The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05
srAJobAsEN. OTIS.
The Gallant and Interesting Record of Our
Commander in the P~hillppinea.
From d. Americon MonNlv Reeielo q Revi.,e,.

such a body Of trained and seasoned officers as
we have in command Of our soldiers In the
Philippine Islands. and worthy to be their
leader Is that veteran Of the rebellion and In
dian wars, Maior-Gon. Elwell stephen Otis,
Brigadicr- General United States Army and
Major-General Of Volunteers. Gen. Otis is a
soldier educated in that most thorough OF all
schools-thc school Of war. He was in the
twonty-fourth year OF his age and Just enter
ing upon the profession OF Law when In Sep
TENDER. 1852. he abandoned the law to pursue
the career Of arms. which he has ever since
followed.
1t was the good fortune OF the young Otis to
receive his early training under one Of the best
soldiers in our army at that time. This was
Patrick II. 0'Rorke. an freshman by birth,
whose parents we're settled in Rochester, N.
Y. When the One Hundred and Fortieth Regi-
ment OF Now York Volunteer Infantry was
mustered into the service at Rochester In Sep
TENDER. 1852, o'Rorke. who was n graduate of
the Military Academy. was given command OF
it, and Otis. who had raised one Of the compa-
that company.
The regiment was COMPOSED Of excellent ma;
terial. and O'Rorke. whose fifteen months OF
war service hndtranslormed him ntoa veteran,
soon made 1t one of the best drilled and most
'NWSii NTH tb 5Hisi reSims m t 6ti ar seyv Ss 'n Su rG1Sm thc
whole Of his career y tho volunteer army
rank of CAPTAIN to that OF Lieutcnant-Colonel
! OF the regiment The was never n Major was tho
result, OF desperate fighting. IN which his sure
O'Rorke and then George Ryan, both graduates
OF, the Military Academy and splendid soldiers.
cation in the military art;
No regiment on the Held 9t Gettysburg rem
vice than that to which Otis was attached.
Warren had been O'Rorke's preceptor ut the
t mi1t' "eTyce aSaos@ sSSa; %a% him MnSp that ntS the Rs'S uno @.,i.
pied Little Round TOP was the key. to Meade's
%%G srr tS Sn sSe 10 ls eesiI t him in to se oaM9Tfe it int
was the l40th that occupied those heights lust
Little round TOP was, made secure.
|,0'Rorke's soldiers" says the Comte de Paris
idential coincidence. reach at full run this
summit, which Warren points out to them as
feet lies the vast battlefield, whence are heard
vague noises and savage cries. the rafting of
incidents Of the combat are seen through a
cloud OF, smoke: but they have no leisure to
selves face TO face With Lees ]soldiSSrs. Who are
climbing the hill on the opposite side. A few
mh nyas r n,c aSS' tH n4 @m iRnf Go nFe refesi IN p %@Gsa
sion OF the summit, Never perhaps was seen
the winner of a race secure such a prize at 50
And yet TO those Immediately concerned the
loss was heavy. The One Hundredand Fortieth
left more than 1873 of their comrades, inciud-
ing many Ulcers. among the dead aud wounded
on those heights, and among the dead was the
promptness in decision and his viRor in action
at a critical moment; C9l 00fRorke had q pre-
and Otis, to whom he made it known. could not
reason him out of IT. As the regiment was as
s sGootes l 5@s stff IN @ nIjt i SG Den 'f struck g sh Rim.
and he fell dead IN the arms Of Otis. ,.o.,
l9sing to 2S f5e m Tank Of ofI isut wh9 h9& meHn edme
mandcd the picket line of the Fifth Corps.
which brought on the engagement. The regi-
ment was -oon under a tre before which II
officers were killed OF wounded. not one of the
non-commisStoned stan remained, and Of the
later Ryan v" was Killed at spottsylVaniia, and
Otis succeeded to the command Of the regi-
ment as Colonel.
From the Rapidan to the James the regiment.
led by Otis. was constantly under fire. and it
largest number during the civil war. leaving
hdo OF its number dead upon the field OF battle.
IhG H q RIO Use easuh z al dnih isay LETT Otis, w me &c
the regular brigade; but his turn came at last.
for he was severely wounded in the battle Of
1sG4, His Wound DIV was 50, severe that he was
not subsequently returned to, duty, and he was
vice Jan. "a. 1865. bearing with him the bre-
vets of Colonel and observation-disclosures for gal
liant aud meritorious. service at Spottsylvania
the organization of the Twenty-second
a battalion Of the Thirteenth, Otis was ap-
pointed Lieutenant-C Colonel of the new rsgi-
On March isG7. he received the brcvet Of
Colonel IN the regular army for, gallant ser
Elee1 at s sFf2stsy di the T S1 the dG imian If Cot ut
Fort Brown. Tex. Otis was appointed Colonel.
and assumed command Of the Twentietih. at
1881 he served against the Indians.
At the time. Of the Custer massacre. in Octo-
Der. 1876. Otis. who was the Lieutenant-Colo-
mel of the Twenty second. on duty ut the lake
posts on our northern frontier, was ordered
to the front in mman OF six companies of
the regiment. While passing down the iel-
lowstonc his command was attacked by the
Tthc troops were landed and the enemy driven
into the hiIIst, their camp being burned: On
marched with him gp the Rose6ud to r]c5iinforco
the column Of Gen. Crook. finally taking post at
Glendive, Mon. A wagon train sent from that
Infantry. Oct. 10. 1876. was attacked BY a a
heavy force of Indians and compelled to return
with the addition of another company to the
escort started in command to the Tongue
/ 900 II iians attacked the little column Of 200
or 300 = en-; and q running light ensued lasting
evening. The Indians tried every %artifice OF
which they were, masters to break up the col
ing setting fire to the grass, bat with no effect.
Tho next morning the Sioux could lac seen
The coIumn, and a runner was observed leaving
u communicate on upo1 a hill to the front,
whence II was brought by a scout. This letter
| want to know what You are doing travelling on
this road. You scare all the buffalo away. ! want g.
hunt in the place. ] want you to turn back from
here. II you don't III fight you again. l want you
TO leave what You have here and turn back from
mere. Lam yOur friend, SITTING BULL.
i mean all the ratip ms you have got and some pow
der. Wish you would write as soon as you can.
Col. Otis wrote to the effect that he had nc
intention Of turning back, and II the Indians
modate them. The Indians gathered as for u
fight. but thought better OF IL aud sent in n
party under u. Nag OF truce, who. after some
talk, decided that they had enough Of Otis and
preferred to surrender. which thUy did.
When. in 1871, il was decided To establish a
school Of infantry and cavalry Mt Fort Leaven-
worth, Kan, Col Otis was chosen to organize
it, and he remained IN command Of the school
and the post Of Fort L~eavenworth until 1875:
The General Is Justly proud of the work he did
in establishing upon a secure foundation this
postgraduate school for army officers.
When relieved from the command Of the
L~cavenworth school Col, Otis returned TO the
command of his regiment, the Twentieth lnfan;
try. at Fort AssIniboinc, Montana He also had
command Of the post, one of the largest in the
army, including sevcral companies of cavalry,
M. 4At 4 AHl la vpn - t.t1 La E@s IItNF ~