Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1898-08-18
DARING DEEDS.
Crew of the Gunboat Bancroft Renders =
Gallant Account of Itself In Fights with
tha Enemy.

Crew OF the Gunboat Bancroft Renders .
Gallant Account of Itself In Fights with
tho Enemy.
Key West, Aug. 12.-One more name
has been added to the small list of the
navy's war victims. Emanuel kour-
louris, a coal passer on the gunboat
Bancroft, was shot and killed during
a sharp engagement with Spanish
rifemen at a point of land jutting in
Cortis bay, on the south coast of the
province of Pinar Del Rio, on August
2. 1t is not known how many Span
iards' lives paid for his, but their loss
was undoubtedly severe. The Ban
croft was cruising about Cortis bay
on blockade duty when sail was
seen close to land, about ten miles TO
the northward. The gunboat's steam
launch was armed with Il one-pounder
and Lieut.. Henry b. Wilson with IA
men carrying rifles was sent in to in
tercept the stranger. She turned out
to be Spanish schooner.
When first observed the Spaniard
lay near the wreck of the Santo Do
mingO, recently sunk by the Eagle.
BY the time the steam launch reached
that point the schooner had worked
into n port and a party of Spaniards,
including a body of soldiers, was at
tempting to haul her ashore. The
launch stood boldly in and a brisk
fire from her one-pounder scattered
the crowd.
James Munroe, an apprentice, swan
to the schooner and made line fast
to her, in order to pull her out. At
the same time Naldcmir llOhengreen,
an ordinary seaman, dropped over the
side of the launch and made for pier
where a small sloop-rigged boat was
moored. The launch then commenced
to haul off the schooner, but the line
parted and while another was being
run to her the Spaniards who had
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. No one else was in
iured.
Instantly the men in the launch be-
gan a rapid return fire with their
rifles. while Lieut.. Wilson maneuvered
the launch so as to take line thrown
by Hohengreen from the small boat,
which he had showed off from the pier.
Her bow was pulled out and the one
FOUNDER was opened on the ambuscade
with such well-directed aim that the
Spaniards were routed without
chance to return the American fire.
The next morning the Bancroft
started for Sigunea bay, where the
gunboat Maple had gone to blockade
and sound out passage. On August
Commander Glover, who was senior
officer there. transferred his flag to
the Maple while the Bancroft's boilers
were undergoing repairs. He took the
launch with him, under Ensign Nogel-
sang. still armed with her One-pound-
ar. They proceeded to the northwest
extremity of the Isle of Pines and
there saw sloop and large schooner
anchored in shore. The launch went
in after them, but as soon as she was
observed approaching the crews of the
Spanish vessels took to their small
boats.
The sloOp was aground and toward
this vessel Ensign Nogelsang headed
the launch. AS the latter drew near to
the sloop, Il party of Spaniards on
shore opened fire on the Americans.
Then the launch's gun again opened
on the enemy. But before she had
fired many shells the Maple opened
fire with her 6-pounder and swept the
brush-lined beach. While the dense
foliage ashore gave the enemy IA de-
nided advantage. no Americans were
hit. But it is safe to say that a large
number of Spaniards were killed or
wounded.