Adam Badeau, Military history of Ulysses S. Grant from April 1861 to April 1865. Volume 2

Meanwhile, at the order to advance, Curtis's brigade at once sprang from the trenches and dashed forward in line. Its left was exposed to a severe enfilading fire, and it obliqued to the right so as to envelop the left of the land front. The ground over which it moved was marshy and difficult; sometimes the men sank waist-deep in the ponds, and not a few of the wounded perished in the mire; but the brigade soon reached the palisades, dashed through them, and rushed to the sally-port. This was a bomb-proof postern, covered by a redan mounting two twelve-pound howitzers; and a line of the enemy extended behind the earthworks from the battery to the river. Two reliefs of rebel gunners with their supports were shot down at this point before the enemy gave way; but finally they could stand no longer, and over dead bodies in blue and grey the charging column entered the fort. The rebel line was broken, and the national soldiers mounted the parapet.

When Curtis moved forward in the assault, Ames directed Pennypacker to advance as far as the rear of the sharpshooters, and brought up Bell to Penny. packer's last position; and, as soon as Curtis got a foothold on the parapet, Pennypacker was sent in to his support. He advanced, overlapping Curtis's right, and drove the enemy from the heavy palisading which extended from the west end of the land front to the river, capturing a number of prisoners. Then, pressing forward to their left, the two brigades together drove the enemy from about one quarter of the land face.