Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-03-31
THE YORKTOWN GREW.
REPORTS OF THE CIRCUM-
STANCES ATTENDING
CAPTURE.
Especial to The virginian- Pilot)

\opeCldi TO Inc vlTBlIllun-1llOl.) N
Washington, March SO.-The Navy
Department has just received from Ad-
miral Watson copy of the report
made to him by Lieutenant Gilmore,
of the circumstances attending the am
buscade and capture of the Yorktown's
second cutter and crew at Baler, April
IL last. The report is concise, plain.
yet thrilling account of the strategy
at the mouth of the river. which re-
suited in the loss of the lives of sew
eral sailors, and the taking into an
eight months captivity of the remain
der of the little crew. 1t appears for
the first time from this report that
Lieutenant Gilmore did not violate his
orders in entering the river, but did
SO for the sole purpose of protecting
two of the Yorlitown's officers whom
he had been directed to land.
The report dated on the flagship
Brooklyn January s, 1900, says:
ION the evening of April 18th. the
commanding officer of the Yorktown
sent for me and said he wished me
the following morning TO take charge
of boat to land Ensign w. IL. Stand
ley and a quartermaster. who were to
make n reconnaissance to discover the
Whereabouts of the church defended by
the Spanish prisoners in Baler.
Mr.. Standby and the quartermaster
were to be landed at the small cove to
the eastward of the river running past
the town of Baler, province of Prin
cipe. The commanding officer said he
would not hamper me by orders but
directed me not to land, but TO sound
at the mouth of the river and ascer
tain the distance of the ship from the
mouth. If necessary, l was to make
demonstration to call the enemy's at
tention from the people landed.
A IF ~
the ship with the second cutter Ensign
Standby and quartermaster as pas
SengerS. The boat was armed with n
Colt automatic 6-mm. gun in the bow
and the crew with Lee rifle and belts
filled with ammunition"
After mentioning the personnel of the
expedition heretofore announced. Lieu
tenant Gilmore continues:
I'VE pulled in under muffled oars and
landed Mr.. Standby and the quarter
master. It was just daylight when we
pulled out of the cove from the rivers
mouth. On nearing the river 1 saw
that a sentry on one of the numerous
stations on the beach had seen us. I
thought probably that he also had seen
us land Mr.. Standby, so to let him
think that had been searching for the
river, I pulled for it, sounded the bar,
ascertained the distance of the ship
from the rivers mouth, and continued
in for about 1000 yards, sounding slow
ly and making n rough sketch. This,
thought, would make them believe
that L had landed nobody. but was
simply surveying the river. I knew
that we would have to sustain the fire
OF the enemy as we came out. but
trusted to the Colt to disarrange their
aim. which at best Is not good. was
quite sure that this would serve to
put them off the idea of any one land
Ing In the cove, and 1 have every rea-
son TO believe 1t now. The left bank,
the side toward the enemy, was COW
cred by high marsh grass and swamp
land, and L knew that no outposts
could be there; the right bank was
growth, and from observation I judged
the enemy had only their stations on
the left side OF the river. AS we near
ed the end of the swamp land, I was
about to give orders to return when
we rounded the bend. and came full
on an outpost on solid ground. He
hailed us and fired a rife as n Sig
nal.
a TERRIBLE VOLLEY.
Before could answer the hail q vol
ley was fired into us at close range
fifty and sixty yards. The effect of this
volley was terrible. Morrissey was kill
ed instantly. his brains being scattered
over the boat and crew, and Dillon
was MORALLY wounded, never recover
ing consciousness, and dying shortly af-
terward In the boat. Seaman Ryndcrs
had his fingers cut off the hand, but
kept bravely TO his starboard stroke
oar; the starboard oars were riddled,
and most OF them shattered beside, the
boat was pierced by the Remington
balls and made water fast.
c "a a ~
the first shock, we opened fire with
Colt and rifles. The ambush was so
complete that we could not see at what
to fire, even the smoke. The Colt was
thrown out of action before the second
vollcy, shattcring the ammunition box
and cutting the loading tape. The order
was given to back oars, but as only a
few could be used. the others being
shattered. the tide drifted us on sand
bank. Ellsworth, Edwards and Wood
bury tried TO swim the boat out, but
did not succeed. The volleys were pour
ed in on us on the left bank in quick
succession, wounding MORALLY McDon-
aid and Nygars.
At this time 1 was under the impress
sion that most of the crew were either
wounded or killed. The bodies Of the
men were struggling in the bottom of
the boat. The boat was covered with
blood and presented a. fearful sight.
The cries of the MORALLY wounded in
the stern of the boat. asking me to
shoot them and not allow them to fall
into the hands of the savages were
heartrendng. At the same time could
be seen. coming down the right bank
OF the river. a band of men with Rem
instons, bows and arrows, bolos and
spears. ] gave the order to hoist the
white flag, which was done by Ryders.
who received n shot in the right wrist
and dropped the flag. l thought the
enemy intended to massacre all OF us,
so continued to fire, the fire OF the
l,iic.l f.:..,sa -.