The Press., 1899-06-15
LETTER FROM THE PHILIPPINES
U. s. s. Yorktown. April IS, 1899.

U. s. S. Yorktown, April 1S 1S99
 I have very sad letter to write you this time, as we have had very bad luck since we left Manila last time, and hope I may never see the like again while am in the service. We left Manila on April the 9th to go to Belare on the other side of the island, 273 miles distant, to rescue some Spanish troops reported to be held captive there by the insurgents. When we arrived we found that the town was back from the coast about three miles, with very thick jungle all around it and small river leading up between a mountain on the left side and level brush and jungle on the right. We could not make the position of the town from the ship, and our captain asked for volun- teers to land on the mountain and try and discover the Spanish troops. Of course there were plenty to volunteer, al though the brush was full of insurgents. The volunteers left the boat and made a landing at o'clock in the morning. En- sign Stanley and Quartermaster Mead climbed the mountain, protected by the boats crew, and found that the Spanish troops were barricaded in an old church and were holding out against the insur- gents, but that the insurgents were too strong for us. We'll, in the meantime, while the boat with fifteen men and one officer was patrolling up and down in front of the mountain, several shots were heard from the shore. We heard them on board of the ship. and the supposition here is that the men in the boat thought Stanley had been discovered and attacked, for they rowed at once toward the mouth of the river, just where the insurgents were the thickest, as we suppose to help Stanley. They disappeared around bend in the river and more firing was heard two volleys from the shore and two vol leys from the boat Then everything was as quiet as the grave, and since then nothing has been seen or heard of any of our men. That was seven days ago, and we have come here for assistance to go back there and land and try to find out what has become of them. I suppose you will hear all about 1t through the papers long before you receive this. My opinion is that every one of the volunteers were killed. That is what all of our officers think too, because Anguinaldo says he will take no more prisoners, but kill any who may fall into his hands. God knows what has become of them, but if 1t was my case think 1 would rather be killed than captured by any of these savages here, for they are hardly civilized and treat their prisoners in the most fiendish way.
 The Yorktown and Charlestown are coaling, and are going back there to- morrow or the next day to lombard the beach, land our troops and try to take the town and if any of the boys are still alive to get them. It will be almost hopeless to expect to find any of them alive, for even if they are alive, when they see we are going to take the place they will kill them, just as they have done elsewhere when they have been de- feated. I tell you it is pretty sad busi- ness seeing fifteen of your own shipmates leave the ship, and in couple of hours you don't know what has become of them. hope if they are dead that may get at least one of the black devils in my power, and will revenge some of the boys any way. l am in the landing party and will have to take my chances of course, but don't worry about me.
 l wish we would go to Hong Kong when we come back from Belare. I have not been on the shore in five months. The rainy season has set in here and expect there will be many deaths from fever, especially in the army, for it rains for an hour or so and then the sun comes out very hot and steam rises from the ground. Of course we are better off on board ship as we are always clean and the boat dries up so much quicker than the ground, and besides we always get what fresh air there is going. 1 would like to go home for little while, but of course may as well wish for the moon.
 c. H. HINcHLIFFE.