three o'clock
When the entire fleet had assembled , the Ticonderoga , in company with the Manhattan , steamed down , and opened fire on the fort , with a view to ascertain its strength . The fort replied vigorously , and , after an hour 's firing , the vessels withdrew . The next morning , at an early hour , the troops were landed , but , for some reason , it was afternoon before they were ready to march . At three o'clock they were drawn up in line in the woods , about two miles from the fort , where the men stacked arms , and stretched themselves out in the shade of the trees . In the mean time the iron-clads had been preparing for the fight . The magazines were opened and lighted ; the casemates covered with a coat of grease , to glance the shot which might strike them ; the men were at their stations , and when all was ready , they steamed down toward the fort , the Ticonderoga leading the way . Frank , by attention to his duties , had rapidly learned the gun-drill , and had been promoted to the command of one of the guns in the turret .