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3.3.13.wavBaranov had no intention of surrendering Sitka to the Tlingit. He built two new ships and sailed in 1804 to retake it with a force of 150 Russians and 400–500 Aleuts in 300 baidarkas. An extremely lucky happenstance aided him. The Russian naval ship Neva happened to be journeying through the Pacific on the first Russian circumnavigation of the globe. While stopped in Hawaii, the captain heard about the situation in Sitka and came to Kodiak to assist Baranov. The Neva, which carried 14 cannons and a crew of 43 men, was a powerful addition to Baranov's force. Without it, the Russians may not have won the battle.
The Tlingit knew the Russians would return and had built a large fort at a strategic location on Sitka Bay. On the first day of the battle, the Russians landed and attacked the Tlingit fort. The Tlingit repulsed the initial charge with gunfire and surged out to engage the Russians in hand-to-hand combat. The Russians were forced to retreat under the cover of Neva's guns. Baranov, who led the initial charge, had been shot and seriously injured.
Aleut fleet pulling Neva into Sitka Sound
After their first attack was beaten back, the Russians relied on the guns of the Neva. For the next three days, the Neva would continuously pound the Tlingit fort with cannon fire. One cannon shot exploded much of the Tlingit reserve of gunpowder. At a council meeting, Tlingit leaders decided that holding the fort without powder for their guns was impossible. They decided to abandon the fort and retreat across the mountains. When the Russians landed a force the next day to attack the fort, they were surprised to find it empty.
Second Battle of Sitka. The Tlingit war chief, K 'alyaan, wears a raven war helmet, and wields a Russian blacksmith's hammer captured in 1st battle.
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