The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1901-03-07

| followed guide out of the hotel and
several blocks 10 an improvised res
taurant fitted up for the occasion by
Colonel Otis and NJ. Reiotta. And
| thereby hangs tale.
AT the beginning of the war Otis
was looking after the interests of his
| father in the elevator factory at fon
kers. A company of the Twenty-tirs'
New York cavalry was organized by
the mechanics In the shops and the
citizens living near and Otis was made
captain. Among others who Joined the
company was Reiotta, a soldier of the
French army, Il cook and caterer, a
chemist and a mineralOgist. In the
course of time Otis was promoted col
Onel and Reiotta looked after the head
quarters table. In one of the battles
in the Shenandoah valley some of Otis
men, in panic, threw down their arms
and ran. ReiOtta dropped his own
work, caught up one of the discarded
guns. and fought in the ranks until the
enemy retreated. From that time Sher-
otiS NCiS AaSt
friends. and although the latter was a
major before the war ended, he never
lost his enthusiasm as caterer.
''Otis and Reiotta had planned to
have Sheridan and his aids and the
committee of arrangements take din
ner with them instead of at the hotel.
and had prepared dishes to suit the
tastes of those to be present, all of
whom except myself had known Reiot-
ia in the service. There We're fifteen
guests, including General Sheridan,
Generals Sickels and Butterfield, and
Colonel Otis of the committee of ar
rangements, Colonel Gilmer and others.
The dinner was cooked and served I'M
der the immediate direction of Reiotta
himself as a sort of memorial offering
to old army friendships, and the whole
affair was marked by a delicacy and
sentiment that made it memorable
When the dinner had been eaten and
the cigars lighted General Sheridan
said: We have buried to-day the
grandest man that ever stepped away
from esrth. l ask Colonel Otis TO re-
cite in honor of the old commander
THE Burial of Sir John Moore" as
have heard him recite II scores of times
in camp Colonel Otis stood upon his
feet, as finea specimen of soldierly man
hood rs ever lived. He was a natural
orator, and his rendering of Sir John
Moore was more than Il recitation. His
rich voice trembled and his hands and
arms moved in impressive but simple
gestures, and We seemed standing at
Grants grave at Riverside.
''As he finished the poem Otis. scarce
ly needing the hearty applause, said:
L am reminded of an incident that oc-
Cured when the old commander was
alive, and when most of us were in SER
vice on one side or the other Before
daylight one morning l was ordered out
of bed by General Sheridan. instructed
to take eight of my best riders, men
their horses across rivers or jump
fences. and make secret recOnnois-
ance into the enemy's country and get
back by breakfast time. We started at
once, taking nothing to eat or drink,
and rode hard through the dark of the
early morning and all of the next day.
finding in all the country traversed not
thing to eat.
Just about sunset the guides took
us along cowpath to what was to be
the turning point in our expedition. In
fortunately we took the wrong path,
and were captured by Colonel Gilmer,
the gentleman TO my right. When we
had dismounted, Colonel Gilmer came
to me and asked If We had anything TO
eat. He explained that they had start
ed early in the morning. expecting 10
live off the country, but had found alb
solutely nothing. 1 explained that we
were even in worse condition as TO sup
plies, and the colonel seemed to feel
very much humiliated that he could
not extend any hospitality whatever to
his prisoners. After a time he thought
of a wealthy farmer who before the
war had been great friend of his. He
ItdSoutu inns iiSl ihust nave
provisions of some kind.
I've were taken to the farm. but
when we arrived there ii was discov-
cred that this man of great resources
in times of peace had nothing in the
shape of eatables except cornbeef and
cabbage. and not very much of that.
All that he had was cooked, and Yam
KEGS and rebels sat down to eat it with
out bread, without salt. or vinegar. but
l want to say that with the exception
partaken it was the finest meal / ever
sat down to. The next day full sup
plies arrived. and we were treated like
princes. desire now TO thank Colonel
Gilmer and his men for their courteous
and especially for that corn
beef and cabbage
There were of course calls for Col
onel Gilmer, who was rs much of an
orator as Colonel Otis. He compliment
ed Colonel Otis for his rendering of
The Burial of Sir John Moore saying
that every line had new meaning 10
him, and would always have Il new
He said. further, that he
could bear testimony as to the good
riding and courage of the eight men
who were with Colonel Otis when he
was captured. He could also bear tes-
timOny that, in addition to being the
best riders he ever saw, they We're the
best eaters But he added, Colonel
Otis did not finish the story.
I'm the last year of the war; while
was out with my men on scouting
expedition into the enemy's country.
we were all captured by Colonel Otis
knew we would be treated
well. In that great Union army, with
all of its lines of communication open,
with everything that soldier could wish
for in camp, / looked forward to the
first meal with great expectations.
What do you suppose Colonel Otis gave