The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-10
NIGHT Of RElEhRY
Continued From First Pare.

must be set on foot before the de-
tenders occupied the plateau which
was the only ground from which all
attack could be planned and executed
to any advantage.
Thus, in spite of the nasty weather.
the reinforcementS which arrived in
the morning from up the river were
ordered assembled and rested on their
arms awaiting the command to march;
at $50 in the evening" The moon,
which had shone on the futile effort
at capture the preceding night, cast
her Pickering beams through a great
mass of inky black clouds which
threatened to drench the eager troops
just arrived on the scene, their apps
tite for battle whetted by a trivial
engagement in Minneapolis The
troops were companies G, D, E and
H of the First infantry, which joined
the D company men of the Third, and
detachment of the gallant artillery
which made such a stubborn fight dur
ing the first onslaught It was evil
dent that wind of the renewed attack
reached Fort Willow island for the
armored cruisers transferred vast
quantities of ammunition from the
magazines on shore to the picturesque
strip of wooded land in the middle
of the river.
The walls, torn and scared by the
fire of the enemy, had been in a meas
ure patched up, and the east block
house was equipped with men, arms
and ammunition to ward off the attack
from that direction. Sentinels paced
quietly about the island ready to give
the warming should a second foray be
commenced.
AS in the first instance Capt. Bean
succeeded in getting his men to the
West side plateau, and drawn up in
skirmish line flanked by the heavy
,af@ aI@0f@ oh,
heard from the island. The guards
men, headed by the Third Infantry
band from Smelling, marched across
the long bridge fanked by the big
guns. and were drawn up in pelting
rain, while the band played martial
strains.
Fires were hastily built, and shortly
before 9 o'clock, the three-inch guns
began the work which was to end the
history of the fort so effectually The
pieces were first trained upon the
house at the west end of the island,
where the officers were observed, but
soon it was found that whitening fire
was like it had been the night before
coming from the center fortifcation,
SO the pieces were trained in this di-
rection and the bombardment began in
real earnest.
The rattle of the infantry musketry
was like hail and was closely followed
by the booming of the big death-deal-
ing machine guns All along the shore
were the men who fought with the
desperation born of the defeat of
Wednesday night Round after round
of the terrific shot was leyelled and
sent on it's mission. the order being
given to pick out man every time
the trigger was pulled. The shore bat
teries and armored boats gave it back
with interest, and it was a battle to
the death.
The center fort held its own in spite
of several bursted shells, which set fire
to the battlements and carried away
the flag staffs. The steady downpour
of rain undoubtedly several times de-
| layed the conf1agration which finally
reduced the Notifications to mass Of
| dying embers. The officers of the de-
Tending forces could be seen by the
| fierce glare of the fire hurrying about
from place to place encouraging the
| men, while the shrill music of the fife
mixed with the heavy tones Of the
drum could plainly be heard above the
deafening bombarding.
The four-inch guns on the cuisers
! did frightful execution, and when q
| great gaping hole had been torn in the
ranks of the attacking forces, Capt.
| Sean ordered the fire upon the west
| fort.
This was after nearly forty minutes
| of steady fire and the second shell
sent to the fort lodged on the upper
| tuIret and burst into a thousand frag-
mcnts, scattering mischief broadcast.
| Flames spread with lighting rapid
| ty through the house, and when its
! doom was inevitable, the brave fell
lows who had struggled so hard were
| forced to flee for their lives, and after
! they had safely landed upon one Of the
| ironcladS, the shell of the building fell
| in a heap, which took fire and lit up
| the heavens for miles around. The
| men made their way to the center
| fort, there to continue the dread strug-
| gle. Capt. Bean had ball heated red
in one of the fires, and had the ira
| jectory so ranged that it would fall
| upon the fat dome of the center fort.
The scheme worked like charm,
| and in trice the work of destruc-
ton had so advanced that it was seen
| that the center fort would never hold
| body of earnest, faithful fighters
again.
| The men stood their ground valiant
ly and fired so rapidly that their guns
| became too heated to permit their fur
Their use. When the first house fell
| deafening shout went up from the be
| siegerS, for it was their first taste of
| victory, and when later the second for
| LITIGATION burst forth into beautiful
| Zied and were anxious to finish the
| fight without delay. TorpedoeS had
played hob with two of the gunboats,
! and with the others impressed into
! service transporting men to the lower
| forts, it was plain that the defenders
! could hold out but little longer in the
| face of such a soaring torrent.
The order was given to cease firing
! from the West side plateau with the
hope that the white flag would be sent
! Jp on the island but the defenders
were determined to last as long as
| there were men enough to man the
guns, and stay they did.
Bean was perplexed. There was the
| flag still flying and the fort was not
! deserted for the firing was being con-
! tirued Concentrating his fire he
gave the command for final volley in
/ the direction of the center fort, and
| the building was literally blown from
| its bottom and sank crumbling to the
| earth like card house The ruins i'm
mediately took fireeand blazed up until
! the red and yellow light was mixed
with the soft rays of the MOON which
! by this time, had burst from behind
the black clouds. The remnant of the
defenders boarded the two gunboats
! and made their way down the river.
! 1t was a great battle, and signal VIC
| tory for Capt Bean and his intrepid
soldiers.
| 1t will probably be many years again
before ST Paul has aught to fear ow-
! ing to the presence on Willow island of
an unfriendly force of arms. Capt.
| Rean headed the triumphal march
| back to camp, and during the evening
| the military bands, which had accom-
| panied the incursions RECALLED the
! friends of the victors, who by the way,
| filled the streets with excellent musical