The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-30
MADE FUR FLY AT MATANzAs.
FULLER DETAILS OF THE bonn
BARDMENT OF THE FORTS.

cinnati wild Until They Were
Given Permission. 10 Get Into the
Game-Number. Of Troops Engaged
ON shore Not known.
Copyright. 1898. by the Associated Press.
With the Flagship New York, off Ha-
vana, April 2s 10 2. m, via Key West,
| April 29.-The bombardment of the Matan-
zas batteries is now matter of history.
The flagship has returned to her station
off El Moro.
AS already briefly stated in these dis
patches the commandment accomplished its
| purpose, and that without any loss of life
| on the American side.
1t is believed the Spanish must have sus-
tanned some loss of life in addition TO hav-
| IngNtheir nearly completed earthworks and
| fortifications torn up by the explosion of
| shells.
| The capture of the city was not contem-
plated, the object being TO stop the cree
ton of the batteries
| This engagement, the first In which the
| United States navy has participated for
| about 80 years, occurred quite unexpected
! ly. The New York was lying about TWEEN
| ty miles east of Havana at 1890 o'clock
yesterday morning when Rear Admiral
| Sampson decided TO steam to Matanzas.
AT the entrance to the harbor the mont
| tor Puritan and the cruiser Cincinnati met
the flagship. A stiff wind was blowing
| and the waves poured over the low bow
and stern of the monitor. AT slow speed
the flagship proceeded toward the harbor,
| the Puritan following a half mile astern
and the Cincinnati about two miles to the
| westward.
| Rear Admiral Sampson and Capt. Chad
wick stood on the high bridge carefully
surveying the forts which had had the
temerity to fire upon the United States
torpedo boat Foote. When about three
miles from Punta Gorda, the extreme point
of the eastern arm of the harbor, a long
| yellow streak was seen on shore.
| 1t looked like a newly erected earth
works. Closer inspection revealed num-
Der of men clustered around the shore
Still the New York steamed slowly ahead
until it was ascertained without any doubt
that the Spanish troops were busy in erect
ing what seemed to be sand battery, and
had already gotten several guns into posi-
ton.
Rear Admiral Sampson decided that this
was detrimental to a pacific blockade.
General quarters was sounded
The men rushed to their guns. When the
New York was about 40OO yards from
Punta Gorda her helm was put to star,
board, and commence firing the bugle
then blew. 3e f3sr, 8Yal s..5 o,
Naval Cadet Boone, In charge of
Waist" the s-inch gun amidships on the
port side, had the honor of firing the first
| shot.
The flagship shook from stem to stern
as the first projectlle aimed by the United
States at the shore of Cuba flew from the
.muzzle of the big gun. This was at 1856
O'Clock. Fifty pairs of glasses were level
ed from the flagship at the shore. 1,
| seemed minutes before the yellow smoke
cleared away, but in reality it was less
than five seconds.
Then little cloud of dust was seen to
rise at the right of the earthworks. For
the first attempt at 1000 yards, 1t was by
no means bad shot Without the aid of
glasses. the objective point could be clear.
| ly defined.
With a deafening roar the S-inch gun in
the forward turret let fly its iron missile
1t landed too high. The after turret came
next, with the same szsd pro1ectile.
| shout of delight went up from the flagship
as dense cloud rose slowly from the very
| center of the earthworks showing how
| true had been the aim. tsi
Then from the entire port side a fearful
fusilade was poured on the shore, the four
| turret guns firing almost simultaneously
and the 4-inch guns adding their smaller
| hail. '
! When the smoke blew away Punta Cor.
da was dotted with dust clouds that looked
| like miniatures geysers springing suddenly
| from the earth.
Each showed where shot had struck
| At this stage the guns of the Quintas de
Recreo battery were observed TO be firing
on the flagship. This fort is on the east
ward arm Of the harbor, 1900 yards from
where the flagship was lying. 1t Is pro-
vided with four S-inch guns The nagships
| fire was at once directed upon 1t. So
Up to this period the New York had been
in the firing alone.
| Capt. Harrington on the Puritan and
| Capt Chester, on the Cincinnati had
| drawn up and were vigorously signalling
| for permission to fire.
! When this wigs reported to Rear Ad-
miral Sampson he said: "All right; tell
| them to go ahead"
So while the New York was commencing
fire on Quintas de Reeree, the Puritan
took position to the eastward and opened
on the same point.
The Cincinnati went to the westward
and pounded rapid-hre broadside into
the earthworks on Punta Gorda.
Occasionally shots from Qufntas de Re-
Greco could be seen coming in the direc-
ton Of the New Yorw. All fell very short
and at no time threatened the ship. only
about ten shots are believed to have been
fired from this battery during the whole
engagement. e ff.i4
However, there may have been more. II
is possible that its guns may have been
disabled, IS two eight-inch shells were dis
tinctly seen 20 land squarely' in the fort
Its distance from the ship was so great. 4
and the smoke, which the wind took in its
direction, 50 thick that II was hard 10