The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-29
.BOMBARDMENT
NOW HISTORY
Believed the Spaniards Sustained
Some Loss of Life.
ENGAGEMENT UNEXPECTED
The Vessels Opened Fir, IS tn,
Building OF BrsastT Ss
THE FoRTlFIcATlONs : SAEO FIRE
=
This Was Promptly Returned BY the
Flag Ship and the Battle Began.
THE DONs PROVED BAD MARKsMEN
Honor of Firing First Shot From an Amer.
lean Man of War at the Go st of
Cuba Belongs to Naval
Cadet Boone.
This Was Promptly Reldrned BY the
Flag Ship and the Battle Began. !.
THE DoNs PROVED BAD mARKsmEN

On Board the Flagship New York, or
Havana, April 2S-10 a. m.-(Via Key
West, April 29.-The bombardment of the
Matanzas batteries is now matter of his
tory. The flagship has returned to her
station off Ell Moro. AS briefly stated in
these dispatches yesterday the lombard
ment accomplished it's purpose, and that,
too, without the sacrifice of single Ameri-
can life or the destruction of particle of
American property.
1t is believed the Spaniards must have
sustained some loss of life in addition to
their nearly completed earthworks, which
were almost totally destroyed by the ex-
plosion of shells.
The capture of the city was not at all
contemplated, the object being to stop the
erection of the batteries.
This engagement, the first in which the
United States navy has participated for
about thirty years, occurred quite unex-
pectedly The New York was lying about
twenty miles east of Havana at 10:30 yes
terday morning when Rear Admiral Samp-
son decided to steam to Matanzas At the
entrance to the harbor the monitor Puri-
tan 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 followed half mile astern and
the Cincinnati about two miles to the west
ward Rear Admiral Sampson and Captain
Chadwick stood on the high bridge care
fully surveying the fortifcations which
had had the temerity to fire ON the United
States torpedo boat Foote.
New Earthworks Discovered
When about three miles from Punta
Gordo, the extreme point of the eastern
arm of the harbor, a long yellow streak
was seen on short. 1t looked like newly
erected earthworks. A closer inspection re-
yealed number of men clustered around
the shore. Still the New York steamed
slowly ahead until it was ascertained with
out any doubt that the Spanish troops
were busy in erecting what seemed TO De
a sand battery and had already gotten
several guns into position.
Rear Admiral Sampson decided that was
detrimental to pacific blockade. Gen
eral quarters was sounded. The men
rushed to their guns. When the New
York was about 1000 yards from Punta
Gordo, her helm was put to starboard, and
commence firing the bugler blew. Naval
Cadet Boone, in charge of the Waist s.
inch gun amidships on the port side, had
the honor of firing the first shot. The
flagship shook from stem to stem as the
first projectile aimed by the United states
at the shore of Cuba flew from the muzzle
Not a BAD Shot
Fifty pairs of glasses were levelled at the
flagship at the shore. 1t 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 1900 yards 1t was by no
means bad shot. Without the aid or
glasses the objective point could be clearly
defined. With deafening roar the eight
inch gun in the forward turret lifted It's
iron missile. 1t landed high. The after
turret came next with the same sized pro-
iectile A shout of delight went up from
the flagship as O dense cloud rose slowly
from the very center of the earthworks,
showing how true had been the aim. Then
from the entire port side fearful fusilade
was poured on the shore, the four turret
guns firing almost simultaneously and the
four inch guns adding their smaller hail
When the smoke blew away Punta Gorda
was dotted with dust clouds that looked
like miniature geysers springing suddenly
from the earth. Each showed where shot
had struck.
At this stage the guns in the Quintas
de Rccreo battery were observed to be
firing on the flagship This fort is on the
east war dam or the harbor, 1000 wards
from where the flagship was lying. 1t is
provided with four S-inch guns. the nag
ships fire was at once directed upon II.
Up to this period the New York had been
doing the firing. Captain Harrington, on
the Puritan, and Captain Chester, on the
Cincinnati, had drawn up and were vig-
orously signalling for permission to fire.
When this was reported to Rear Admiral
Sampson, he said: 'All right, tell them
to go ahead.
Puritan and Cincinnati Fire
So, while the New York was commencing
fire on Quintas de Recreo the Puritan took
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