It soon became apparent that
the enemy did not intend an immediate assault, for, with the battery of
six pieces, they began a fearful cannonade.
"Lie under the breastworks," said Croghan to his men as the balls were
hurled about the fort, or bounded from the ramparts. The surface of the
ground in the line of fire, soon became covered with smoke, which every
few moments was rent by a whistling ball.
All that long forenoon Fernando Stevens remained behind the works
occasionally picking off a gunner at long range. When the hot August sun
began to decline in the West, the roar of artillery seemed to increase
rather than diminish. At last he heard the young commander say:
"They are concentrating on the northwest corner of the fort; that is the
point from which the attack will be made." He called to Fernando and a
dozen other sharpshooters and hastened to the threatened spot. Every man
who could be spared from other quarters was put in requisition, and
every bag of sand and flour that could be found was hurriedly collected
and sent to strengthen the angle.
"Lieutenant Stevens," said Major Croghan, "get your riflemen together
and pick off those fellows as fast as you can. Never mind those bags of
sand. Others will attend to them."
Fernando and his score of sharpshooters soon began dropping the redcoats
as fast as they could see them. The solitary cannon, the only hope of
the defenders, was loaded to its fullest capacity and trained so as to
enfilade the enemy.
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