erson.
General Schofield advanced from Smithville, with eight thousand men, on the 17th instant.
At the same time I attacked the works by water, placing the monitor Montauk close to the works, and enfilading them with the Pawtucket, Lenape, Unadilla and Pequot, the tide and wind not allowing more vessels to get under fire.
The fort answered pretty briskly, but quieted down by sunset.
On the 18th, at 8 o'clock, I moved up closer, with the Montauk leading, followed by the Mackinaw, Huron, Sassacus, Pontusuck, Maratanza, Lenape, Unadilla, Pawtucket, Osccola, Shawmut, Seneca, Nyack, Chippewa and Little Ada, and kept up a heavy fire through the day until late in the afternoon.
The enemy's batteries were silenced by three o'clock, though we kept up the fire until dark.
We also fired through the night.
In the meantime, General Schofield was working in the rear of the rebels to out them off. The latter did not wait for the army to surround them, but left in the night, t
