The record-union., 1899-04-19
Fourteen Of His Comrades Missing and
Their Fate as Yet Unknown.
They Had Visited Balem, on the
Coast Of Luzon Island, for the
Purpose Of Rescuing and Bring
ing Away Spanish Forces, Which
Were Surrounded by Rebels,
When They Fell Into the Hands
of the Enemy.

WASHINGTON, April 1S.-The Navy
Department has given out the follow
ing dispatch from Admiral Dewey:
Manila, April 18th.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington:
Yorktown visited Balem, Luzon, east
coast of Luzon, p. l., April 18th for the
purpose of rescuing and bringing away
the Spanish force, consisting of eighty
soldiers, three officers and two priests,
which were surrounded by 400 insur-
gents. Some of the insurgents armed
with Mauser rides. by natives.
Lieutenant ]. G.. Gilmore, while max
ing ambushed, We're fired upon
and captured. Fate unknown, as insur-
gents refused TO communicate after
ward.
THE following are missing: The Off
Ger previously referred to, Chief Quar-
termaster w. Walton, Coxswain J. Ellis
worth, Gunnersmate A. J. Higard, Sail
makers Mate Vendgit, Seamen w. H.
Rinders and c. w. Woodbury., Appren-
tices d. w. A venville, A ]. Peter
son, Ordinary Seamen F. Brisolese and
o. B. Mcdonald, Landsmen L. T. Ed
wards, F. Anderson, ]. Dillon and c..
c. Morrissey. DEWEY"
L lie uSHOle EOItiOllS VI lliS OloPdtNh
which could not be deciphered.
The dispatch of Admiral Dewey's
caused much excitement in naval circles
as soon as its contents became known.
1t was received late in the day. and
considerable delay was occasioned by
the blindness of some of the cipher
words. 1t was impossible to completely
decipher it, and the asterisks indicate
the unintelligible words.
Lieutenant Gilmore, the officer refer
red to as 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
adelphia July 10, 1854, and was ap
pointed a naval cadet from Arizona in
September, 1871. He reached his pres
ent grade of Lieutenant in 1891. His
main service has been on the Monon-
gahe1a, Marion. Bancroft, Vesuvius and
Machias, besides considerable service
on the boards. Just a year ago he re-
ported to the ST. Paul. then commits
stoned an auxiliary cruiser, and served
on that vessel under Captain Sigsbee
throughout the war. On January 14th
last he was ordered to the hospital ship
Solace, which was about to sail for Ma
Mia, and on arrival there was assigned
by Admiral Dewey to the Yorktown
The others mentioned in the Admir-
ais dispatch are shown by the naval
records as follows:
William Walton, Chief Quartermaster,
enlisted Chez Zoo, China; born Man
helm. Germany; relatives, none
John Ellsworth, Coxswain, entered
Mare Island, Cal; born Portsmouth. N
H; no relatives.
Lyman Paul Edwards landsman, en-
listed Mare Island: born in Peru, Ind;
next of kin, e. B. Edwards, father,
Mexico, Ind.
John Dillon, landsman, enlisted at
Honolulu; born Galway, Ireland; next
of kin, George Kanevor. Honolulu.
Paul Vandert, sailmaker's mate, en-
listed at Mare Island. CAL; born in
France; next of kin, P. Vandert, father,
San Luis Obispo, Cal.
Charles Herbert Morrissey, landsman,
enlisted at Mare Island, Cal: born at
Columbus, Neb.; next of kin, Mrs. J. C.
Morrissey, Lincoln, Neb.
Ora B. Mcdonald, ordinary seaman,
enlisted at Mare Island, CAL: born
at Cammel Valley. Cal; next of kin, P.
Mcdonald, father, Monterey, Cal
William H. Rynder, coxswain, enlist
ed at Mare Island, Cal; born at Ans
terdam, Holland: next of kin, Mrs. N.
H. Nyhouse, cousin. 500 Connecticut
street, San Francisco.
Silvio Brisolese, 1andsman. enlisted at
San Francisco; born at San Francisco;
next of kin, Nicolo Brisolese, father,
2247 Mission street, San Francisco.
Albert Peterson, apprentice. third
class enlisted at San F'rancisco. born
at Oakland, Cal; next of kin. Louis
Peterson, 1915 Third street, Oakland.
CAL
Orrison Welch Woodbury., seaman, en-
listed Gloucester, Mass; born Lynn,
Mass; next of. kin John G. Woodbury.,
father, 143 Maple street, Lynn, Mass.
Densell George Arthur venville. ap-
prentice second class, enlisted at Mare
Island, CAL; born at Dudley, England;
next of kin, E. Marsh, Sellwood, Ore.
Fred Anderson, landsman, enlisted at
New York; born at Buffalo, N. Y: next
of kin, Christiana Anderson, mother,
256 Bristol street, Buffalo, N. Y.
Edward j. Nygard. gunner's mate,
third class, enlisted at New York. horn
at Warsaw, Russia; next of kin. Sophia
Nygard, wife. 1851 Atlantic avenue
Brooklyn, N. Y.
The 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
reverses. The Admirals dispatch of to-
day was the first knowledge the depart-
ment had that the Yorktown had gone
on this special mission to relieve the
Spanish garrison at Baler. That the
capture should have been effected while
the American forces We're on a mission
of mercy toward the Spaniards, rather
than in the prosecution of a campaign,
led to the belief that Spain would have
no further ground for questioning the
good faith with which the Americans
We're seeking to relieve the condition of
the Spanish prisoners
Although the dispatch gave no indica-
ton that Lieutenant Gilmore and his
men had lost their lives, yet great anx-
iety was aroused by the mystery sur