The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1899-04-26
RO!IlL[ANCE0F0 OTIS
HOW HE WON THE GREATEST OF
ALL HIS BATTLES.

ALL HIS BATTLES.
General Elwell s. Otis, the hero Of Manila,
won the greatest victory Of his life In
Wilkesbarre, Pa, 20 years ago.
After a vigorous campaign that lasted
some % months, beautiful young woman
surrendered to him. 1t was real love
match.
Eulalie Bowman-or "Lalie" Bowman, as
everybody called her-was the daughter and
granddaughter of soldiers.
Eulalie Bowman was born in the splendid
old Bowman mansion, at Wilkesbarre, Pa,
now owned by Col Dougherty, who SO
bravely led the Ninth PENNSYLVANIA in the
recent war with Spain.
AS tiny girl she never cared for dolls,
unless, indeed, they were tin soldiers;
what she best loved was to lead seven-year
old soldiers up rocky steep in a desperate
charge on some enemy's works. She used
to say those days that when she was grown
up she was going to marry a soldier.
Inc rocky pasture back of the Bowman
mouse witnessed many fray in which
captain Lalie" took part. 1t must be con-
fesseu that she was somewhat of a4tomboy
until she was well into her, teens and all
the better and drawer and prettier for that.
She accompanied her father on many of
his jaunts as a military engineer, and saw
much of the soldiers and of
SOLDIERS LIFE
1t was useless when she grew g famous
beauty and the belle of the region TOR the
young civilians Of Wilkesbarre TO pay court
to her. More even than most Of her sex she
loved a uniform. So when one day when
Col. Bowman brought to his house his aide,
Capt. Miles Daniel McAlester, it was per-
fectly natural for the two to fall in love
with each other although "Lalie" was too
young to think Of immediate marriage.
But after the close of the war, in which
McAlester won colonelcy and a brevet
generals commission, and the death of Col
Bowman, there was wedding in the old
house in Wilkesbarre.
The married life of the McAlesters lasted
but seven months. Then the colonel died
in Buffalo, but 33 years old, mourned as one
OF the finest soldiers in the country
Very quietly the widow lived in her
old home in Wilkesbarre for number of
years Then something like real warfare
came to disturb .
~, THE QUIET OF HER LIFE
The great railroad strike of 1877 made Of
all Pennsylvania an armed camp, and the
rattle of muskets by day answered to the
horror of the torch by night.
The trouble grew, spread; Pittsburg lay
in ashes; the railroads of the state were
paralyzed.
Came one day detachment of regular
troops, like a steady blue surging
along the streets of Wilkesbarre. They
were hailed with joy by the more conserva-
tive citizens. AS the blue column marched
past the old Bowman house Mrs. McAlester
looked out upon the dusty ranks with tears
in her eyes from under the waving stars
and stripes.
At the head of the column rode gallant,
solderly figure, Lieut.-Col. Otis, as the
Manila commander was then. Hardly half
a mile from the Bowman house his sea-
soned veterans. fresh from chasing Indians
over the Western plains, went into camp.
Cupds opportunity is propinquity.
Stanley Woodward, now presiding judge
on the Luzerne county bench. was then an
aide on the staff of Gen. Hartranft. He saw
Otis and his troops force back hundreds of
armed strikers at the
POINT OF THE BAYONET
at Kingston. His acquaintance grew to a
warm friendship.
Walking from camp to town some days
after his arrival Lieut.-Col. Otis passed
the wman residence.
f'What a pretty face that isl" said Otis,
and with the instinct Of a soldier he sa-
luted the flag.
''It has been the home Of soldiers for 80
years. said Woodward General McAles-
ter's widow lives there"
What! Miles McAlester's wife? l
knew him we'll, poor fellow! I'd like to
meet her"
introduce you," and he walked toward the
gate
mot now" said Otis. ''I-well-later-
some time" and he glanced at his uniform,
rather dusty and travel-stained.
Next day he was ready in his newest
uniform, and formal Introduction took
place.
When Otis went away 1t was only to
return at frequent intervals. lie came
again and again, and after many visits
came the day in 1879 when he took away
as his bride the girl who had played at
, soldering while still in short dresses.
When Gen. Otis went West his wife &C
companed him everywhere. She was the
LIFE OF EVERY CAMP OR POST,
the friend of everybody in the command
from the newest recruit up.
A love for army life was her inheritance.
Her father, Colonel Alexander Hamilton
Bowman, who died in 1866, was West
Point graduate. He was famous military
engineer, built Fort Sumter in Charleston
harbor and many public buildings in Wash
ington
Col Samuel Bowman, of Massachusetts,
her grandfather. was an aide to Alexander
Hamilton in the Revolution and one OF
the guard set upon Maj. Andre.
They are a happy family, the Otises.
Their one child, now girl OF II, Is a
counterpart of her mother at the same age.
She is nicknamed "Babbie." There are also
two daughters Of Gen. Otis by former
marriage.
Mrs Otis is tall and as straight as her
soldier husband. She has charming man
ners and ready sympathy for anyone in
7;ctrocc San Francisco Rul1etin