one of the representatives of the United States government at the Im perial German mareteivres. In March 1903, at his own request. he was detailed for duty in the Philippine Islands and continued in foreign service until November 1908. While there, he was in command of the Department of Min danou and the first civil governor of the newly organized Moro province, which included the Mohammedan section of the Philippine Islands. After numerous campaigns he was successful in quelling the organized opposition to occupation by the United States. He later received the assignment of commanding general of the Philippine division, which position he held until relieved from duty in the islands. On his return to the United States, he was assigned to the command of the Eastern Department, which command he exercised until his detail as chief of staff, United States army, 22 April 1910. In the same year, he was designated special Ambassador of the United States to the Argen tine Republic, on the occasion of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of that country's in dependence. Upon completion of his duties as chief of staff (1914), he was reassigned to the command of the Eastern Department, which he held until 1917. when he was appointed in command of the southeastern department, a subdivision of his old command. In 1908 Gen eral Wood began his vigorous work on pre paredness and pushed it through the length and breadth of the land on all possible occasions. The work was advanced with increasing vigor from year to year and reached its climax in 1913, with the establishment of the training camps of Plattsburgh. While in command of the Southeastern Department, General Wood selected 12.of the National army cantonments for the training of the National army.