Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1900-01-12
Twenty Americans Rescued.
Lieut.. Gilmore and Sailors OF the York
town Had Been Prisoners OF the Fiji
pInOs Since Last April.

Lieut.. Gilmore and Sailors OF the York;
town Had Been Prisoners OF the Fit
pInOs Since Last April,
Twenty Americans who had been res
cued from captivity arrived at Manila Sun
day. The steamer Venus brought them from
Vigan, province of South Ilocos. The party
included Lieut.. Gilmore and seven sailors
of the gunboat Yorktown, who were cap
tured at Baler, Luzon, last April
Lieut.. Gilmore told thrilling story of
his experiences during his long captivity
and narrow escape from death, He spoke
warmly Of Aguinaldo, but said he had been
harshly treated by Gen. Tino, who had or
dered his guards to kill the American pris-
oners Just before their rescue.
Lieut.. Gilmore declined TO speak regard
ing political conditions except to say he
thought the insurrection would last as long
as there we're any Tagalogs left.
Col. Hare and Lieut-Col Howe, the
latter Of the Bath volunteer infantry, res
cued Gilmore's party on Dec. 1S, near the
head waters of the Abalut river
They were abandoned by the Filipinos
Dec. 10 and were expecting death from the
savage tribes around them. When the res
cuing force reached them they were almost
starved, but were building RATS in the hope
of getting down the river to the coast. The
officer who had charge of the Americans
Just before they were abandoned said: 81
have orders from Gen. Tino to shoot you
all; but my conscience forbids. | shall leave
you here"
Lieut.. Gilmore could not speak enthusi-
astically enough about the 140 picked men
who had rescued him and his party.
The command spent the day after the
rescue in making RATS. Col. Hare thought
Lieut.. Gilmore too weak to live through
the trip, but there was no alternative.
They shot many rapids, the men losing all
their effects and Lieut.. Gilmore some vau-
able papers. Only ID out Of 81 RATS
survived the first nights experiences; and
80 men were practically unable to walk
when Vigan was reached
Describing the flight from Benguet when
the Americans approached, Lieut. Gilmore
said; THE Filipinos, completely terrified,
left Benguet on Dec. Z. They hurried the
prisoners from town to town, often retrac
ing the trail, not knowing where the Amer
leans would attack. After being almost
without food for three days, they killed
several horses and we lived on horse flesh
for several days. did not have a full
meal from Dec. until l reached Vigan
Indeed the rescuing party lived largely
upon rice without salt. There was one
day when | was reduced to chewing grass
| and bark
"Whle we were in the hands of Gen
Tino's men he issued an order that any
person aiding an American by food or
money should be treated as a criminal. One
citizen of Vigan, Sefior Vera, was probably
killed for befriending us.
I'VE would have starved but for the
kindness of some of the presidents of the
towns and some of the Filipino colonies,
but others treated us brutally. Whenever
there was a prison we were kept there.
When there was no prison they would lodge
us in a convent We suffered greatly from
want of exercise as we'll as lack of food"
The Filipino treatment of the Span
iards, said Lieut.. Gilmore, twas brutal in
the extreme. The insurgents had old
grudges to wipe out against them. Many
| talk about the reconcentrados in Cuba, but
| have seen Spaniards dying at the rate of
two or three per day of starvation in the
hospitals at Vigan. l have seen Tagalog
officers strike Spaniards in the face with
whips and revolvers.
Among the prisoners was David Brown,
a civilian, formerly preacher in Honolulu.
He twice revealed to the insurgents plots
| of the Americans to escape, in the hope of
gaining the good will of the Filipinos. The
rest of the party openly accuse him of
treachery and entertain the bitterest feel
ings toward him. Charles Baker, of the
Third artillery, was formerly one of the
prisoners, but he became too weak to travel,
and the.Filipino guards bayoneted him dur
ing the last flight through the mountains.
At the time Lieut. Gilmore and his little
band were captured ten of his men were
killed. two mortally wounded and two
seriously wounded