The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-12-06
SPANISH OFFICERS STORY
The Bombmrdment Of Matanzas as Seen
from the Inside.

(Lieutenannt- Colonel Carlo, Inotan dc
Rivera Of the Guardia Civil, in St.
Louis Globe Dsmocrat.J
On the second day Of April, 1898. we
were ordered into tho city Of Matanzas.
Alasl what desolation, in comparison
with the gay and luxurious appearance
Of the place In tune II peace Instead OF
daintliy bedecksd senoritas, going either
to church or to promenade on the beauti-
full sea front, We saw nothing but houses
with closed windows and shutters. and
crowds OF dirty, ragged and famishsd
women and children, begging for bread,
even from us. The place looked as II 1t
were stricken with deadly plague.
No.with standing this. we. in compli.
ance with military regulations, marched
to our barracks on the "Esplanada, I"
with m srtial music and disinterested
misn.
We remain ed hers but few days, and
on April Is were ordered to take q uarters
In the Castle of San Severino on the east
srn side of the entrance to Matanzas har-
Dor. For the sold iers Of the artillery were
working day and night at throwing up
earth works in the sand batteries of the
Punts. and it became necessary that we
should perform guard duty for them.
In order to relieve their fatigue Thence
forth We were constantly on duty and as
usual very badly fed. A glass OF milk
cost 80 cents and 25 cents for an egg.
Meat was q and Is pound. Bread
could hardly be bought. The mems ration
oonsistsd of q little boiled rice. or beans,
with sometimes very little dried meat
or fab. Yet with two rivers full OF dsh,
within mile Of us, and living not
stones throw from the sea. fresh fish was
very scarce. There was no one to catch
1t. M officer had the authority to per
NIT any Of his command to go fishing.
And so we starved Ia sight Of plenty;
and who could We hlamef We used to
blame our particular consultations.
For several days We could see large
American war-ships passing and repass-
ing the Punta, and on the evening OF
April ~, 1883, " I remember rightly,
there were several in sight. About 10 =.
m. the Governors port launch steamed
BY us. and out to sea. We were informed
that the Governor had sent to ask the
American commander II he intended to
lombard the city, SO that he might have
time to get the non-com batnnts out of
danger. These non-oom batants were
famished and terror-strioksn women and
children. 1he American officer Informed
him that 1t WAS not his intention to tire
on the city, but on the Notifications OF
the Punta. situated three miles distant
from the city.
During the interval between the going
out Of the launch and the firing Of the
0rst shell by the American fleet. q group
of eff oers, of which I was one, were co.
oupying themselye,, according to Spanish
military custom, with reviewing the
history Of San Sevsrino Castle upon
now being threatened with ruin. The
castle was built BY the franciscan friars
in the sixtesnth century and used by
them, as a N onastery. for nearly 200 Years.
During the reign Of Fernando VII. it
was oontscated and fortified. since that
into the noble pile 1t was until the 9Th
day Of April, 1898. Its batteries oon-
tanned sixty mine pieces Of artillery, of
which, however. comparatively few were
modern, as most CT the improved guns
had bean transported to Havana and on
to some Of our gunboats, an attack upon
Matan zas not having been deemed proba-
BILE.
We heartily wished some Of the guns
were back, and the gunners with them,
as the "Guardia CiviI' knows much more
about the management OF q horse than
that OF piece OF antiquateu artillery.
We also wondered whether the marksman-
ship of the "gringos" would be suffi.
ciently good to hit us. An S-inch she'll
from the vessel In the center Of the line.
which, believe, was the New YORK, fell
ct our feet within o yard OF the fort.
causing the massive walls fully 3 feet In
thick ness, to shake perosptibly. This
was the signal for the tisroe bombardment
which ensued. Every shot frsd seemed
TO fall within the fertilization. Before
We knew we'll what had happened, "
could see nothing to ssaward but dense,
cloud Of smoke, while We,
with cur smoksless powder. vera . con-
spiouous mark rs plain TO Be seen 40 the
sun ct MONDAY; for . bright object eau
be seen from = cloud Of smoke, while ON
is wrapped completely In the smoke Of
continued artillery firs. This 10 . posi-
tive fact; / do not say 1t ~ an excuss for
our utterly bad gunAsry, for. b u rs-