The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-19
EXPEDITION OF The YORKTOWN
On East Coast OF Luzon =. Lieut..
Gilmore Captured and Four.
teen Others Missing.
THEY ATTEMPTED TO SUCCOR
The Bclcasured Spanish Forces
at Balcr, Which We're Sur
rounded by Insurgents.

WASHINGTON. April 1S.-The navy
department has given out the following
dispatch from Admiral Dewey:
MANILA, April IS.
To Secretary Of the Navy, Washington:
The Yorktown visited Baler, Luzon,
east coast Of Luzon. p. l., April IL. for
the purpose OF resculng and bringing
away the Spanish forces, consisting of
eighty soldiers, three officers and two
priests. which were surrounded by 400
Insurgents. Some of the insurgents
were armed with Mauser rifles.
=. by natives. Lieut.. ]. C. Gilmore,
while making - ambushcd
we're fired upon and captured. Fate
unknown, as insurgents refused to COM
municate afterward.' The following
are missing. The officer previously re-
ferred TO. Chief Quartermaster w. Wal
ton, Coxswair ]. Ellsworth. gunner's
mate II. J. Hygard sail-maker's mate
Vendgit seamen w. H. Rynders and G.
W. Woodbury.: apprentices d. W. A.
Venville, a. J. Peterson; ordinary sea-
men f. Brisolese. O.. b. Mcdonald,
landsmen l.. T. Edwards. F. Anderson,
]. Dillon and c. \. Morissey.
(Signcd) DEWEY.
The asterisks denote portions of dis
patch which could not be deciphered.
The dispatch from Admiral Dewey
caused much excitement in naval cir
clss. as soon rs Its condition became
known. II was received late In the day,
and considerable delay was occasoned
by the blindness OF some of the cipher
words. Il was impossible 10 complete
ly dec!pher Il. and the asterisk3 Indicate
the unintelliEible words.
Lieut.. J. c. Gilmore, the officer re-
ferred TO rs captured. Is well known In
Washington. having been stationed
here for some time. and his wife and
family live here. He was born in Phil
a6elphin, July 10. 1854, and was aPBoint-
ed naval cadet from Arizona in Sep.
tember, ISL.
Discussed With Feeling.
Inc capture Of the Yorktown men was
discussed with much feeling In naval
circles. The misfortune was felt with
added keenness. as the navy has
prided Itself thus far on immunity
from revcrses. The admirars dispatch
OF to-day was the first knowledge the
department hau that the Yorktown had
gone on this special mission to relieve
The Spanish garrison at Baler. That
the capture should have been affected
while the American forces were on n
mission Of mercy toward tho Spanlards,
rather than in the prosecution of a
campaign, leads to the belief that Spain
would have no further ground for ques-
tloning the good faith with which the
Americans were seeking to relieve the
condition Of the Spanish prisoners.
Although the dispatch gave no indi-
cation that Lieut.. Gilmore and his men
had lost their lives. yet great anxiety
was aroused by the mystery surround
Ing their fate, and while in the hands
OF IN uHc!vilized enemy. This Is the
hFst capture OF any American. military
or naval, so that Il Is unknown how
the Insurgents will treat our men, IL
civilized methods were pursued an cx-
chahEe could be quickly effected. as
General Otis has n large number OF
tllipino prisoners, but the Insurgents
nave heen avcrse thus far to exchanging
spanish prisoners, and this raises n
question as 10 what they will do with
N" lcrRtown's men. The purpose OF
"'lcIals mere Is TO spare no effort to
SECURE the speedy release OF our men.