Shafter, William Rufus (1835-1906), commanded United States land forces as a major general during the Spanish-American War (1898). He defeated a Spanish army near Santiago, Cuba, and achieved the surrender of that city. However, Shafter, who was sick during the war, was also criticized when illness and supply problems weakened his troops. Shafter was born near Galesburg, Michigan. He served in the infantry during the American Civil War (1861-1865) and on America’s western frontier until 1898.
