Hmm. What Presidents (or Presidential candidates) have been veterans of America's "little wars"?
To wit:
Jackson, Harrison, and Taylor fought Indians, but also fought in "big wars".
- Indian wars
- Quasi-war with France
- Barbary pirates war
- Boxer rebellion
- China and Japan, 1850s-1860s (several armed clashes)
- Philippine insurrection
- Nicaragua intervention
- Haiti intervention
- Mexican intervention (1916)
- Archangel and Siberia occupations
Lincoln served in the Black Hawk War, but saw no action.
Anyone else?
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/future-president-hoover-caught-in-boxer-rebellion