The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-31
HOW GILMORE WAS TAKEN
HE TELLS THE EXCITING STORY OF
HIS EXPERIENCE.

His Report to the Department
Through Admiral Watson Tells
How He and His Men Were Caught
in the Ambuscade at BaIer-Their
Capture Was Preceded by an Ex-
citing Fight That Cost Four Amer
lean Lives.
Washington, March 30-The navy de-
partment has just received from Admiral
Watson copy of the report made to
him by Lieut.. Gilmore of the circum-
stances attending the ambuscade and
capture of the Yorktown's second cutter
and crew at Paler, April 70, last
The report is a concise, plain, yet thrill
ing account of the strategy at the mouth
of the river, which resulted in the loss
Of the lives of several sailors, end the
taking into an eight-months captivity of
the remainder of the little crew. 1t ap-
pears for the first time from this report
that Lieut.. Gilmore did not violate his
orders in entering the river, but did so
for the sole purpose Of protecting two OF
the Yorktown's officers whom he had been
directed to land.
The report, dated on the flagship Brook
lyn, Jan. 8, 1900 says:
'On the evening of April II, the com
handing officer of the Yorktown sent for
me and said he wished me the following
morning to take charge of boat to laud
Ensign w. H. Stanley and a quartermas-
ter, who were to make a reconnaissance
to discover The whereat outs of the church
defended by the Spanish prisoners in
Baler. f-s
Mr.. Stanley 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 Principe. The
commanding officer said he would not
hamper me by orders, but d rected me not
10 land. but sound at the mouth of the
river and ascertain the distance of the
ship from the mouth. If necessary L was
to make a demonstration to call the enc
mys attention from the people landed.
About 4:g0 a. m. on April u, | left the
ship with the second cutter, Ensign Stan
ley and a quartermaster as passengers.
The beat was armed with a Colt automat-
ic 6-mm. gun in the bow and the crew
with Lee rifles and belts filed with am
mGnition."
Caught by the Ambush.
After mentioning the personnel of the
expedition heretofore announced, Lieut..
Gilmore continues:
I'VE pulled in under muff1ed oars and
landed Mr.. Standby and the quartermas-
ter. 1t was just early daylight when we
pulled out of the cove from the rivers
mouth. On nearing the river | saw that
sentry on one of the numerous sta
tons on the beach had seen us. 1 thought
probably that he also had seen US land
Mr.. Slandley, so to let him think that
had been searching for the river, 1 pulled
for it, sounded the bar ascertained the
distance of the ship from the rivers
mouth and continued in for about 100
yards, sounding slowly and making a
rough sketch. This l thought would
make them believe that / had landed no
body, but was simply surveying the river.
] knew that we would have TO sustain the
fire of the enemy as we came out, but 1
trusted 10 the Colt to disarrange their
aim which at best is not good 1 was
quite sure that this would serve to put
them off the idea of anyone landing in
the cove, and l have every reason to be-
leve it now. The left bank, the side to-
ward the enemy, was covered by high
marsh grass and swamp land, and 1 knew
that no outposts could be there; the right
bank was steep, too, and covered with
dense growth, and from observation
judged the enemy had only
their stations on the left side of the river.
AS we neared the end of the swamp land,
] was about to give orders to return when
we rounded the bend, and came fun on
an outpost on solid ground He hailed
us and fired rifle as signal. Before
we could answer the hail VoHey was
nfed into us at close range-Illty anu SlA -
ty yards. The effect of this volley was
terrible, Morrisey was killed instantly,
his brains being scattered over the boat
and crew, and Dillon was mortally
wounded, never recovering consciousness
and dying shortly afterward in the boat
Seaman Ryndors had his fingers cut OH
the hand. but kept bravely to his star-
board stroke oar, the starboard oars
were rlddled and most of them shatter-
ed besides, the boat was pierced by the
Remington balls and made water fast
Compelled TO Surrender.
LAS soon as possible after recovering
from the first shock we opened fire with
Colt and rifles The ambush was so COM
plete that we could not see at what to
ire. not even the smoke. The Colt was
thrown out of action by the second vol
ley, SCATTERING 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 a sand bank. Els
worth, 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 sue
cession, wounding MORALLY Mcdonald and
Nigard. AS this time | was under the i'm
preston that most of the crew were either
Wounded or killed The bodies of the men
who had been killed had fallen on the
sIigher men, who were struggling in the
bottom of the boat The boat was COW
cred with blood and presented a fearful
sisht The cries of the mortally wounded
In the stern of the boat asking me &c
shoot them and not allow them to fall into
the hands of the savages were heartren-
ing Al the same time could be seen COM
Ing down che right bank of the river a
band of men armed with Remingi ons, bows
and arrows, bolos and spears. ! gave the
order to hoist the white flag, which was
done by Rynders, who received shot IN
me right wrist and dropped the fiag
thought the enemy intended fc
massacre all of us, so continued
10 IRE, the fire of the enemy coming fast
,r' We We're now hailed from the lefi