The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-09

Those grizzled and battle-scarred
veterans of the noble told First Regi-
ment, who saw the engagement and at
tempted capture of Willow island fort
last night, lived through some of their
famous engagements once again, and
declare that at no time during their
service in the civil war were they called
upon to fight harder than the oppos-
ing forces which after the sun had
gone down yesterday attempted and re-
sisted the capture of the strategic point
in the middle of the Father of Waters
opposite the city. Although the coup
was planned some: weeks ago, it was
not known except to the council of war
what the details of the foray were to
be- 1t was known that the island was
we'll protected, several heavy ordnance
boats being anchored off shore, and
stout force of men being stationed in
the three block houses on either end
and in the center of the prettily wood
ed strip of land.
Less than a week ago under cover of
night the pest was furnished with
plentiful supply of ammunition, and
this fact, taken into account with the
knowledge that the place was we'll sup
piled with heavy guns, made the at
tacking generals loath to undertake the
task without adequate forces.
1t was agreed yesterday that the at
tack could best be carried out after
sundown, when the guards might not
be able to keep track of what was go
ing on across the river, and the COM
mand was placed in the hands of Capt.
Ed S. Bean, the same being known as an
intrepid officer. The sturdiest men in
the camp of vigilants were assigned to
follow his standard to- battle, from
which most of them might not return
alive. He selected Company D, of the
Third, at Zumbrota, in command of
Capt. Persons: Camp No. l, of the Sons
of Veterans, with Lieut., DAILY at their
head, and the rear was to- be brought
up by a detachment of Battery A, First
artillery, consisting of two three-inch
guns and squad of twenty men, COM
manded by Capt. Reoch and First Ser
geant Clark. Capt. Dean selected Maj.
C. E. Van Duzee as his aide, and the
major made his. way to the armory,
where his superior officer and the lat
ter's gallant little command had al
ready assembled.
The Third infantry band was in evi-
dence, with Maj. Charles Feise WELD
ing the baton. Every pfeeaution had
been observed so as not to -betray the
intended attack on theSfort
The citizens were NOT slow. however,
to surmise that something was going
on, for by the time the soldiers had
reached the long span which crosses the
river just above the objective point, the
sidewalks We're lined with multitudes
of people. More than this. when it be-
came bruited about. that. there was to
be an attack on the fort which had thus
far in the campaign stood unharmed,
every available eoignssof vantage. was
taken possession of by the half-fright-
ened but interested crowd of spectators.
Silently the column hIed across the
long bridge, which might have been
used as point ofsattack save that none
but the long range guns could bestrain-
ed so as to reach the block. houses.
Capt. Bean led his, men off the bridge
and wheeled down Fillmore avenue to
the plain which skirted the south bank
of the river.
Stationing his command almost op-
posite the fort, the commanding officer.
through orders to Mai. Van Duzee, had
the infantry formed in line of skirnish
along the bank at Intervals of three
yards, Lieut.. Daily and his Sons of
Veterans upon the right wing of Capt.
Persons and D company.
The men were provided with several
dozen rounds of ammunition each.
Then On came the artillery tearing