El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-10-12
CONSENSUS
OF OPINION
Is That Gen. Otis is Not the
Man to Conduct the
Philippine Campaign.
RETURNING VOLUNTEERS
Are of the Opinion That the War
Will Not be Brought to an End
For Years.

For Years.
Many of the volunteer soldiers now
returning from the Philippines are
loud in their condemnation of Genera
Otis and say that If he is retained in
command of the American forces the
war will not be terminated in twenty
years.
Corporal George Nelson, who form.
erly resided in this city and served in
the Philippines as member of com
pany L, of the first California re,
in his regiment would have
re-enlisted had the campaign been in
the hands of man other than General
Otis.
Mr.. Nelson's company led the way to
Manila after the bombardment, and
after remaining in barracks at Manila,
was ordered to the firing line on the
fourth of February. In the first fig hit,
aided by the Fourteenth infantry
Washington regiment, block houses
IL, IL and ID were taken. The
trenches were charged three times and
M company of the Fourteenth regulars
went into the fight with "a men and
came out with As.
The company was then ordered to
Passig as an advance guard and were
stationed in q church for four days. On
the eleventh of February the march
son and three privates who were doing
picket duty reported to General Smith
that the main army of 5000 insurgents
were only short distance Off The
general ordered out the LIST Califor-
mia regiment, the 9th artillery, and
2 battslions of the Washington re-
giment. They fought until five O'Clock
in the afternoon. The American
troops could not rout the insurgents
and reiterated back to Guadalupe,
where they remained for three days
and nights without leaving the tren-
ches. Not being able to make an eff
fective move against the enemy, fur
Their retreat was made to San Pedro
Mercsti.
The 1st California regiment was then
ordered to Negros Islands for garrison
duty, where they took part in two
skirmishes.
Corporal Nelson in speaking of his
experiences said: 1.-THE California
boys saw lots of hard services and de-
serve great credit for the manner in
which they conducted themselves.
81 really believe the war could have
been ended four months after starting
had q decisive step been taken, when
the insurgents we're practically at the
mercy of the American soldiers. But
as time goes on and no general advance
is made, the insurgents all the time
becoming better equipped and in con-
dition to Withstand an assault.
"The insurgents are towards and
they can only stand about three or four
volleys, and then take to their heels,
leaving their dead and
wounded behind them, but never
to carry off their arms and
1.-THE food was very poor and scarce.
Coffee, beans and hard tack was the
principal diet when in camp, but when
in the trenches man was glad to get
most anything.
II read an account some days ago of
q q. S. regular saying that he had
plenty to eat and the soldiers were
we'll fed. In reply to this statement I
wish to cay that each company of regu
lars had a fund amounting to from ST.
500 to 900. and could buy many nee
essary things from the commissary
that volunteer companies, not having
any fund, had to do without"