The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1898-04-29
BOMBARDED
The Forts at Ma
tdnzdS HdPDOp.
Th6EngdQ6ID6nt Lasted
For Over an Hour.
The New York, Puri-
ItII ctIEu ClI1ClEil1cIUl
Were Engaged.
The Object Was to Prevent the
Completion of EarthWOrkS
at Punta GOrda.
There Was No Loss of Life on
Our Side But the Span
iardS Suffered.
The Enemy'S Shells Fell Short of the
American Vessels.
The Puritan Sinks a Spanish Gunboat
The Land Batteries Silenced.
About Three Hundred Shots Were Put on
Land From the Three Ships at
Range of From Four to Seven
Thousand Yards.

On BOARD TIE FLAG SHIP New YORK,
OFF MATANZAs, April 2S-The New
York, the Puritan and the Cincinnati
bOmbarded the forts at the mouth of
Matanzas harbor Wednesday after
noon. There were no casualties on
our side, but it is believed that the hail
of iron which pounded in the forts
must have caused loss of life to the
Spaniards, though nothing is known
definitely.
The engagement commenced at 1857
and ceased at 1:15. The object of the
attack was to prevent the completion
of the earthworks at Punta Gorda. A
battery on the eastward arm of the
bay opened fire on the flagship and
this was also shelled. About IL S-inch
shells were fired from the eastern forts
but all fell short. About five or six
light shells were fired from the half
completed battery. Two of these
whizzed over the New York and
one fell short The ships left
the bay for the open sea.
the object of discovering the
whereabouts of the batteries having
been accomplished. In the neighbor-
hood of three hundred shots were put
on land from the three ships at
range of from four thousand to seven
thousand yards. RI. Adm. Sampson,
when asked if he was satisfied with the
result, said:
Yes, l am. / expected to be-"
The half completed Spanish earth
works and battery were apparently all
plOwed up by the shells.
All the ships engaged showed excel
lent craftsmanship throughout the en-
gagement, and when they were firing
at the shortest range nearly every
shell took effect. The forts which were
bombarded were on low-lying point
and were considered merely earth
works
They did not make a good target,
vet when the big guns were fired at
the shortest range portions of the fort
could be seen flying in the air at every
shot.
The flagship returned to Havana and
the Puritan and Cincinnati were left
on Matanzas station.
While the New York, Puritan and
Cincinnati were recOnnoi tering in
force for the purpose of locating and
destroying the formidable defenses be-
ing constructed. the flagship was fired
on by the batteries on Point Rubal
Caya and Point Maya, guarding the
entrance to the harbor. The New
York instantly replied.
The Puritan steamed in behind the
New York and engaged the fortifiea-
tion on Point Maya, while the New
York went to Starboard close up
to the land and poured her
shells into Rubal Caya. The Cincin-
natl, which had remained well astern.
under orders, signaled for permission
TO engage and received it, and soon
was firing her guns at the fort on the
west side of the bay. 1t took the three
ships Just Is minutes to silence the
batteries.
Immediately the fort at Matanzas
opened fire, the Puritan returned the
fire from an eight-inch gun. The first
shot missed. The second shot struck the
fort on the eastern end and crum bled
five tons of solid masonry Fort Nor
clio answered with Krupp guns. The
other forts about the harbor Joined in
the firing. By this time the New York
was in range. She opened fire about
three miles away, but came no closer.
The shells from the small gunboat hit
the Puritan, but the projectiles were
not heavy enough to do damage The
Puritan fired from both turrets at once.
and the gunboat sunk.
The American ships soon had the
range of the forts and nearly every
shot told. The war ships steamed
slowly away. SO as not to give the forts
stationary target. 1t is believed
4bere was loss of life.