The record-union., 1899-10-02
sDEFENDS GENERAL OTIS.
PATRIOTIC LETTER FROM a
VOLUNTEER SOLDIER.
Difficulty Of Campaigning I'm Cane
brakes and Rice Paddies--Com-
mander Has Done Well.


Little Rock, in July last a compre,
hensive letter about the military situ-
alton in the Philippines. which has
been shown at the White House by its
recipient. 1t is SO truly American III
spirit that it was sent. as special tele-
gram to the ST. Louis "Globe-D Demo-
crat by It's Washington correspond
ent. The letter was written late in
July, and shows grasp of the difficult
ties encountered by the American
troops. Following is the portion OF
general interest:
NOW, | notice a great many papers
in the States do not think General Otis
is running proper campaign; or, in
other words, they do not think he is
competent to handle this outbreak.
There is plenty of room for them to
try to do better. Let them come and
see the country and contend with what
General Otis has had to contend with,
and it is my opinion they would not
do half as well. How can you use
cavalry when there is from two to
three feet Of water? How can you con-
scientiously send light artillery where
a horse can't go? Now, if the condi-
tions are SO that you can send neither
cavalry nor artillery, would it be ex
pedient to send infantry? 1t has been
my privilege to be here, and / would
ask these great Generals, who are out
of job, to name a place where Gen
eral Otis has had to vacate; show one
where Funston ran; where Lawton had
to yacate; where that prince of Gen
erals, Charles A King, ever asked for
aid or used any other sign at night
save the red rocket (meaning attacked,
but holding our own) That was al
ways his signal when lines were cut
These men did what was ordered
and did it we'll, and deserve a nations
thanks and praise, and not abuse
These are the men who, after a hard
march and q great victory, came into
the lines to have council for the next
days campaign, who ordered us to rest
and eat, and then said to us: Boys, I
am proud of you. Do not salute us in
the field. Rest yourselves for the NOR
rows work Generals King and An,
derson made these remarks to~us on
Guadeloupe road, after the hard-fought
battle of San Pedro. If some Of those
| croakers had been there they would
| have ourt-martialed us if we had not
| saluted.
1T is all very we'll for those who
run around with an umbrella and a
gum coat on paved streets to talk that
way on dry paper, but change the con-
ditions and place them in the field in
a canebrake or rice paddle and let
them, after a hard days fighting, lie
down on a damp bed, get up in the
morning and put on their clothes Qf
| they had been lucky enough to get or
/ ders to take them Off, and about the
| hour of midnight as the heavens are
/ loosened up and the lightning's blaze
reminds them of the Internal regions,
/ let them hear the order fall in and
i guess they will then come to the con-
clusion that General Otis knows what
/ he is doing, and that the field of war
! is not a picnic or race track. Let them
/ think of $4,000 men, 80 per cent. OF
whom are unacclimated, in country
/ they are strangers to, with every pass
| or trail or road fortified with smallpox,
! leprosy, beri beri, itch, ETC., left by the
enemy as he is made to vacate, with a
! competent medical force sufficient for
| the needs of the army in time of peace,
and never raised in war; with new dis
eases for them to contend with. with
a supply of medicines not adapted TO
| the diseases-all this and many other
| things must be run to suit the most
/ fastidious, who know all about war
! 10000 miles away, and how it should
be run that distance from the seat of
/ government.
Now, not one of US is in any imme-
! diate danger from death by disease or
| improper attention, for we get the best
attention and medical attendance that
can be given under the circumstances.
We are here in a strange country, with
an uncivilized people, with rations and
medicines 10000 miles away from the
consumer, in a land of typhoons and
long rainy seasons, with vast amount
/ of water, making everything impass-
able at times; our railroad tranSporta-
ton very difficult, at times impossible.
What, in this case, should command
/ ing General do? One who is here can
say very truthfully that he has done
| his best. He has gained territory that
has been lost to the Spanish for years.
| He has sacrificed no man to useless
danger, and has given the other side
the worst of it, and now demands
| complete surrender, which only their
pride and superior numbers make 1t
hard for them to accept. They might
as we'll surrender, as that is the only
outcome. Superstition. charms, fanat'
icism, cannot compete with the Ameri,
can boy and a good gun. The ele-
| 80. nd
are working it for all it is worth, both
the F'ilipinos here and the ones at
home We know one thing, that the
American soldiers honor General OTIS,
as he shared the campaign with us,
that Atkinson & Co. did not The one
is a soldier; the other to my mind, Is
| a traitor.
1.-The first duty of an American is TO
support the Government. If the Gov
ernment is wrong, then change 1t; not
wait until there are 10000 men in the
field and then wish that the Americans
were defeated. am glad to be here,
and to come through the campaign un-
scathed, but I think of so many OF our
boys in blue who went down under nre'
who l know died conscious of the fact
that they did their duty and were truly
supporting the Government; that they
were bringing religious freedom ana q
free education to the native. l passed
a schoolhouse the other day where
heard the children taught the Engllsn
language, and then on the Fourth OF
July heard these same children sing
our American national airs sald
Soldier, your warfare is over. Bullets
.~o1xc avap