Elwell S. Otis

from the Utica Herald Dispatch, October 21, 1909:

      GEN. ELWELL S. OTIS.
 Gen. Elwell Stephen Otis died early
this morning at his home in Gates,
near Rochester, N.Y., where he had
resided since his retirement from the
army in March, 1902.
 General Otis was born in Frederick,
Md., on March 25, 1838. He was grad-
uated from the University of Roches-
ter in 1858. He studied law and was
admitted to the bar in 1859, but fur-
ther pursued his studies at the Har-
vard Law School, where he was gradu-
ated in 1861. On September 13, 1862, 
he entered the Union army as a cap-
tain of Company D, One Hundred and
Fortieth New York Infantry. He
was promoted to lieutenant colonel of
that regiment on December 23, 1863
and made colonel in 1864, to succeed
Colonel O'Rourk, who was killed in
the Battle of the Wilderness. He
participated in all the principal
engagements of the army of the Poto-
mac after Antietam, in the capacity
of captain, field officer and brigade
commander. In 1864 he commanded
the regular brigade in the Army of the
Potomac. He was severely wounded
at Chapin's Farm, near Petersburg,
Va., in consequence of which he was
discharged on January 24, 1865, and
brevetted brigadier general of volun-
teers for distinguished service at
____ ____.
 He was appointed lieutenant colonel
of the Twenty-second Infantry in the
regular army in February, 1867, and
colonel of the Twentieth Infantry. In
__ he served on the frontier against the
Indians. As the result of his experi-
ences and observations during various
campaigns he published in 1878 "The
Indian Question." In 1881 he organ-
ized the United States Infantry and
Cavalry School at Fort Leavenworth,
Kan., which he conducted until 1885.
Subsequently he served with his regi-
ment in northwestern Montana and
was also on duty in Washington. He
was promoted brigadier general on
November 28, 1893. He was judge
advocate of the court which con-
demned Capt. Oberlin M. Carter for
the Savannah frauds.
 On May 4, 1898, he was appointed
major general of volunteers and as-
signed to duty in the Philippine
Islands. Here he took principal com-
mand on the departure of Gen. Wesley
Merritt. He became military gover-
nor and had charge of operations
against the insurgent forces in the
early part of 1899. In the same year
he was a member of the Philippine
Commission. He left the islands in
1900, and two years later was retired
from the army, having reached the
age limit.