Rensselaer Democrat, Volume 1, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 May 1898 — MATANZAS IS SHELLED [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

MATANZAS IS SHELLED

Spanish Batteries Are Speedily Blown to Pieces. DEATH AND RUIN DEALT OUT American Warships for Thirty Minutes Belch Forth a Storm of Iron. • New York, Puritan and Cincinnati Are the Vessels Engaged In the First Serious Engagement of the War— F punish Land Defenses Seriously Damaged and Loss of Life of the Defenders Is Reported-No Casualties on Fleet—Morro Castle Fires. Key West special: The flagship New York, monitor Puritan, and cruiser Cincinnati, under Admiral Sampson, on Wednesday afternoon bombarded the Spanish batteries that were in position and in course of construction at the entrance to Matanzas harbor. They were pretty thoroughly destroyed. The flagship was first fired upon by the batteries on Point Rubai Cava and Point Maya, while the Puritan, New York and Cincinnati were reconnoitering for the purpose of locating and ultimately destroying the works the Spaniards were

building. The New York steamed in between the batteries, and opened both broadsides, on the Spaniards. The Puritan engaged the Cape Maya battery and the Cincinnati went to starboard of the New York, close up to the land, and sent a broadside of shells into Ruba Cava. The batteries returned the fire, but not one of the shots took effect. They fired

Ixplosive shells, and they all fell wide of the mark, no damage of any kind result* ing. A shrapnell shell exploded above the New York, and one shell exploded just beyoud the stern. All others were wasted. The batteries were reduced in jusF twenty minutes. The final shot from the enemy came from Ruba Cava, and drew from the Puritan a reply from one of her twelve-inch guns, which struck the battery and blow-up a section of it. The United States ships did not retire until the Spanish refused to renew the engagement. They left the batteries in ruins. 1 During the engagement not a soul could be seen on the shore, and the puffs of smoke came up from the batteries as if by magic. MEN WHO FIGHT FEVER. Senate Military Committee Wants 10,000 Immnnea Enlisted. The Senate Committee on Military Affairs made* a favorable report on a bill Authorizing the enlistment of an additional brigade of volunteer engineers. In connection with the offers made by recently organized troops in the South who have had yellow fever, the President is empowered to enlist without regard to apportionment among the States a volunteer force not exceeding 10,000 men, possessing Immunity from diseases incident to tropical dimates.

EMILIO AQUINALDO. Insurgent leader of the Philippines.