The fire commenced at half-past six.

By 8.40 a French magazine at the extreme right blew up, killing and wounding 100 men, while the French fire at this part was crushed by that of the Russians opposed to them.

All day, however, the cannonade continued unabating on both sides, the men-of-war aiding the land forces by engaging the forts.
During the night the Russians, having plenty of guns at hand, and labor in abundance, mounted a larger number of guns, and their superiority was so marked that the bombardment was gradually discontinued, and even the most sanguine began to acknowledge that an enormous mistake had been made in not attacking upon our arrival, and that it was impossible to say how long the siege would last.
Ammunition, too, was already running short.
For the next day or two, however, our guns continued their fire.

But the French had been so completely overpowered by the heavy Russian metal that they were unable to assist us.

The sailors had had their full share of work during the bombardment.