Civil War Union Brevet Major General. Shafter, a US general and actor, was born in Galesburg, Mich. He served in the Union army during the Civil War and in 1867 joined the regular army, rising to become brigadier general (1897). Shafter was teaching school in Michigan when the Civil War began. He accepted a commission with a Michigan volunteer unit and by war's end, he had earned the rank of brigadier general of volunteers. In the Spanish-American War he was placed in command of the army that in June, 1898, invaded Cuba. After hard fighting at El Caney and San Juan Hill, the expedition entered Santiago on July 17. Shafter was much criticized, however, because the expedition had been poorly prepared and ill-equipped and the mortality rate from disease was high. Shafter retired in 1899 and was advanced to major general on the retired list in 1901. In 1895 Shafter received the Medal of Honor for meritorious service in the Civil War. Shortly after his promotion to major general in 1901, he retired to his sixty-acre farm adjoining his daughter's ranch near Bakersfield, California. On November 12, 1906, Shafter, terribly overweight, died at his daughter Mary's home from an intestinal obstruction complicated by pneumonia. He was buried next to his wife at the presidio in San Francisco, California. His films include: "Surrender of General Toral" (1898) and "Major General Shafter" (1898). In both films he played himself. The town of Shafter, CA was named after him.
Civil War Union Brevet Major General. Shafter, a US general and actor, was born in Galesburg, Mich. He served in the Union army during the Civil War and in 1867 joined the regular army, rising to become brigadier general (1897). Shafter was teaching school in Michigan when the Civil War began. He accepted a commission with a Michigan volunteer unit and by war's end, he had earned the rank of brigadier general of volunteers. In the Spanish-American War he was placed in command of the army that in June, 1898, invaded Cuba. After hard fighting at El Caney and San Juan Hill, the expedition entered Santiago on July 17. Shafter was much criticized, however, because the expedition had been poorly prepared and ill-equipped and the mortality rate from disease was high. Shafter retired in 1899 and was advanced to major general on the retired list in 1901. In 1895 Shafter received the Medal of Honor for meritorious service in the Civil War. Shortly after his promotion to major general in 1901, he retired to his sixty-acre farm adjoining his daughter's ranch near Bakersfield, California. On November 12, 1906, Shafter, terribly overweight, died at his daughter Mary's home from an intestinal obstruction complicated by pneumonia. He was buried next to his wife at the presidio in San Francisco, California. His films include: "Surrender of General Toral" (1898) and "Major General Shafter" (1898). In both films he played himself. The town of Shafter, CA was named after him.
Bio by: Just another taphophile
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