The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-06
OTIS HIS 81, 400 TROOPS.
Dewey's Fleet n Gibrnltar-StreMgt OF
the Ftlipinos


( generals office December 10, the dat,
1 OF the last report, consisted Of Il, 49,
/ troops, and of these there were presen
for duty 1856 men. This command il
composed Of the following organiza
tons: Company A, United States En-
gineer battalion Companies G, e, G,
K and l., Fourth United States caval
ry; troop Of Nevada cavalry; Compa'
MES G, III, X and l. of the Third and
D and G Of the Sixth United States ar.
| tillery; Companies A and ID Of the Cal
! ifornia and A and B of the Utah artil.
lery and the First Wyoming battery
the Third and Fourth United states in
fantry; the Fourteenth and headauar-
ters and Companies B, d, f, Ii, l, f.
l. and M of the Seventeenth United
States infantry; the Eighteenth, TWEEN
tieth and Twenty third United States
infantry; the First California; the First
Colorado; the First Idaho; the Fifty
first Iowa; the Twentieth Kansas; the
Thirteenth Minnesota; the First Monta-
ma; the First Nebraska; the First Da-
kota; the Second oregon; the Tenth
Pennsylvania; the First South Dakota
the First Tennessee; the First Wash
ington and the First Nevada. A por-
ton Of this force, the Eighteenth infan-
try and battery of artillery, are at
Iloilo, where General Miller was sent a
month or more ago.
5000 Rein forcements on Way.
Approximately 5000 men are on their
way to join General Otis in four trans
ports, though none are expected in Ma
Mia for three weeks or a month. They
are as follows: The Fourth and four
companies Of the Seventeenth infantry,
1,72S men, under General Lawton, who
sailed from Gibraltar last Friday; the
Twentieth infantry, comprising thirty
seven officers and 1,26S men, under Gen.
eral Wheaton, which left San Francisco
January q; the Twenty-second infan-
try, in command Of Colonel Egbert,
which left San francisco early in the
present month, and 1000 men and off,
GERS Of the Third and Fifteenth United
States regiments. which left New York
Friday on the Sherman. A
Transport Making Ready to saii.
There is a,big transport, the Sheridan,
now making ready in New York to car
of the Seventeenth infantry 1920 men
in all, and she will start not later than
the 14th inst That is all that can be
supplied to General Otis in the way Of
reinforcements, according to General
Corbin, If the soldiers are to be of ser
vice in this campaign, More, of course,
win follow as rapidly as they can be
gotten ready, IL General Otis needs them
in any future operate he may plan,
but, as already stated, it is believed this
particular crisis will have passed before
they can be transported the great dis
lance from the United States to Manila.
1t is true that only about 5000 of Gem
eral Otis soldiers are regulars but his
volunteer soldiers have been under
thorough discipline and training for
months, some as much as eight months,
and many participated in the engage
ments attending the capture OF Manila
and are practically as good as the regu-
lars
strength of the Filipinos.
No one here knows the real strength
of the insurgents opposed to General
Otis. The reports of their numbers are
and none Of them comes
from reliable sources Still, the best
belief of the authorities at the war de-
partment Is that they number about
10000 men, but they are not compara-
bic to the American forces in personnel
discipline or quality of arms 1t is
known that they have some Mausers.
some Remingtons and variety of other
fire arms, and it is suspected that they
have been quite plentifully supplied
ammunition from outside sources, TAX
IN as whole this armament is decided
lN inferior to that of the American
troops. Then with inexperienced off,
GERS, even the colonies of regiments be-
ng not more than twenty-one years of
age, and their lack of knowledge OF
tactics they are at a great disadvant-
age. Their strong point is their knowl-
edge Of the country and a certain fa-
latical bravery in onslaught that would
De formidable to a volunteer force not
we'll trained to stand fire. Like the Gu
oans, they rely too much on a sword |
ike weapon, corresponding to the ma |
'hete, a weapon of little value against |
ong range rifles. Altogether the war |
officials have not the slight |
.st doubt Of General Otis ability to
hold his position indefinitely and the
'nly cause for apprehension Is the fear
hat by going to the interior of the |
practically impossible for
American troops in the approaching
Amy season, prolonged Indian fight
ng style of campaign may follow.
4 Gibraltar at OTIS Back.
Besides his soldiers, General Otis has
t his back in Manila bay, command
ng the city, a vertabie Rock of Gibral-
ar in Dewey's fleet. With the vessels
e now has Dewey will have twenty
ne ships of various types, when others
n the way reach him. OF full hedged
he now has nine as follows:
he flagship Olympia the Boston, Bal
more, Charleston, Concord, Monad-
ock, Monterey, Petrol and the Buffalo.
lie also has three armed supply ships,
'hich are just as effective as a war
hip almost, in attacking troops outside
Notifications and in maintaining the
lockade. They are the Culgoa, the
Ianshan and the Seafire. The vessels
n the way to join Dewey are the gun
oat Helena, now at Colombo, the Cas-
ne at Gibraltar, the Princeton due. at
ort Said Tuesday, the Bennington, the
rutus and the yorktown, probably at
uam on their way, to Manila, the bat
D.