The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1898-05-05
Three Of Our Vessels Banged Away
at the Spanish Forts.
DEMOLISHED THEIR BATTERIES
In Exactly Eighteen Minutes the Spanish
Guns were Dismounted and Silcnced.

When Rear Admiral Samson, or
the flagship New York, left the cruis-
ing ground to pay visit to Matanzas
and Cardenas he made up his mind
that something had to be done will,
the very aggressive Spanish artillery
men who were manning the batteries
out that way. They had fred twice
on the torpedo boat Foote and were
very busy erecting Notifications and
placing guns in position.
| AT Matanzas the New York found
the monitor Puritan and the cruiser
Cincinnati, that have been blockad-
ing the port. Admiral Samson de-
} cded TO make a reconnaissance in
force for the three-fold purpose OF
locating the batteries, discovering the
kind of guns they mounted and il
possible TO prevent the work Of for
tication.
The New York led the way into
the bay of Matanzas. The Puritan
was few yards astern on the port
side and the Cincinnati remained q
slightly greater distance behind on
! the starboard side. Lines drawn from
ship TO ship would have made an Al
most perfect triangle.
At few minutes before o'clock
there was puff Of smoke from the
east shore and an S-inch shell whiz-
J zed toward the New York and fell
s. short Scarcely had the report died
y away than another puff Of smoke
is fioated upon the Point Maya side
!, This shell also fell short
The range OF the east battery was
nearly 1000 yards but the flagship
"a promptly opened with one OF her g.
II inch guns. The engagementin few
No. minutes became general and shore
s. and bay were covered with the wind
blown smoke, while the hollow he
n. tween the hills roared with the con-
" nonading
: Continuing to cut loose with her
guns starboard and port, as we'll as
fore and aft, the New York steamed
quickly in and circled around to the
westward toward Point Rubalcavs,
while the Puritan swung to the star
board to engage the Maya battery.
The Maya battery was more formidn-
BILE and the fire from it was more
frequent, but the shots fell short
The New York ignored this battery
after minute and proceeded to pay
all her attention to the battery on
Rubalcava, which was being pushed
to completion. 1t was beautiful
sight to see the target practice of The
New York. big balloon Of smoke
4 would suddenly rise from her side
l The eye, following the direction OF
| the shot, would see an instant later d
] great cloud Of dustand fragments ol
concrete and mortar fly high in ths
air Then would come the roar o.
= the piece, snllen and heavy.
- The New York had soon reduced
the range from 1000 to 5000 yards
and soon was tossing shells into Ru
bacava at the rate OF about three
minute with wonderful precision ant
apparently great destructiveness.
In the meantime the Puritan wa
taking care of Point Maya. 1t wa
u long shot to that battery. 1t wa
so well masked that the only targe
was the infrequent smoke from th
battery. But when the Puritan &c
the range, her shells burst every tim
within the Notifications and great wa
the explosion thereof High up
the air woald 60 cloud of dust fror
the Spanish fort looking for all th
world like the explosion Of a mags
zine of brown prismatic powder
The Puritan was doing fully 0
mnch harm on the east side of til
bay MS the New York was doing O
the west side.
All this time the Cincinnati hs
remained out of the action. Cal
tain Chester signalled for permissic
10 engage and it was granted by Il
flagship The Cincinnati steamed II
10 within 1000 yards, broadsidc OF
and began to let fly with her guns.
The batteries and the New for
were just giving the signal TO reti'
when one defiant shot was fred fro
Rubalcava.
1t Was the last shot that batter
was every to fire. One of the b
guns on the Puritan answered bacl
1t was the best shot OF the day
struck the battery just where the <,
was, tore ills way into the earthworl
and exploded, doing great dssIru
ton
Having practically demolished Il
Spanish batteries, the ships stood o
to sea- Not shell had struck o.
OF them. hat there had been payrt