The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-08-01
Commander Who Was Called From
Editors Chair.
WAS IN THE CIVIL WAR
Made a Fine .Record-ln Two Ohio
Regiments-Knew Sergeant"
Mckinley Wounded.

Brigadier- General H. G. Otis has his
headquarters on the Rio de Janeiro.
which arrived Sunday morning When
IN the field he viii be in command
of the troops on the ship Rio de janet
70, Philadelphia and St. Paul In port.
when the expedition is united, how
ever, Maori General Otis is comman-
der over all The Brigadier-Genera
is very large man of the Shafter
type and looks like a soldier He
wears a mustache and Imperial, both
gray.
Following is an authoritative state
ment from the records, showing the
military service rendered by Colonel
Otis during the War Of the Rebellion;
He served on the Union side through
out the entire conflict, entering as a pri-
yate and rising by successive promotions
in the field through all the Intervening
grades to that of lieutenant colonel of [.
:. Volunteers by brevet, this distinction
being conferred upon him by the Presi-
dent for gallant and meritorious SER
vices throughout the war as his com
mission reads. This promotion, as also
that of breVet major, was given him at
the close of hostilities upon the unsolic-
tied recommendation of Major General r.
i. Hayes subsequently President Hayes.)
During his 49 months service IN the
field, he took part in fifteen engagements,
received two wounds in battle, gained
seven well-earned promotions and com
manded his regiment while yet captain
(being at the time the senior officer pres
ent for duty).
His military service was rendered in
two of the proudest of Ohfos regiments.
First in the Twelfth Ohio Volunteers,
for three years; and next in the famous
TWenty-third Ohio Veteran Volunteer
Infantry to which he was transferred in
1864 through the consolidation of the two
commands.
MI,
served in the archives of the War Depart
ment in the form of a battle roll en-
bracing fourteen engagements with the
enemy, with total losses in killed ana
wounded aggregating 5SS officers and
men. The TWenty-Third participated in
seventeen engagements, and lost in ac-
ton, from first to last, 561 officers and
men killed and wounded, out of total
enrolment of 2,030, being more than p
per cent. The TWenty-third is classed in
history with the celebrated ''Ihree Hun
dred Fighting Regiments whose mill
tary record is given in Colonel FOX's val
liable work. Regimental Losses in the
American Civil war, 1S61-1S65' each OF
which three hundred regiments lost over
1870 officers and men killed and mOrtally
wounded in action.
The author OF the above named author
tive work says of the Twenty-third Ohio;
"A regiment remarkable for the famous
names of it's various commanders, while
others with brilliant national regulations
also appeared on the rolls in subordinate
capacities" Its original colonel was Will
ceeded him; Rutherford 3. Hayes was the
third cOlonel-each succeeding the other
when promoted to a higher command.
Stanley Matthews served for a time as
major, and subsequently became a JUS
tice of the Supreme Court of the United
States Robert f. Kennedy and William
G. Lyon were officers in the regiment and
later became lieutenant governors of
Ohio. Russell Hastings as captain and
then lieutenant colonel served on the staff
of General Hayes, and was desperately
wounded at the battle of OpequOn. Will
lam Mckinley, Jr., served as private, as
cOmmissary sergeant, and as commits
'SiOned officer respectively; he was brew
eted by the President, upon muSter-Out,
for gallant and meritorioQs conduct
throughout the conflict, and is the same
William Mckinley who is now President
of the United States.
Otis served in Rosecrans' first cam
paign in West Virginia 0S61) and SubSe-
quentIy with the Kanawha Division,
Eighth Army Corps (Schenck); the Army
of West Virginia, Mountain Department,
the Potomac COX and Burnside); and in
the Army of the Shenandoah, (SheridaD.
His service ended in 1868 under Hancock,
commanding the middle military depart
ment. During his active service of four
years and over he participated in the
following general engagements, battles
Scarey Creek, W. Va. July L. 1861;
CarnifOX Ferry, Sept. 10, 1861; Bun Run
Bridge. Va, Aug. y, 1862: Frederick Nd,
Sept. y. 1862; South Mountain, Sept Il,
1862; Antietam, Sept. II, 1862, (Wounded);
Blue Sulphur Springs, w. Va. Sept. 1868;
Boyers Ferry, w. Va, Nov. 1868; Mead
ow Bluff, w. V, Dec. Il, 1868, (bloody
picket ffghD; Princeton, Va, May, 1864;
CIoyd Mountain Va, May 9. 1864: New
River Bridge. Va, May 10, 1864; Quaker
church Oynchburg), Va. June Ills, 1864;
Cabelltown. Va. July 20, 1864: kemestown,
Va July "a 1864. Severely woundeCD.
He also rendered service as a member
of various military boards. courts mar
tial and military commissions, and re-
ceived at the close of the long conflict
an honorable discharge and the COM
mendatiOn of his superior officers.
Col Otis came to California in 1870, and
since 1882 has controlled and conducted
the Los Angeles Times. As a citizen,
business man and journalist, his life IS
an ''CDen book"