Then our own
cannon opened, and their echoes over the hills first sounded the
alarm and awakened the people of the city from their dream of
security. There were as yet no really efficient troops to send to
defend the point of attack. The people knew that between them and
the enemy there were strong and heavily armed forts; and in these
they placed their trust. They did not, however, reflect that these
forts, without proper garrisons, were only so many inert masses,
incapable of resisting for one hour the vigorous assault of an
enemy. But it was very different with the military authorities. As
the rattle of small arms and the booming of cannon increased during
Monday evening and night, they knew that the city was in peril, and
their anxiety for its safety increased. They knew that the forts
were not properly garrisoned. They knew that communication with the
North was cut off, that no reinforcements from that quarter could be
relied on. Further, that although reinforcements from General
Grant's army had been ordered up from the James River, they had not
had time to arrive.
Such was our situation on that memorable Monday night.
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