they retired, Fort
Williams opened with her entire armament, which, in a moment, was joined
in by Comphor and Coneby redoubts, Fort Wessels, Cady's Independent
Battery and the entire fleet of gunboats in the river.

Hoke opened on the town with forty-two pieces of artillery; Wessels
replied with just about the same number of pieces, but of heavier calibre.
From 6 until 8.30 p. m. was kept up a most terrific cannonade, which
presented a spectacle awfully grand and magnificent. The gunboats, which
were supplied with an armament of very heavy guns, sending immense shell
shrieking and bursting over our heads as they were hurled into the lines
of the enemy, the forts on our right and left keeping up an incessant
roar, a stream of fire belching from the hot throats of Hoke's forty-two
pieces in our front, the comet-like trail of fire from his shells as they
hurried on their mission of death towards us, the rattle of grape and
cannister as they were hurled against the wooden buildings in our rear, or
the woodwork of the forts and earthworks along the line, the loud bray of
an immense number of mules, with which Hoke's artillery was supplied, the
groans and shrieks of the wounded, combined to give me such a picture of
"grim visaged war" as I had never before beheld.

Several assaults were made on our works, which were repulsed with heavy
loss to the enemy. The heaviest fighting occurred on our right centre,
where were stationed the 85th New York; but to quote from the gallant
Phil. Kearny--"There was illegant fighting all along the line." A fearful
assault was made on Fort Wessels, which was isolated from the line of
works, and was a quarter of a mile distant on our right. This small fort
or redoubt was defended by Lieut. H. Lee Clark, with part of a company of
the 2d Massachusetts Heavy Artillery. It was protected by a deep ditch,
twelve feet wide, with an abattis of pine limbs outside, with a draw
bridge, which, when raised, formed a door to the entrance. It mounted four
or five guns and was well supplied with hand grenades from one-half to two
pounds. A number of determined assaults were made upon this work, and in
one about sixty of the enemy got inside the abattis and surrounded the
ditches; but Lieut. Clark used the hand grenades so effectually, the boys
tossing them over with such precision, and at the same time keeping up
such a succession of explosions at the sallyport, that they all
surrendered, laid down their arms