The National tribune., 1898-10-13
GEN. HARRISON GRAY OTIS.
A Letter from . Distinguished Comrade In
Mid-Pacfic.

All the comrades will be glad to read the
following private letter from that grand COM
rade, Brig Gen. Harrison Gray Otis, now
commanding a brigade at Manila, to the editor
of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE. 1t comes post
marked Philippine Station, San Francisco,
Cal, Aug. %, and was received in Wash
ington, Oct. 5, having been al days on the
way.
HEADQUARTERS SEPARATE BRIGADE, |
PHILIPPINE Is ANDs ExPEDITIoNARY
FORCES, STEAMER RIO DE JANEIRo,
AT SEA, Lat 19o 54 N, Long 1899
23/ E., Aug 20, 1893.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Before
re-entered the military service in this war
with Spain, and before / started on this long
voyage to the Philippine Islands, | had it in
mind to write you personal note asking
you to make known through your columns
the fact mot fact of public interest. how
ever), that | have commenced making col
lection of arms, armor, and other implements
of war, both ancient and modern, for the
adorument of den i'll my house at Los
Angeles which | long since appropriately
named "'rhe Bivouac." | want to get
swords, sabers, pistols, horse pistols, revo'v-
ers, rifles, muskets carbues, bullets, shells,
grenades, blyonets, scabbards, lances, can
non balls shells and, in fact. ''any old
thingo that has been or may be used lii the
serious trade OF war | wish 10 secure, also,
as far as practicable, something OF the history
of each we pom or plec, where 1t came from,
where and when used etc. in order that
may compile the literature OF the collection,
when completed. | hope by sernring these
Objects one by one, tn MAKE n most interest
ing collection, fall of history, incident, tsa-
dition romance and the implied seivi:e Of
many soldiers in many wars.
II YOU will kindly publish a paragraph,
based on this letter, and expressing my desirr,
/ will thank you very mach, besides making
proper money compensation, il required. |
will authorize my kinsman, mr. Charles w.
OTIS. 80 | street, Washington, to see you
and satisfy you on this. point.
Please insert III the Paragraph a request to
have offers of not>Dle arms etc, made 10 me
in writing at my addr3si. Los Angeles, Cal, !,
or communicate with yoar Office, or with my
kinaman IN Washin .st3a, whose address !
have given ABOVE. "a e.tcn case there snJud
bc a description Of the weapon or otinr
Object oIered, few wJrds of It's history
price asked, If ANY, al. how, best it can DC
sent to my address Il 30 not care ior arms,
armor, or anyiifnlg else havii. no notable
history, quality, or p2caiiar style of con
s,rUc,ion. In short, / do not want to he
swampcd by having an unconditional or un-
qualified publication OF tais sort made by ii
paper with such an extensive circulation as
is enjoyed by THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
among military men.
We are nearing the end of our long journey
TO the Philippines, baing now 4, 10 miles out
from Honollll and 9. 1913 miles out from San
Francisco, and within $50 miles of our des-
tination; to-wi;: Manila Bay, We started
from San Francisco July %, arrived u! iiono-
lulu Oh the ;5lst. left there Aug. >, and viii
reach Manila III 80 OF 81 days From tie time
OF leaving san Francisco WHIST condition,
await us there we can Only sarm.se.
Whether the city has fallen we know not out
here in mid Pacific; whether, II ii has allen,
we are destined for /. 'rucbIon' - with the
insurgents under their ambitious chief,
Agunaldo, is another unsOved problem.
Whatever ne orr destiny, however, we pro-
pose to meet it like Americans and soldiers.
and perform the duty which has been as
signed to us by the great republic with such
courage and resolution rs God has given us
for the service of our country.
My brigade, before | LETT Camp Merritt,
San. Francisco, was composed OF tie ist Mont,
Col Harry c. kessler; the 1th Cal, Col.
John X. Berry; the 5ist Iowa, Col. John c,
Loper; and the 1st S. D., Col. A. s. Frost, in
all nearly 5000 men. The brigade was,
however, broken up through the exigences
Of the military situation, and brauo with
me only the Montana and DAKOTA regiments,
besides detachments of the United States
Volunteer Signal Corps, recruits for the Utah
l.. A, and recruits Tor the 1st Cal. These
are aboard three ships, the Rio de Janeiro,
the Pennsylvania and the st. Paul which
constitutes the second section of the fourth
expedition. The other ships of this expedi
ton are the Peru and the City of Puebla.
Maj.-Gen. f. S. CTS, the division COM
mander. is Oh board the Peru in advance of
Us, and is probably now entering Manila
harbor
All this, am aware, will be untlmely
from a news standpoint by the time 1T reaches
you, but | have set these things down for
the sake of any lossible personal Interest
they may possess for you.