The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-04-30
MATANzAssBoMBARDMENT

MATAN2AS B0MBARDMENl.
Farther Partieulsr. Of the shsiiirs ~
the Forts-ths aio.i Characteristic lneid.
ent-iilanso'a Version OF the Affair.
On board the flagship New York. on
Havana. Via Key West, April y. When
the bombardment of Matantas was q \
,i,s height and after II had been IN pro-
gress for nineteen minutes, Rear Ati,,
miral Sampson ordered cease firing 70
be sounded a few shots rang out From
the Cincinnati and Puritan before they
caught the signal. on shore all was
quiet. Not a soul could be seen there
and there was no more firing. The
earthworks a quarter hour before had
presented a fairly regular outllne. but
now they had Jagged appearance Bis
gaps were plainly Visible at onlntas da
Reeereo. but there was not al align of life
there. Admiral Sampson had effectual.
ly stopped the work on Punta Gorda.
He had drawn the fire OF the enemy and
discovered the location and number OF
their batteries, besides affording his
three ships good target practice. InciE
dentally he had put the fear OF hmerlt
can guns into Spanish hearts. IT would
have been perfectly feasible for ese
three chips unalded TO have steamed
past the Qualifications right ilitn Matant
zas and taken Il or shelled X at pleas
ure. The only risk run would have been
from mines. However, Mathnzas was
not wanted, luckily for Il. After satIs-
flying himself that his object had been
accomplished Admiral Sampson headed
back for Havana. sS ~
The Puritan and Cincinnati were left
to look after Matanzas and they will see
to II that MatanZas Is not the scene OF
much fertilization work in the future.
From the naval point OF View few X
any lessons were learned from the Dom
bardment, though the range at which
the shooting was carried on was q satis-
factory test OF marksmanship. The dis
tarice. however, prevented the stan from
ascertainlng the effect Of the heavy sx-
,ploslve projectlles on the earthworks.
QuintaS Recereo appeared to- be an old
style fort, lying near the waters edge.
The. battery was probably behind q re-
Gently constructed sandwork. S4
From the lay point of View the bonn
bardment appeared to demonstrate sew
eral things. It proved that the officers
from Rear Admiral Sampson down are
perfectly cool in the face Of danger and
action, and that they have superior con :
troll over the men at the most exciting
and trying moments and that the latter
are as steady and courageous when. he
guns roar and the shells whistle as when
they muster to morning and evening
quarters in time OF peace. y.
In the second place the bombardment
gave an excellent, though at the same
time frightful illustration tof war
ships death-dealing powers. Had sin
gle ship been In, the place where the
shells fell 1t seems as II she would have
been blown to bits before she could have
returned the fire. When a. 49, 900 ton
ship. usually as steady as q rpcktshakes $
and trembles like frightened child {:
when firmly fitted bolts start from their
sockets and window panes and wood
work are shattered; when the roar peals
UP from port and starboard andyyop feel
your feet leaving the deck and your
glasses jumping around your forehead,
while a binding. blackening smoke
hides everything from sight, then u Is
you first realize the terrible power OF a
modern war ships batteries. ~
Scene. 8of, Inter e,t. 3Ss;i
Scenes of intense interest occurred on
the flagshlp's deck during the bonn
bardment. The way the jackles work
ed at their guns was, splendid, Many: Of
them were stripped to the waist. The
muscles stood out on their bare, tattooed
arms. The perspiration ran down their
faces. and mixing with the gun powder,
made grim streaks Of black over their
skins. When cease firing, sounded dis
appointment was written visibly5 on all
their faces. But the decks were quick,
ly swept, the shrouds re-hooked, the
guns cooled and washed; and at dinner,
when the band played "The Stars and
stripes Forever" there were few signs
to show that the flagship New Y ork had
been into action for the first time IN her
career. u
About 300 shots were fired during the
bumbardment, 10i of which were from
the New York. The cruiser Cincinnati
did wonderfully quick and rapid work
with her batteries. The monftor5 Puri-
tan probably fired fewer shots than the
others, apparently not using her rapid
fire guns, hut taking careful aim with
her 12-lnch monster at Quintas da Rece-.
REQ. s9, n
The town OF Matanzas at no ytimetwas
IN danger from our fire. It lies well ~
the south OF Punta Gorda- If the Span
iards had any killed, It must have besn
in the fortliications. Several persons on
board believe the Spanish loss was Sc
we're, and advance more or less plausible
theories. Rear Admiral Sampson and
Captain Chadwick venture no statement
on the subject. Z:
The most characteristic incident OF the
bombardment of Matanzas and one that
will 60 down In history as an instance
of Yankee pluck, occurred in the sick
bay on the flagship. One hundred and
eleven sailors were lying there. listening
to the shots, and eager to set on deck.
Suddenly, as II moved by a common Inn
pulse. four OF them sprang from stheIr
cots. One had malaria; two had grip
and another a high fever: but their all
ments were forgotten as they. rushed out
to their gun divisions and took their
usual stations Despite their entrsaties
to be allowed to stay, they were ordered
back to the sick bay. It Is hardly neces-l
sary to say that these four splendid
specimens Of "ehe man behind the gun
were no. reported for breach of dlscl-,
pllne. (. !,
BLANco's VERSION