The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1898-10-22

repulssd b The 1sth Minnesota, the
Astor battery taking part WITH their
side arms. The engagement along ne
entire Iine was short, sharp. but decIss
I've. AZ about three >. q. orr troops
occupied the city. having dIsaFmed The
entire Spanish force. about 100 Il b
said.
! have not had tire opportunity ! de-
sire OF visiting and Inspecting the forti-
fications 81 wonId like 70 DO, but may
have ample time when afIairs are prop
eriy adjusted and things ere brought
somewhat out OF the chaos that now
reigns. But have seen enough, how
ever, 70 convince me that had Il not
been for the presence Of Dewey's ncet
on the day Of the engagement the Span
ish Gag would stili be floating where
our nag now waves; because without
Deweyis guns, or the very heaviest Of
seige guns In their stead, no land force
Of 10000 men could take the inner fort.
! win 10 this letter. which IL already
longer than 1t should be. try to briefly
describe wbat have seen Of the out
side and top Of the walls Of the fort,
which. although built more than 100
years ago. are still in . 6ne state Of pre-
servation and remarkably strong ~
against an attack from land. The fort
Is octagonai In shape. tie walls being
about two miles in length, about thirty
6ye feet in width At the top and about
100 feet In width at the bottom, the out
side wall being nearly perpendicnlar
aud about forty feet In height. Around
the entire wall ID . canal, or more prop
erly speaking . moat. 100 feet wide,
grown full OF rank. poisonous vegeta-
ton which only grows In mua and
water. In other words, this moat 10 .
quaginire through which m army would
have to founder 70 reach the wall.
This most or canal IL capable OF being
flooded at any time II - thought neees-
sary. The only entrance TO the fort.
other than by breaches, which can be
made only by the heaviest Of seige guns.
10 by means Of draw bridges such ne we
read Of In works like SCOTS "Ivanhoe."
About 100 feet from the outer wall Of
the fort Is built wall from the bottom
Of tie moat, which being on . level
with the Land over which an attacking
party would move, would necessitate &
Jump Of i've feet before reaching the
waters in the moat below. Before m
attacking party could reach the most II
would have TO break through Eve fences
Of wire, closely woven, and protected BY
spikes, thorn brush and hedges. An 1t
lacking party moving on foot from any
direction save BY water would have q
cover half mile Of open ground before
reaching the wire fencing and be undeI
the concentrated Ere Of at least roc
pieces Of heavy artillery. besides quite .
number Of rapid IRE guns. Back thesS
guns up with 10000 determined meu
with Msnser rides and the fort IL almost
impregnable. think can say without
fear Of successful contradiction thai
5000 American troops could not b
captured behind those walls. other thar
than by starvation. However, let N
hope we may never be called upon 70 de
fend Il to our utmost.
One thing that Ii unacconntable, tax
en- In connection with the capture Oi
Manila, 10 that the Spanish did not ere {
single piece OF artillery in reply TO Dew
eyis Iire, and when the fort was take1
possession OF by the American troops Il
was found that nearly every gun VA
loaded, but not one had been fired. JUS
outside the main fort and distant there
from about 80 yards and commanding
the approach bY sea, were three tel
inch krupp guns, each projecting from
an emOFazure aud protected BY heavy
mounds Of earth, which we're also aban
doned with loads In them. The Spanisl
had. expecting IN attack from the in
s0rgent forces, driven around and out
side Of the wire fencing above spokes
Of, thousands Of sharp. hardwood spike
projecting from two 10 three inche
above the ground and within q few
inches Of each other, % that the insur
gents, who all 90 barefootsd, would hnl
great obstacle thrown In the way o
an assault. Add 10 this the fact tina
,, tons Of broken glass had also been pa
. out for the same purpose, and you cal
form some idea Of the Spanish way o
lighting.
The mail leaves today for The state
. and I must send this, but viii not clos
until ! say that in my next will en-
!. deavor 10 give your readers an idea Q
Whist Spanish town IL. VIII endeavo
70 truthfully describe the house OF exc
cution and the parade ground. on whic
90 many victims Of Spanish brutalit
have been sacrificed upon trivial plea
shall also endeavor 10 describe thei
churches and monasterys, a. well q
their potter Eield," where counties
thousands Of human bones lie bleachin
In the sun, because, foEsooth, the VIC
. tins were too poor to pay funeral ex
penses.
The Kootenai boys are all well an
many OF us, believing camp Tumor. ex
: pect 10 eat Christmas dinner In d
: states. lay all are well. wish 10 Q,
cept Thee Link, who b and has been Il
some time In the hospital with Eheam,
tism. The commanding oficer olfers
; him discharge. upon advice Of su
geOn, but Link refused 10 accept !