The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-12
GALLANT UNDER FIRE
CREW OF A NAVAL LAUNCH PRAISED
BY COMMANDER CLOVER.
One Man Killed by spaniards-Inci-
dents of the Blockade in the Vicin-
fly of the Isle of Pines.

l..
name has been added to the small list of
the navy's war victims Emanuel Kou-
louris, a coal passers on the gunboat Ban
croft. was shot and instantly killed during
a sharp engagement with Spanish riflemen
at point of land jutting in Cortis bay, on
the south coast of the province of Pinar del
Rio, on Aug. 2. 1t is not known how many
Spanish lives paid for his, but the enemy's
loss was undoubtedly severe.
The Bancroft was cruising about Corts
bay on blockade duty, when a sail was
seen close to the land, ABOUT ten miles to
the nortnward. The gunboat's steam
launch Was armed with a one-pounder, ana
Lieut.. Henry B. Wilson, with fourteen men,
all carrying rifles, was sent to intercept the
stranger. She turned out to be Spanish
schooner. When first observed the Spaniard
lay near the wreck of the Santo Domingo,
recently sunk by the Eagle. BY the time
the steam launch reached that point the
schooner had worked into a port, and
party of Spaniards including a body of SOL
diers. was attempting to haul her ashore.
The launch stood boldly in, and a brisk
fire from her one-pounder speedily scattered
the crowd. The Spaniards took refuge in
high grass on the right shore, but, in spite
of the fact that the party in the launch was
ignorant of the enemy strength, the Amer
leans went ahead with their work with
admirable GOODNESS.
James Munroe a first-class apprentice,
swan to the schooner and made line fast
to her in order to- pull her out. At the
same time Valdemar Hohengreen, an ordi-
nary seaman, dropped over the side of the
launch and made for pier where small
sloop-rigged boat was moorsd. The launch
then commenced to haul off the schooner,
but the line parted, and While another was
being run to her, the Spanlards, who nao
sought shelter In the woods, poured in
murderous rifle fire. koulouris, who was
leaning over the side OF the launch, was
shot through the breast and fell dead. For
tunately, nc one else was even injured. In
return tire with the rifles While Lieut..
wilson Unanswered the Iaunch so as 10
small boat, which he had Showed off from ON
the pier. He was pulled out and the one
pounder was opened on the ambuScade with
were routed without a chance to return the
American fire. The schooner had in the
meantime gone hard aground, ana. beng so
shells were sent into her to finish her de-
structlon She was loaded with green corn,
Commander Glover warmly praised the
gallantry of the launch party. which did
not falter under heavy fire. but directed
all its energies to rescuing Hohengreen,
who alone on tie wharf was in a perilous
situation: Koulouris was buried at sea the
same afternoon. Among his effects was
found letter to his father, addressed to
the Isle of Siphanto. care of the United
States minister at AtheLs. Greece.
The next morning the Bancroft started for
Sigunea bay, where the gunboat Maple had
On Aug Commander Clover, who was
senior officer there, transferred his flag to
undergoing repairs. He took the launch
with him under Ensign Vogelsang, still
armed with her one-pounder. They pro-
ceeded to the northwest extremity of the
Isle of Pines and there saw soop and
a large schooner anchored in shore. The
launch went in after them, but as soon as
the Spanish vessels took to their small
boats. The sioop was aground, and toward
this vessel Ensign ayosslsang headed the
sloop "a party of Spaniards on shore opened
fire on the Americans. Then the launch's
one-pounder again opened on the enemy.
Maple opened fire with her six-pcunder and
swept the brush-lined beach. While the
dense foliage ashore gave the enemy de
cded advantage, no Americans were hit,
but it is safe to say that under the Ma
pies heavy fire a large number of Span
iards were killed or wounded
The Soop turned out to be a trading YES
sci with no cargo on board and, not being
worth the trouble of sending to an Ameri-
can port, few shots from the Maple put
her under the water The schooner how
ever, proved to be of value. She was the
Carnita, loaded with wood and charcoal.
She was hauled out and anchored until the
next morning, when the Maple, towing the
schooner and the launch, resumed the jour-
ney to Sigunea bay
Commander Glover says that an extensive
trade in wood, charcoal and sponges with
some chickens and fruit, Is being carried
on between Batabano, on the south coast
of Cuba, from which port there is rail-
road running into Havana, and Nueva Ge-
roma capital of the Isle of Pines. There
are however, no signs of foreign products
getting into any of the ports between Bata
bano and Coloma, and the commander
thinks no such products have entered on
the west side of the island.