rapidly enlarged. After the expiration of three hours the entire casemate next the pan-coupe had been opened, and by 12 o'clock the one adjacent to it was in a similar condition.

Directions were then given to train the guns upon the third embrasure, upon which the breaching batteries were operating with effect, when the fort hoisted the white flag. This occurred at 2 o'clock.

The formalities of visiting the fort, receiving its surrender, and occupying it with our troops, consumed the balance of the afternoon and evening.

During thee 11th about one-tenth of the projectiles from the three breaching batteries were directed against the barbette guns of the fort. Eleven of its guns were dismounted, or otherwise rendered temporarily unserviceable.

The garrison of the fort was found to consist of 385 men, including a full complement of officers. Several of them were severely, and one fatally, wounded.

Our total loss was 1 man killed. None of our pieces were struck.

I take pleasure in recording my acknowledgment of the hearty, zealous, and persevering co-operation afforded me by the officers and men under my command, not only during the 10th and 11th, when all more or less forgot their fatigue in the excitement and danger of thee engagement, but throughout the exhausting and unwholesome labors of preparation, occupying day and night a period of nearly eight weeks.

The entire available strength of the command was on guard or fatigue duty every twenty-four hours.

The details for night work were always paraded immediately after sunset, and were usually dismissed from labor between 1 and 2 o'clock in the morning, although circumstances frequently required parties to remain out all night.

In unloading the ordnance and ordnance stores advantage was always taken of favorable tide and weather day and night.

There is one circumstance connected with this siege which appears to deserve special mention, and that is, that with the exception of a detachment of sailors from the frigate Wabash, who served four of the light siege pieces in Battery Sigel on the 11th, we had no artillerists of any experience whatever. Four of the batteries were manned by the Third Rhode Island Volunteer Artillery, who were conversant with the manual of the pieces, but had never been practiced at firing. All the other pieces were served by infantry troops, who had been on constant fatigue duty, and who received all their instructions in gunnery at such odd times as they could be spared from other duties during the week or ten days preceding the action.

Instructions had been given by General Benham to place a mortar battery on the lower end of Long Island and two 10-inch columbiads on Turtle Island, in order to obtain a reverse fire on the work. These batteries were to have been erected and manned by detachments from General Viele's command. One 10-inch siege mortar was therefore placed on Long Island, and was served on the 11th April by a detachment commanded by Major Beard, Forty-eighth New York Volunteers. It was entirely ineffective on account of the distance - nearly 1,900 yards. The idea of Turtle Island battery was not carried into effect, and no pieces were landed there.

Throughout the siege Colonel Alfred H. Terry, Seventh Regiment Connecticut Volunteers, and Lieutenant Colonel James F. Hall, commanding battalion of New York Volunteer Engineers, were conspicuous for the zeal