[Extract]
October 11th.—About 1 o'clock this morning Captain Montresor informed me that the battery on Province Island1 was ready to receive the howitzers and mortars, and desired me to march and cross the ferry directly. I got there about half past 2, and had got an 8 inch howitzer in the flat, but for want of some care the flat went to the bottom in an instant, with several men and horses, and one of each was drowned. This accident prevented our doing anything further for the night. In the fore part of the evening two 12 pounders had been taken over, and one of them dragged up to the batÂtery through a mile of mud and water, for the whole island is a flat, and from rain, and the rebels cutting the embankment, the whole was nearly under the water. The battery is raised within 400 or 500 yards of the fort on Mud Island2 and open to all the rebel shipping, and their galleys can go within 150 yards of it. About 6 o'clock this morning the rebels discovered our work, and began and continued a constant fire from all their vessels and batteries upon it till about 4 in the afternoon. About 10 in the morning they landed some troops who marched up to the battery, attacked our people and for a little time were in possession of it. Our force on the island at this time was very small, not above 200 men; they were in great danger of being cut off and losing the two 12 pounders. A Major V....3 commanded; he was hurrying off the island in boats as fast as he could, and had he not been prevented, the island would undoubtedly have been in the possession of the enemy. He was ordered back to support those that remained, and by the activity of Captain Moncrieffe the battery was re-taken, and some soldiers. As it was, the rebels carried off 50 prisoners of the grenadiers and 10th regiment, who, I am sorry to say did not behave as they ought to have done. Four artillerymen were taken, and an ammunition waggon was blown up by a shot....
