illery ▁units ▁were ▁station ed ▁along ▁the ▁border ▁to ▁prevent ▁the ▁struggle ▁from ▁coming ▁onto ▁American ▁soil . ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I , ▁the ▁post ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁mobil ization ▁point ▁and ▁training ▁facility ▁for ▁field ▁art illery ▁and ▁caval ry ▁groups . ▁As ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁began , ▁Fort ▁Russell ▁had ▁become ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁military ▁posts ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁ ▁What ▁stands ▁as ▁qu arters ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁today ▁was , ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 5 , ▁the ▁post ▁commander ' s ▁home . ▁By ▁tradition , ▁the ▁post ▁commander ▁always ▁occupied ▁the ▁largest ▁house ▁on ▁post . ▁Hence , ▁the ▁commander ▁moved ▁into ▁qu arters ▁No . ▁ 8 ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 . ▁Qu arters ▁No . ▁ 2 ▁was ▁then ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁family ▁of ▁Captain ▁John ▁" Black ▁Jack " ▁Pers hing , ▁who ▁later ▁led ▁American ▁forces ▁in ▁Europe ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁Pers hing ▁married ▁U . S . ▁Senator ▁Francis ▁E . ▁Warren ' s ▁daughter , ▁but ▁she ▁preferred ▁stay ing ▁with ▁her ▁father ▁when ▁her ▁husband ▁was ▁on ▁campaign . ▁Pers hing ▁would ▁be ▁promoted ▁four ▁ranks ▁from ▁his ▁permanent ▁rank ▁of ▁captain ▁to ▁brig ad ier ▁general ▁within ▁two ▁years ▁of ▁his ▁marriage , ▁the ▁Senate ' s ▁appro val ▁of ▁his ▁nom ination ▁by ▁President ▁The odore ▁Ro ose vel t ▁a ided ▁by ▁his ▁father - in - law ' s ▁influence . ▁ ▁Fort ▁Warren ,