Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-08-07
TALES OF PLUCK
and ADVENTURE.
SSsoceeSseesS99cos0soce
Gallant Work at Baler.

Gallant Work at Baler.
Admiral Dewey has recommended
the advancement by ten numbers of
Ensign W. II. Standley and the per-
manent appointment as chief quarter
master of J. Lysaght, of the gunboat
Yorktown, for their courageous con-
duct at Baler, Luzon, where Lieuten-
ant J. G. Gilmore and boats crew
were captured by the Filipinos.
Standley and Lysaght made recon-
noisance of the insurgent position and
sketch of the surrounding country
when it was infested with large num-
Der of Filipinos besieging the Spanish
troops in Baler.
- Captain G. S. Sperry, commanding
the Yorktown, who recommended the
advancement of the two men, reported
that in accordance with the order of
the commander-in-ch chief of April 3 the
Yorktown proceeded to Baler to rescue,
if possible, Spanish garrison of fifty
soldiers who for about eight months
had held out and refused to surrender
to the insurgents.
"Any attempt to proceed through
the jungle up the narrow and tortuous
creek on which the town was believed
to be situated" says Captain Sperry,
''would evidently be fatal, and Ensign
Standley suggested climbing the
mountain side and overlooking the in
surgent camp, and volunteered for the
service.
"Landing,in the dark, without a
guide, wading breast high through an
unknown slough, Standley and Quar-
termaster Lysaght forced their way up
the mountain side, over bowlders and
through dense and thorny underbrush,
and when the firing commenced, which
indicated an attack, they descended
still lower toward the insurgent camp
to point where Standley, finding
suitable tree, climbed it with the aid
of rope and made complete sketch
with hand as steady as if at his desk,
first directing Lysaght, who stood at
the foot of the tree, should they be at
tackled to make for the beach, as he
himself would probably not be discov-
cred in the tree"
Regarding the loss of Lieutenant
ILuSlSh Ill hlo
report: ''Before daylight April IL,
1899, Lieutenant Gilmore, in charge
of seccnd cutter, with Colts automatic
gun mounted in the bow and an armed
crew of fourteen men, landed Lysaght
and myself on the beach at point
about quarter of a mile to the south
and east of the mouth of the Baler
River.
"Before I landed Lieutenant Gill
more informed me that he would pull
down to the mouth of the river and at
daylight would be sounding nearing
the bar as blind and as soon as l sig
nailed he would pick me up. He said
he would not open or draw the fire
unless the insurgents tried to cross
the river, and if heard firing 1 was
to understand that the insurgents were
coming across.
During the time that was in the
tree ii. e., from six to seven o'clock)
there was firing, at times rapid and
then desultory, Lysaght, who was on
the ground, states that he heard at
least three hundred shots, and he
heard the natives calling, Look at
that mani also heard natives shout
ing and saw seven or eight of them at
the second bend of the river shouting
and splashing the water, and they
seemed to have boat of some de-
scription, around which they were
gathered. 1 supposed them to be ma
tives in bathing, and the boat could
not be seen clearly ON account of the
trees along the bank of the river"