Our line penetrated.
On the 10th of June a furious bombardment all day and night indicated to us an approaching attack, and at three o'clock on the morning of the 11th, a show of an assault was made near the centre of our line of fortifications, while, at the same time, the real attack was made on our left in the woods.
During the fighting two regiments of the enemy, favored by the extreme darkness, crept up through a gorge among the abattis, penetrating within our lines of defence.
Had they known the ground and been strongly reinforced, this movement might have proved disastrous to us. As it was, they captured a courier going to
Colonel Steedman from one of his regimental commanders, calling for reinforcements.
On the night of June 11th, the enemy threw up a battery, pierced for eleven guns, in the centre of Slaughter's field, and within four hundred yards of our works, connected by a line of breastworks with the woods, both on the right and left.
They succeeded in placing their pieces in position during the next night.
Along our whole line, at eleven o'clock A. M., the mortar boats having been moved up nearer to us, they joined the land batteries in a terrific bombardment of two hours duration, during which a line of battle was formed in Slaughter's field and moved forward, as if to charge, but fell back to the woods as soon as we opened upon it with artillery.
At one o'clock P. M.,
General Banks sent in a demand for the surrender of the post and its garrison, as follows:
