The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-12
KILLED IN A PRIZE CHASE.
A COAL PAssER OF THE BANCROFT
The VICTIM.


Had Chased n craft Ashore When
Spaninrds Sheltered by the Woods
Opened Fire on the Launch-Span-
ish Undoubtedly Lost severely.
schooner Carmita Taken as a
Prize by the MapIe-Other Vessels
Destroyed Because of Their
WOrthIessneSs.
Key West Aug II, 1890 p. m.-Emanuei
Eourlouris. a coal passer on the gun boat
Bancroft, was shot and instantly killed
during a sharp engagement with Spanish
rihemen at a point of land jutung in Cor
lis bav on the south coast of the province
of Pinar del Rio on Aus ?. II is not known
how many Spaninrds' lives paid for his,
but the Spanish loss was undoubtedly Sc
we're.
on the morning of that day the Ban
croft was cruising about Corts on block
ade duty when a sail was seen close 10 thf
land about ten miles TO the northward
The gun boats steam launch was armed
with a one-pounder, and Lieut.. Henry g..
Wilson, with fourteen men, ala carrying
rifles. was shot iDto TO intercept me
stranger. She turned out to be Spanish
schooner BY th,a time the steam launch
reached that point the schooner had WORK
ed into a post and party of Spaniards, TO-
Guiding u body of soldiers, was attempting
to hall her ashore. The launch stood
bo,3iy in and brisk fire from her one
,|5under speedily scattered the crowd.
James Munroe, a first-class apprentice,
swan to the schooner and made line fast
10 her, in order to pun her out. AT the
same time, VaIdemar Hohengreen an or
binary seaman, dropped over the side OF
the launch and made for a pier where a
small sloop rugged 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 Span
iards. 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. Fortunately no one else was
even injured.
Instantly the men in the launch began
rapid return fire with their rifles while
Lieut. Wilson Unanswered the launch so
as to take a line thrown by Hohengreen
from the small boat, which he had showed
of from the pier. Her bow was pulled out
and the one-p FOUNDER was opened on the
ambuscade with such we'll directed aim
that the Spaniards were routed without
chance TO return the American FIRE
The schooner had in the meantime gone
hard aground, and being so damaged as
to be almost useless, enough shells were
sent into her to finish her destruction.
The launch then returned with the small
sloop TO the Bancroft
Commander Clover warmly praised the
gallantry of the launch party, which did
not falter under heavy fire, but directed
ali its energies to rescuing Hohengreen,
who. alone on the wharf, was in a peril
GUS situation.
The next morning the Bancroft started
for Sgunea bay, where the gunboat Maple
had gone 10 blockade and sound out
passage.
on Aug. 4 Commander Clover, who was
senior officer there, transferred his flag
to the Maple, while the Bancrofts boilers
was undergoing repairs. He took the
launch with him, under Ensign Nogelsang,
still armed with her 1-pounder They pro-
ceeded TO the northwest extremity of the
island of Pines and there saw a sioop and
a large schooner anchored inshore. The
launch went in after them, but as soon as
she was observed approaching. the crews
of the Spanish vessels took TO their small
wards this vessel Ensign Nogelsang head
ed the launch. AS the latter drew near
to the sloop, a party of Spaniards on shore
opened fire on the Americans. Then the
launches 1-pounder opened on
the enemy, but before she had
fired many shells, the Maple
opened fire with her six-pounder and swept
the brush-lined beach. While the dense
foliage ashore gave the enemy a decided
advantage. no Americans We're hit. But il
is safe to say that under the Naples heavy
fire large number of Spaniards were kill
ed or wounded.
The sloop turned out to be trading yes
sci with no cargo on board and not being
worth the trouble of sending to an Ameri-
port, a few shots from the Maple put
her under water.
The schooner, however, proved TO be of
value. She was the Carmita 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 her journey 20 Sigunea
bay.