noon
The American works had been pushed up close to the forts , and the third parallel had been completed , and a mine and two trenches extended within a few feet of the ditch . On the morning of June 18 a heavy cannonade was begun from all the American batteries . The Whole of the batteries and trenches were lined with riflemen , whose fire prevented the British from showing their heads , above the parapets . At noon two parties of the enemy advanced under cover of their trenches and made a lodgment in the ditch . These were followed by other parties with hooks to drag down the sand-bags and tools to overthrow the parapet . They were exposed to the fire of the block-houses in the village , and Major Green , the English officer who commanded the Star fort , had his detachment in readiness behind the parapet to receive the enemy when they attempted to storm . As the main body of Americans did not advance beyond the third parallel and contented themselves with supporting the parties in the ditch with their fire , the commander of the fort resolved to inflict a heavy blow .