The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-04-19
HELD BY
THE ENEMY
Filipinos Have Captured Fifteen
Of the Yorktown's Crew.
THEIR FATE IS UNKNOWN.
Lieutenant Gilmore Commanded the
Captured Force.
WENT TO RESCUE sPANIARDs
THEIR FATE IS UNKNOWN.
WENT TO RESCUE sPANIARDs

Who Were Surrounded by Four Hundred
Insurgents on the East Coast Of Luzon.
The Rebels Refused to Communicate
With Our Officers After the Capture.
The Question of What the Filipinos Will
Do With Captured Americans Is Causing
Gravest Anxiety in Washington.
Washington, April 19.--The navy de-
partment has given out the following
dispatch from Admiral Dewey:
THE Yorktown visited Baler, Luzon,
east coast of Luzon, P. l., April 70 for
the purpose Of rescuing and bringing
away the Spanish forces, consisting Of
so soldiers. three officers and two
priests, which were surrounded by 400
insurgents. Some of the insurgents
armed with Mauser rifles by ma
tives. Lieutenant J. c. Gilmore, while
making ambushed we're fired
upon and captured. Fate unknown, as
insurgents refused to communicate af-
terward. The following are missing:
Lieutenant Gilmore, Chief Quartermas-
ter W. Walton, Coxswaiu J. Ellswosth,
Runners Mate H. J. Hygard, Sail
enakers' Mate Vengit, Seamen W. H.
Eynders and c. W. Woodbury., APP
b.entices D. W. A. Venville and A. ].
peterson, Ordinary Seamen F.. Briso-
iese and o. B. Mcdonald, Landsmen
L. T. Edwards, F. Andersen, ]. Dillon
and c. A. Morrissey."
The dispatch from Admiral Dewey
caused much excite eAt in naval cir
cles as soon as its contents became
known. 1t was received late in the
day, and considerable delay was occa-
stoned by the blindness of some of the
cipher words. It was impossible to
completely decipher 1t, and the aster-
isks indicate the unintelliglble words,
Lieutenant ]. c. Gilmore, the officer
referred to as captured, is we'll known
in Washington, having been stationed
here for some time and his wife and
family living here. He was born in
Philadelphia July 10, 1854, and was ap-
pointed naval cadet from Arizona in
September, 1871. He reached his
present grade Of lieutenant In the
year 1891. His main service has been
on the Monongahela, Marion, Bancroft,
Vesuvius, and Machias, besides con-
siderable service on boards. Just a
year ago he reported to the st. Paul,
then commissioned as an auxiliary
cruiser, and served on that vessel,
under Captain Sigsbee, throughout the
war. On Jan. IA last he was or
dered to the hospital ship Solace,
which was about to sail for Manila,
and on arrival there was assigned by
Admiral Dewey to the Yorktown.
The capture of the Yorktown's 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 admiral's dispatch |
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 were on a
mission of mercy toward the Spaniards,
rather than in the prosecution of the
led to the belief that Spain
would have no further ground for
questioning the good faith with which
the Americans were seeking to relieve
the condition of the Spanish prisoners.
Although the dispatch gave no in
dication that Lieutenant Gilmore and
his men had lost their lives, yet great
anxiety was aroused by the mystery
their fate while in the
hands of an uncivlized enemy. This
Is the first capture of any Americans,
or naval, so that it is I'M
known how the insurgents will treat
our men. If civilized methods were
an exchange could be quickly
as General Otis has large
number of Filipino prisoners, but the
insurgents have been averse thus far
10 exchanging Spanish prisoners, and
his raises q question as to what they
will do with the iorktown's men. The
purpose OF officials here is to spare no
Effort to secure the speedy release of