Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1900-04-13

nave been exiled to the other side of
the globe to carry on war against
heathcn amid conditions foreign to all
their experiences and with no incentive
beyond the professional pride of doing
the duty appointed them. Romantic
because of its strangeness If not for it's
picturesqueness Is the life of the Amer
icaD lighting man in the Philippines.
SO little remained for the navy to do
after Dewey's victory at Manila that
1t Is the turning over of new chapter
TO read Cockswain Greene's account
OF the fight of the gallant crew Of the
gunboat launch Urdaneta one Septem.
Der Sunday of last year. The Urdaneta
went into the Orani river TO hunt for
contraband articles. No resistance was
offered when the crew oyerhauled and
searched the boats found In the river
There was no contraband on board.
hence no cause for contention. But on
turning back toward the bay the Urda.
Deta ran aground just below the town
OF Belanga.
CockswaiD Greene was sent ashore to
reconnoiter and saw what seemed to be
the feet of a couple of hundred natives
hiding under the bamboo shacks which
lined the river bank. He reported this
to Cadet Wood, commander of the IJr-
daneta, but the water had fnllen to six
inches under the launch, and there was
nothing to do but lie and wait for the
tide From the time the boat went
aground at 10 a. m. until the middle of
the afternoon the sailors busted them-
selves with their usual duties. Sud-
denly, when all hands were punched
on deck. volley was fired from n
stone wall so yards distant on the
starboard bow and another from some
brush cover on the starboard beam 80
yards distant The plight of the crew
of IL in this crisis is told by Cockswain
Greene.
I'VE had sent most of our ammuni-
ton below" says he, 'but had one hop
perful on the Nordenfeldt gun and one
box of Colt ammunition on deck, but it
was not in the gun. There were fifteen
FOUNDER charges on deck. The gun
covers were on. AS soon as the first
volley was fired we crouched down be-
hind the rail, and Mr.. Wood gave the
order to man the guns, and everybody
jumped to his station. We fired about
10 minutes with everything we had,
and that snothercd the enemys fire
completely.
Stone had been knocked away from
the Nordenfeldt gun twice the was
captain of iD; then ] made him leave
the gun. Mr.. Wood was firing the
FOUNDER and Powers was firing the
Colt gun. Just as Stone was shot and
left the NOrdenfeldt Mr.. Wood left the
FOUNDER with Herbert as captain.
and he came aft to take the Norden-
feldt He fred the Nordenfeldt five or
ten minutes; then he was hit in the
stomach, and the bullet went through
him. He did not bleed very much.
Prior TO this Stone and Gray had been
hit. Stone had his ear knocked off and
another wound in his head. Gray was
hit In the left shoulder by the first vol
ley, but he continued firing a rifle.
was also firing a rife. l saw Powers
kill man with a Colt gun, and he had
10 holes In him. We saw this mans
body when we'were prisoners. When
Mr.. Wood was hit, our Colt was red
hot"
All this time the enemy kept we'll
under cover, and Greene ordered firing
to cease. Wood was still living and
boat lowered for escape. This
Il
other wounded placed in. The strong
swimmers kept alongside. Wood died
In the boat; Stone, already twice
wounded, was shot dead out of the
boat; Gray was killed in the boat, and