seven in the evening
14th . -- Our works were now in every direction reduced almost to heaps of ruins , and incapable of withstanding the tremendous fire poured into them by the enemy 's artillery , which , from want of ammunition , we had no power of silencing . Considerable breaches were made in our strongest batteries and redoubts ; indeed , it was too evident that they were no longer tenable . Early this morning the enemy sunk another fire-ship and two transports ; at seven in the evening they attempted to storm the flanking redoubts to the right , but were repulsed with considerable loss . We were all kept on the _ qui vive _ , for it was evident that they had not done with us yet . This was proved at nine o'clock , when we were warned that they were advancing against us with a force believed to be not less than 17,000 men . From right to left they came on , with drums beating and loud huzzas , and attempted to storm our works .