NEW FORUM

Supposed Fenian Raid upon a Martello Tower,


The Martello Tower at Foaty (Fota) has a garrison which consists, as usual of two gunner of the Royal Artillery, with them their two wives and five children occupied the tower. The entrance door of the tower is placed at some height from the ground, and is reached by means of a ladder which is drawn up at dusk every evening. The country for some distance around is very thinly populated. The little garrison appear never to have dreamt of a surprise, this incident which we believe to be substantially correct :- About 5 o'clock on Thursday evening one of the gunners was sitting with his family at tea in the Tower, his comrade being in an adjoining room and the fort door being open, when a party of men quietly entered, about five were seen by the gunners, but others are supposed to have remained outside. It is not quite clear whether the ladder had been drawn up at the time, but one account states that the door was reached by the visitors by clambering on the shoulders of others. Of these who entered some had their faces concealed ; the others had not. One who appeared to be the leader, advanced to the gunner who was sitting at the table, and presenting a revolver at his head, told him not to stir - that they did not want to harm them but only wanted the "stuff" that was there. The visitors then took down the guns and swords belonging to the two gunners from the rack upon which they were placed, and took possession of them, leaving the belts behind. When the other gunner came in from the adjoining room he was surrounded and prevented from communicating with his comrade. The wife of one of the gunners begged of the men to spare their lives, to which the leader replied they need not fear, and added that if they wished to know who he was- he was Captain "Mac" - something . Sentries with revolvers were then placed over the tenants of the tower, while the rest of the party proceeded to search for the ammunition. They took a number of 8 pound cartridges, variously stated from ten to twenty, besides a quantity of fuse, but did not find some cartridges which were hidden away as a reserve. During their stay they conversed freely with the little garrison, gave money to the children, and having spent about two hours in conversation, and inspection of the tower and its armament, left with the arms and ammunition. It was dark when they retired, quietly as they had entered, to boats, for during their stay reference is said to have been made to boats by them. The gunners gave a pretty close description of the leader, as well as of the one other man who had not his face concealed, and from these descriptions it is believed the police are satisfied that they know the two men in question.

As soon as the supposed Fenians had got clear off, and the gunners were free to act, the latter secured the entrance to the tower, and bringing up the reserve and ammunition, fired five shots from the tower gun, as a signal calling for aid. The signal does not appear to have been understood, for no assistance came for a long time. The firing was heard by passengers in passing trains, who also observed a man standing on the top of the tower waving a light It has not been clearly ascertained when assistance came to the occupants of the Martello Tower, but we believe it was not until Friday morning.-- As yet we believe no arrest has been made. The occurrence has attracted the attention of the authorities to the necessity of better garrisoning these towers, and a detachment of the 81st. Regiment was sent from Cork at 3 o'clock on Friday afternoon to occupy them. (1)