The record-union., 1898-04-29
THE BOMBARDMENT NOW A MAT
TER OF HISTORY.

feet q landing.
THE BOMBARDMENT NOW A MAT
TER OF HISTORY.
ON THE FLAGSHIP, OFF HA-
VANA, April %, 10 p. m. via Key
West Fla), April 20.-(Copyrighted,
1898. by the Associated Press. 1.-The
Commandment of Matanzas batteries
is now a matter of history. The flag
ship has returned to her station off
Ell Moro AS already briefly stated in
these dispatches, the bombardment ac-
complished its purpose, and that with
out any loss of life on the American
side. 1t is believed the Spaniards must
have sustained some loss of life, in
addition to having their nearly COM
pleted earthworks and Notifications
torn up by the explosion of shells. The
capture of the city was not all contem-
plated the object being to stop the
erection of the batteries.
This engagement the first in which
the United States navy has partici-
pated in for about thirty years, oc-
Cured quite unexpectedly. The New
York was lying about twenty miles
east of Havana at half-past 10 yester-
day morning, when Rear-Admiral
Sampson decided to steam to Matan-
zas At the entrance to the harbor the
monitor Puritan and the cruiser Gin
cinnati met the flagship. A stiff wind
was blowing, and the waves poured
over the low bow and stern Of the mon
itor At slow speed the flagship pro-
ceeded toward the harbor, the Puritan
following half a mile astern, and the
Cincinnati about two miles to the west
ward.
Rear Admiral Sampson and Captain
Chadwick stood on the high bridge.
carefully surveying The forts which had
the temerity to fire on the United
States torpedo boat Foote. When
about three miles from Punta Gorda,
the extreme point of the eastern end
of the harbor, a long yellow streak was
seen on shore. 1t looked like a newly
erected earthwOrk. Closer inspection
revealed a number of men clustered
around the shore. Still the New York
steamed slowly ahead. until it was as
certained without any doubt that the
Spanish troops were busy erecting
what seemed to be a sand battery and
had already gotten several guns into
position.
EedI-AuIIilIdl ESdI1pSOI ueClueu lndI
this was detrimental to a pacific block
ade General quarters was sounded
The men rushed to their guns. When
the New York was about 1000 yards
from Punta Gorda her helm was put
to starbOard and commence firing
her bugler blew. Naval Cadet Boone,
in charge of Waist" the eight-inch
gun amidships on the port side, had the
honr of firing the first shot. The flag
ship shook from stem to stern as the
first projectile aimed by the United
States at the shore of Cuba flew from
the muzzle of the big gun. This was
at 1856 p. m.
Fifty pairs of glasses were leveled
from the flagship at the shore 1t
seemed minutes before the yellow
smoke cleared away, but in reality it
was less than five seconds. Then lit
tie cloud of dust was seen to rise at
the right of the earthworks For the
first attempt at 1000 yards it was by
no means a bad shot Without the aid
of glasses the objective point could be
clearly defined.
With a deafening report the S-inch
gun in the forward turret let fly its
iron missile. 1t landed high. The after
turret came next with the same sized
projectile A shout of delight went up
from the flagship as a dense cloud rose
slowly from the very center of the
earthworks, showing how true had
been the aim.
Then from the entire port side fear
full 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 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 del Recho battery
were observed to be firing on the flag
ship. This fort is on the eastward arm
of the harbor. 1000 yards from where
the flagship was lying. 1t is provided
with four S-inch guns. The flagship's
fire was at once directed upon it. Up
to this period the New York had been
in the firing alone. Captain Harrington,
on the Puritan, and Captain Chester,