Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-03-31
\,;lLMORE'S REPORT.
hid Not Violate Orders As Has
Been Thought.
Entered the River for the Purpose OF
Protecting Officers.
1erribIe Effect OF Fire from Ambuscadc-
Filipino murderers Hanged.

Admiral Watson a copy Of the report
made to him by Lieut.. Gilmore of the
circumstances attending the ambus-
cade and capture of the Yorktown's
boat commanded by him at Baler.
April Is last 1t appears for the first
time from this report that Lieut.. Gill
more did not violate his orders in en-
tering the river but did so for the sole
purpose of protecting two of the YORK
towns officers whom he had been d.
rected to land. In the course OF MS
report Lieut.. Gilmore said:
"On the evening Of April II, the COM
mandng officer of the Yorktown sad
he wished me, the following morning.
to take charge of a boat, to lana Ell
sign w. H. STANDBY and quarter
master, who were to make recoiilals-
sance to discover the whereabouts OF
the church defended by the spanish
prisoners in Baler. The commanding
officer directed me not to land, but TO
sound at the mouth of the river anu
ascertain the distance of the ship from
the mouth. If necessary, | was to
make a demonstration to call the enc
my's attention from the people landed
About 40 A. NJ. of April l., | left
the ship with the second cutter. En-
sign STANDBY and a quartermaster as
passengers The boat was armed with
a Colt automatic gun in the bow and
the crew with Lee rifles and belts
filled with ammunition and had crew
of IA. We pulled in under muflled
oars and landed Mr.. STANDBY and the
auartermaster. l knew that we would
have to sustain the fire of the enemy
as we came out. The left bank. the
side toward the enemy, was covered
by high marsh grass and the swamp
land and l knew that no outposts
could be there; the right bank was
steep and covered with dense
growth.
AS we neared the end of the swamp
land. | was about to give orders to re-
turn when we rounded the head and
came full on an outpost on solid
ground. He hailed US and fired a rifle
as signal. Before | could answer the
hail, a volley was fired into US at close
range. The effect of this volley was
terrible. Morrissey was killed instant
ly, his brains being scattered over the
boat and crew, and Dillon was NOR
tally wounded. never recovering con-
seriousness and dying shortly after
wards in the boat. Seaman Rynders
had his fingers cut off the hand, bug
kept bravely to his starboard stroke
oar. The starboard oars were riddled
and most of them shattered; beside,
the boat was pierced by the Reming-
ton balls and made water fast.
''As soon as possible after recovering
from the first shock. we opened fire
with the Colt and rifles. The ambush
was 50 complete that We could not see at
what to fire, not even the smoke. The
Colt was thrown out of action before
the second volley, shattering the am
munition box and cutting the Loading
tape The order was given to back
oars, but as only few could be used.
the others being shattered. the tide
drifted US on sand bank. Ellsworth
Edwards and Woodbury. tried to swim
the boat out but did not succeed.
The volleyS were poured in on us
on the left bank in quick succession,
mortally Wounding Mcdonald and Ny
gard. At this time | was under the
impression that most Of the crew We're
either wounded or killed. The bodies
Of the men who had been killed had
fallen on the sliShter men who were
struggling in the bottom of the boat.
The boat was covered with blood and
presented fearful sight. The cries of
the mortally wounded in the stern of
the boat asking me to shoot them and
not allow them to fall into the hands Of
the savages We're hcartrending. AT thu
same time could be seen coming down
the right bank of the river a band of
armed men with Remingtons, bows
and arrows, bOlos and spears.
gave the order to hoist the white
nag which was done by Rynders. who
received a shot in the right wrist and
dropped the flag. | thought the enemy
intended to massacre all of us so con
tlnued to fire the fire of the enemy
coming faster. We were now hailed
from the left bank in Spanish. the Of
hcef saying that if we did not cease
nf4llE ana surrender he would kill us
thch surrendered. Before the officer
on tn" left bank could get across the
'saNages on the right bank came IN.
LOOK US OH the boat, robbed US of rings,
Watches hats, caps, clothes. in fact
everything that they could get at shor.
Iotce tied our arms behind US with
pdhpoo thongs. and lined us up on
'he hFdch 70 be shot Those who had
rules loaded them ana had them al
ready cooked when an officer came out
OF the bush and ordered otherwise. We
were then sent on board the boat and
after plugging up the holes made by
ilhe balls, pulled up the river.
a regret t. say that | now found
INC following casualties: Morriss.y
ana Dillon, landsmen dead: Nygard
Gunners' mate ana Mcdonald. seaman.
niortalIy wounded: Van Vile. appren
ice Rynders. seaman. and Woodbury.
seaman seriously wounded: myself.
signify wounded in the knee by a ban
"Hich came through the side Of IN
boat The wound healed on arrival IL
San Ysidro. = =
we were landed some distance m
tle river and We're allowed to take the
H!ortalIy wounded out of the boat and
pace them on shore, and to ARRANGE
'"e tourhlquets to the wounds m.
seriously wounded we carried uf+h i.
70 me commandments Office. about, j
nllle and half distant. We vara ~
ger strict guard. The officer !,
charge OF US would not allow the mo-
.aiiy wounded to be taken with nc
os ofhceIs said they had q mAdio.,i
and would send hin, l,,....