The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-27
CAPTURE OF THE URDANlTA.
The Conduct of the Entire Crew Was
Praisworihy.

The conduct OF tue Entire crew " rs
Prl;sworihy.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 26-The Navy De-
partment has made public reports from
Coxswain Green and Apprentice Powers,
members OF the crew Of the Inflated
Urdanjta, describing the capture by the
E'ilipinoS last September After endorsing
the reports, Admiral Watson says that
they show ttat the little gunboat under
command of lat Naval Cadet Wood, was
CALAMITY defended, and only captured
because she was hard and fast aground.
Captain Wilde adds to his endorsement
THO following:
THE conduct of Mr.. Wood, and of the
entire crew under the terrific fire, is
praisewortiy to the last degree, and re-
fleets additional lustre upon the brilliant
record Of the United States navy
Green, in his report, says that the
Crdanita grounded about a quarter OF a
mile below Balanga, on the Oroni river,
about 1G O'Clock A. A., Sunday, aeptem-
Der 17th All hands We're sitting around
the deck playing cards or reading. wait
ing for the tide. when at $3.50 O'Clock
two volleys were fired from the shore,
almost raking the deck. Most OF the am
munition was below, but at Cadet Woods
order the men manned the guns and smoth-5
utes. Stone, the man at the Norden-
feldt, had been shot twice when he was
relieved by Mr.. Wood, who had been fir
ing the one-pounder. Within five min
uteS Wood was shot through the stomach,
Gray had been hit, Stone has his ear
knocked off, and received another wound
i'll his head Gray continued to fire q
small rifle after receiving his wound.
Powers put fifteen holes in one man with
g Colt gun. The Filipinos were invisible,
so the sailors fired where they thought
they were. When Wood was hit, the Colt
gun was red hot, the two firing pins of
the one-ounder were broken SO that the
gun could not be used, one barrel Of the
NordenfeI6t would not fire, and three of
four of the Lee rifles had broken eN-
tractors.
Wood revived and ordered out the boat.
Green advised that they stay by the ship
till dark, but Wood insisted On trying to
reach the other bank. The insurgents
s had reopeEed fire from concealed places
and the bullets were flying like hail
when the boat got away, carrying the
sailors who could not swim, while those
who could hung on to the gunwale. The
Filipinos doubled their fire and rushed
into the river after the boat. The oars
were hit until finally only one was left, so
the men started to swim ashore, leaving
Wood dead in the bottom of the boat.
Stone and Drummond were shot close to
the boat, and Gray had been killed in the
beat; Green was helping Herberts ashore
and Powers was trying to save himself.
AS soon as they reached the beach,
twenty-five boo men rushed at them. but
their captain prevented them from kill
ing the sailors. They killed the Chinese
servant, Ye Lee. and Mitchell was shot
while in the water The Americans were
confined in stone convent for several
DAYS and then sent to Porac.
Within two days that place was attack.
ed BY the American troops and then the
prisoners were carried from one point to
another. until in the mountains. and five
of them made their escape and reached
the American lines.