Evening star., 1902-03-12
RESCUE OF MARINES.
Interesting Story Of the Re-
lief Expedition.
MARCH ACROSS SAMAR
REPORT OF LIEUTENANT W. B.
sH0EMAKER.
Details Of an Undertaking Accomplish
ed Under Greatest Diff
6culties.

fculties.
The eastern mail has brought the report
OF Major Waller upon the famous expedi-
tion conducted by him across the Island OF
Samar, resulting In the loss Of a number OF
the marines and hardships and suffering
on the part Of the others beyond anything
known before in the Philippine campaign.
Major Waller's reports are formal and do
not go into the details OF the movements
OF the marines, but the news Of the affair
Is contained In a report from Lieutenant
W. r. Shoemaker. U. s. N. commanding
the U. 8. g. Arayat, who conducted the re-
lief expedition that succored the marines.
This report, which is dated January 20, Is
as follows:
"On the 18th instant Brigadier General
Smith. commanding in Samar, requested
me, II possible, to go to the east coast of
Samar and make search for Captain Porter
and the missing marines. He thought they
might have turned back, making for
Larang.
1--WE started on tho morning Of the 10th
instant, falling in with the Isla de Luzon
OF Basey. Her boilers being in bad condi-
tfon Lieutenant Dougherty. commanding,
transferred to me authority from General
and Lanang to search for the marines.
There was a heavy sea running off PIT.
Sungt at pm, when the Arayat tried to
make the turn to the Nd. We were about
four miles south Of the point; and ahead.
and on each side, as far as could be seen
through the rain and mist the sea was
running about twenty feet high and break
ing heavily. After bucking it for time.
shipping green seas forward, with little
more than steerage way on. decided to
run for Guinan and await q more favorable
opportunity. We anchored of the town at
$50 pm.
Capt. Porter Reports.
On the morning Of the 18th we tried it
again. successfully this time The run up
the coast was hard, but we made Pam
bulian at s pm, finding the garrison still
there. On the 18th we reached Lanang at
II am. The sea was running very high.
the river landing being entirely impractical
bles but Lieutenant Pickering, 1st In
fantry, commanding post. succeeded In get
ting of through break In the reef behind
Minanud Island.
He reported that Capt. Porter and three
men had come in on the 11th instant, fol-
lowed by five marines a few days later:
that Lieut.. A. s. Williams of the marines,
with the remainder Of the party. was still
In the hills. but that a relief expedition in
boats commanded by Lieut.. Williams, 1st
Infantry, had left the post early on the
14th:
Signal was made on the morning Of the
18th that Williams had arrived late on the
17th with the marines, but that nine were
missing. I went at once on shore to ar
range for the transfer Of the survivors to
the Arayat.
Capt. Porter and Lieut. A. s. Williams,
in conversation, gave me substantially the
following account Of their wanderings:
Story Of Hardship.
''On January 1, being then on half ra-
tions with very little food left Major Wal
ler decided to split the party-he taking
fifteen of the strongest men and pushing
on for Basey. and Capt. Porter following
his trail as rapidly as possible with the
main body. On the I'd native came back
from Waller with a note, stating that he
(Waller) had given up the idea Of getting
through and would return, and directing
Porter to make directly for the river and
build RATS for the entire party.
This Porter tried to do, but failed to
find wood that would float. 1t was rain
ing hard at this time and the river was
about ten feet above its normal level and
running with violence. AS Major Waller
did not appear, Porter sent Captain BearSs
to him to ascertain his plans. then return,
and report. Bearss failed to return, but he
reached Waller and went on with him.
ION the Sd. I think Porter pushed ahead
to get assistance with eight Of the strong
est men. leaving Williams to follow with
the crippled and lame as far as the boat.
secreted on the way up to be used In an
emergency like the present. Porter reach
ed the boat. but found she had been dam
aged and was UNIT for use. So he started
reached there with three men on the after
noon Of the 18th. Five men had given out.
but. living on two dogs that strayed their
way. they finally reached the post.
A Long, Hard Struggle.
'"The relief expedition, under Lieutenant
Williams 1st Infantry, on account OF the
height of the river, was unable to get away
until the morning of the 14th. Williams de-
serves the highest praise for his twenty-five
mile fight against the current and up the
rapids. hauling his boats along by hand a
good part of the way. 1t was not until the
morning of the 18th that he reached the
starving marines in their last stopping place
near the river. Their condition at the time
was terrible.
For days no man among them had
strength to carry rife. Nine of them had
either gone crazy or fallen by the trail,
half dead from starvation and exposure.
1t had rained steadily for eighteen days.
Lieut.. A. 8. Williams had made every eff
fort to get them along. but had to abandon
them. He could only save the men who
were able to reach the boat by the river,
the probable point OF arrival of the relief
the 18th instant. his party having been
without food. except roots. the pulp of
plants and a very few sweet potatoes. for
fifteen days,
Lieut.. A. 8. Williams had made every ef-
tive bearers, about thirty in number, be-
came sulky. practically refusing assistance
to the white men. They would build
shacks as a protection from the continual
downpour for themselves only. and know
ing the edible roots and plants were more
sklllful in obtaining food. A time came
when no white man could carry rifle. and
those not lost were In the hands Of the ma
tives. Under the altered condition It re-
quired considerable diplomacy on the part
OF Lieutenant Williams to handle them at
all.
Just before reaching the river. two bear
ers tried to kill Williams. stabbing him
about the chest with a bolo. He tried to
shoot, but had not sufficient strength to
pull the trigger. Then they tried to kin
him with his own pistol. but did not know
how to work ..le weapon. Williams was
rescued by few OF his men who tottereI
up armed with sticks. and the natives t0ak
to the bush. No FiIipinos were seen in
the region. there being no food.
1.-The relief party saw some coming from
the direction Of HeFmane: 30 1t is probable
that the insurgents about there got wind
of the desperate condition OF the marines
and were hurrying up to take advantage OF
1t. Relief came just In time.
Taken to the Vessels.