Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1900-09-06

come to the successful soldier or the
successful man in any walk of life
to furnish material for "histories"
and elves" Even in two ponderous
volumes Of lives of officers who served
il the federal army in the rebellion
this hero is not mentioned.
To the above record there should be
added made brigadier general in No
yember, 1898" and sent to the Philip
pines two years ago and that completes
the outline up to this date when Otis
is named to succeed Gen. Wheeler as
commander Of the department Of the
lakes with headquarters in Chicago.
Gen. Otis is another added to the
list of men appointed to the army from
civil life who have rendered disting-
uished service. This does not mean
that he is political appointse, a man
with a pull or a son of somebody,
for he entered the regular army in
1866 after proving himself to be an
exceptionally good soldier.
He had won an actual lieutenant
coloneIcy and a brevet brigadier-gen-
eralship in the volunteers and been
severely wounded while fighting with
his regiment in the 9Th corps in one
of the James river engagements before
ne entered the regular army as Iieuten-
ant-colonel of the 22d infantry. Be
sides this sufficient record he had been
twice brevetted for gallant and meri-
torious service" once at Spottsylvania
and once at NE battle of chapel House,
in the Virginia campaign, throughout
which he served.
Otis is credited to New York in the
records Of the regular army, although
Gen. Otis was the presiding officer of
New York is proud of the credit
which of course, is deservedly given to
this state, for it was a captain in LIE
14Oth New York volunteers that he
first took up arms in defense of the
flag.
At that time Re was but "a years of
age, but had already gained a promis-
ing foothold in the legal profession in
thu city.
He was a good lawyer, and is yet,
said an old comrade, speaking of him.
He studied the science of war with
the energy and persistence of any cadet
trying for the engineer corps, but he
has always kept UP his law studies"
In this respect it is recalled lat
he is a native Of Maryland. But
the famous Carter court-martial, which
sat nearly four months, and that the
somewhat imposing array Of civil
lawyers who locke, after Capt. Cart
er's interests at that time freely ex-
pressed the opinion that Gen. Otis was
as capable a judge of law as they had
ever appeared before. 1t will be re-
called that ex-senator Edmunds was
called in lately to examine the proceed
ings and findings in that case and
after a long and critical study return
ed the papers to Secretary Alger with
the report that he could not find even
so much as a technical flaw in them.
Gen. Otis is first of all man blessed
with the saving grace of common
sense. He is not a ballroom soldier
not a social expert, one might say
but still is a man who is very fond of
tried friends. He is a strict disciplin-
arian. Troops under Otis are never
When crafty old Sitting
Bull failed against Otis in that very
particular. there was no use in Aguin- |
aldo trying the game. Otis is one Of !
those officers who is not content with !;
ordering exactly what he wants done: |
ne has a way Of always seeing that it |
is done.
Otis is a clear-headed, just and dis !