The fire of the enemy was this day chiefly directed against the parties employed in erecting batteries. We were relieved about 12 o’clock and sustained no harm during our tour excepting two men badly wounded; but we had scarcely left the trenches when a man working on the parapet had his arm shot off. As soon as we arrived in camp we changed our ground further to the right. Nothing extraordinary happened the remainder of the day. _Oct. 9._--Last night the troops in the trenches, as well as a great part of this day, were busily employed in finishing the batteries, and about 4 o’clock this afternoon an American battery was opened, consisting of three 24-pounders, three 12’s and four 10-inch mortars. The enemy’s fire was chiefly directed against this battery, and the others that were nearly finished. _Oct. 10._--Last night the men were busily employed in finishing the batteries, and early this morning four more were opened against the enemy, viz.: One American battery on our left, consisting of four 18-pounders; the grand French battery, consisting of 11 24-pounders, two 13-inch mortars, two howitzers, and six 10-inch mortars; and another French battery of four 18-pounders and two howitzers. The fourth is on the left of the French, but am not able as yet to ascertain the number of guns. About 12 o’clock this day our division relieved the trenches, and from that time the enemy fired but very little until the evening. This afternoon our American bomb battery was opened of four 10-inch mortars. A flag came out with Secretary Nelson. He informs us our fire did great execution last night; that we had killed 11 or 12 of their officers, that his black servant was killed by his bedside, and that the first gun fired killed two commissarys as they were sitting at their wine. _Oct. 11._--Last night commenced a very heavy cannonade, and the enemy returned the fire with no less spirit. Being apprehensive of a storm, they often fired in every direction. The largest of the enemy’s vessels was set on fire by the bursting of a shell or a red hot ball from some of our batteries, and communicated it to another, both of which were burnt down. They must have lost a considerable quantity of powder in the last, as there was an explosion which made a heavy report. The whole night was nothing but one continual roar of cannon, mixed with the bursting of shells and rumbling of houses torn to pieces. As soon as the day approached the enemy withdrew their pieces from their embrazures and retired under cover of their works, and now commenced a still more dreadful cannonade from all our batteries without scarcely any intermission for the whole day. We were relieved about noon this day, and went home very much fatigued.