The times., 1901-05-30

Movements of the Gunbont NicI<s-
burg-PeriIs of an Expedition in
which Sailors Took Their Share.
The Navy Department yesterday made
public the report of Commander B. f.
Barry, commanding the gunboat Vicks-
burg, of the expedition which resulted
in the capture of Aguinaldo. The report
was forwarded by Rear Admiral Remey
and is an interesting narrative. The re-
port follows:
~. S. S. Vicksburg. Third Rate,
March Is, 1901.
Sir: Since my last report, No of Feb
ruary 2S, 1901, 1 have the honor to report
the movements of this vessel as follows:
In obedience to your order Of March 2,
anchored of Manila the afternoon Of
the 5th. The afternoon of the 9th
Brig. Gen. Frederick Funston and an eX-
peditionary force consisting of Capt. X. f.
Hazard and First Lieut.. o. =. NJ: Haz-
zard, Eleventh Cavalry; Capt. IL. w.
Newton. Thirty-fourth Infantry: First
Lieut.. 3. J. Mitchell. Fortieth infantry,
and aide-de-camp, eighty-fiYe Macabepe
scouts ard l.. Segoyia. as guide, came
aboard, for transportation. Major w. y
Brown, FoTty-second Infantry; Capt. II:
c. Hodges, Twenty-secOnd Infantry and
W. Z. Mcpherson, acting assistant sur
geon also for passage to Baier on Gov
ernment duty.
AT 7.50 D. M. got under way and stood
down the bay. Passed Bugui lighthouse,
light not burning, Friday morning, ana
passed out Of San Bernardino Straits
about noon. Saturday morning doubled
Horadada Ro.k. Found all the coast er-
roneously charted, but experienced no
difficulty in navigating.
AT the request of General tunston
visited Antimouan, where necessary sup
plies were procured for the Macabebes
and efforts made. though without success,
to Obtain some banccS. Grounded Satur-
day night off town OF Antimonan, as given
in full in my letter No. 20. Sunday. March
10 got under way at 3:12 p. m, ana an
chored at 9:03 p. m. in Misua Bay for the
night.
Got under way March IL at 600 a. m.
for Polillo. where / anchored at 1l:O6 a.
m. Upon approaching the anchorage went
to general quarters and made all prepard-
tions to resist attack; sent an armed boat
ahead to sound and experienced no dlth-
Guilty in approaching near the town. The
little chart Of this port, ON scale Oh ten
miles 10 an inch, is also wrong.
AT Poliilo General Funston bought
three bancos, in furtherance of his plan,
which were brought of to the snip ana
towed astern by four-inch haWser.
Il landed two armed boats crews to
protect the officers If necessary, and took
the gigs crew ashore, also armed; but
though some few We're sullen, we found
the natives generally good-natured. There
town, and il was evident that many of
the people had fed to the woods at our
approach. several returning during the
day.
Tuesday, March u. got under way and
stood up Tor Kasigurau. The wind rose,
the sea became violent, and the bancos
labored very much. slowed the snip
almost to a staudstill, so that, although
il had been our intention to reach kasi-
guran Bay that night, we found II i'm
possible TO do so.
Tuesday. March IL, we kept the crews
in the bancos, but took them out with
great difficulty Just before dark. We lost
one banco before midnight; another at
a. m. on Wednesday, the third about $50
y. m. This rendered it necessary to land
the expedition. and accordingly | an
chored at ia p. m, Wednesday, March
13, in Kasiguran Bay, having come up
with all lights screened.
''The landing force was disembarled in
two detachments, the first leaving the
ship at l a. m, Thursday, March "a, and
the boats returned from landing the sec
ond detachment at q. N We were
standing out by 2:20 a m. and before
daylight were ont of sight of Kasiguran.
circled to the eastward and southwark,
and anchored in Baler Bay at 12:15 p. m,
Thursday. March II.
In compliance with the prearranged
programme | remained at Baler until the
forenoon Of the 18th, when got under
way and followed the shore line at a dis
tance OF about one mile to the entrance
of Kasiguran Bay.
''Baler consists of but little else than
the huts occupied by the garrison Of one
company. The town was burned by the
Spaniards during the siege. AT present
the stone church is used as stOrehouse,
it being the only defensible building in
the place.
while at Baler I located the grave of
the four men killed in the CAPTURE of
Lieutenant Gillmore's party, and put up
a suitable inscription 20 mark the spot
In justice to the present commanding Of
hcer, Captain Detchemendy, / beg TO say
a burial commission had visited the post
several months ego, before he assumed
command, and had examined the neigh
borhood. They said they would return
and remove the bodies and 1t was because
he expected this TO be done, from month
to month, that the grave has been so
neglected.
.'There is as yet no trace of Apprentice
Venville, who was supposed to have been
murdered. when our soldiers first reached
Baler. Search is being made for him, and
a reward has been offered by Captain
Detehemendy for information that will
lead 10 the discovery Of his fate.
THE Baler River is a small stream
flowing into the southeastern extremity
Of the bay and affording at its mouth the
best boat landing. Its course is very
winding and irregular, while the depth
varies between two and ten to twelve
feet. Al no place does il approach within
less than a mile of the city of Baler A
trail leads over to Baler through the
woods. Below the burial place of Gill
more men. at p DefH IN the river. Is an
extensive sand bar, mostly dry at low
water. / presume it was at this place the
boat went aground. The distance from
the bay by the river is about a mile and
a half and in a direct line probably less
than a quarter of a mile.
81 anchored in Kasiguran Bay at 3:5S
p. m. Monday. March IS. and proceeded at
once 10 attempt opening communication
with the town. AS we came IN puffs Of
smoke, evidently signals, announced our
approach. ! took the gig and cutter
armed, Lieutenant Patton in charge Of
the cutter, and ] was accompanied by
Major Brown and Captain Hodges. We
crossed the bar with some difficulty and
rowed up the river for about three miles.
The course is very winding and our gem
eral advance was not very great; finally
we reached some houses and also a sus-
pension bridge All the hoGses were
abandoned and we saw only one man.
who fed to the woods as soon as we
called him. We were compelled TO return
without accomplishing anything and
reached the ship after dark.
"The following day, Tuesday, March 10.
some natives came down abreast the ship