The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-29

slowly from the very center OF the earth
works. showing how trne had been she
aim
Then from the entire port side q fearful
suss.ade was poured on the shore. the four
tu.ret guns aring almost simultaneously
and the four-inch guns adding Their small
err hal. When the smoke blew away
Punsa Gorda was dotted with dust clouds
that looked ike miniature geysers spring
ing suddenly from the earth. Each showed
where shot had struck. Al this stage
the guns In the ouintas del Recro battery
were observed 20 be firing on the flagship.
This fort Ia on the eastward arm of the
harbor. 1900 yards from where the flag
ship vas lying. 1t Is provided with four
eight-inch guns. The fiagship's fire was
at oncs directed upon that. Up 20 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 signaling
for perm ssion to fire. When this was
reported 20 Rear Admiral Sampson he
said: '.Ai right: tel them 10 so ahead
So. VIII e the New York was cominenc-
ing fire on Quintas del Recro. the Puritan
took a position to the eastward and OPEN
ed on the same point. The Cincinnati went
to the westward and poured a rapid-fire
broadside into the earthworks on Punta
Gorda- Occasionally shots from ouintas
del Recro could be seen coming in the
direction OF the New York. but at ao time
threatened the ship. Only about Ten shots
are believed to have been fired from this
battery during the whole engagement.
However. there may have been more. 1t
is possible that its guns may have been
disabled. as two-sight inch shells were dis
tinctly seen to land squarely in the tort.
Its distance from the ship was so great.
and the smoke, which the wind took In
lis direction. SO thick. that ii was hard 10
judge the effect OF the fire. and still hard
er to get good aim. For about five min
u,es Quintas del Recro got the full bene-
fit of the port broadsides Of the New York
and Puritan. What its ultimate fate would
have been Is hard TO tell had not attention
been diverted from 1t by she'll from
Punta Gorda. which winged over the New
York and fell little short Of the Cincin-
natl.
Leaving Quintas del Recro to the tender
nercies of the Puritan. which was still
banging away. Capt Chadwick put his
helm to starboard until the port battery
once more bore on the Punea Gorda earth
works Another shell came from shore
whizzing along over the flagship.
Too high. but better shot than I
thought they could make" said an officer.
Then the Cincinnati and New York pour
ed shot into the yellow earthworks and
the surrounding land until the smoke hid
everything from view. Only one more shot
from Punta Gorda was noticed. II fell
short OF the New York by about go yards.
Ii was believed to come not from the earth
works. but from field battery on the brow
OF a slight hill about half a mile further
inland than the earthworks In fact. II IA
doubtful whether any shots were fired from
the earthworks after the two or three
oroadsides had been poured into them.
What became OF the soldiers seen on Punta
Gorda? Some declare they saw them rum
ming 10 the brow of the HILL where the
Held battery was thought to be stationed.
out this, as we'll as the estimate of the enc
mys number. which ranged from 40 to
4"s. was purely superstition distance and
smoke preventing accurate knowledge
The Spanish Version.
MADRID. April &-The version of the
hcmhardfnent OF Matanzas By the United
States fleet. which reached here says:
After hours Of fighting. the Americans
wers obliged 10 retreat
Little credence Is attached In Madrid 10
the dispatches from New York telling OF
the bonahartxnent OF Matanzas. as the lat
ter conflict with the official report In
addition 10 saying The Americans were
Obliged 70 retrear." they admit that sew
eral men we're killed ard that sorsa dam
5 age was done 10 the town: also saying that
/ ihe main loss Is not known.
CA8To7LA