seven o'clock
As yet not one of the American vessels had been reached by a shell , nor had the forts suffered any perceptible damage . The fleet , roaring and thundering , was swinging back and forth through the great semicircle , the smoke from the guns was banking along the beach , and from Morro Castle and its attending batteries came sharp , defiant answers to the interminable volleys fired by our squadron . `` It 's a good thing Uncle Sam 's shot locker is pretty capacious , '' remarked Flagg , as we shoved another cartridge into the yawning breech of our five-inch gun . `` If we have n't fired over three hundred rounds since seven o'clock I ca n't count . '' `` It 'll be double that before we get through , '' grunted `` Long Tommy , '' as we stepped back from the loaded gun . `` Steady , there . Stand by ! ''