McClernand did not attack, and it soon became too dark for an assault. While the Confederate position had been badly damaged by the naval fire, Rattler had suffered significant damage, 17 men had become casualties on Baron DeKalb, Cincinnati had been struck 9 times, and Louisville had taken 5 hits. Churchill was informed by Lieutenant-General Theophilus Holmes that he was expected to "hold out till help arrived or all dead". Holmes vacillated and originally denied reinforcements, but then stated that he would send some. A company of Texans reached the Confederate position on the night of January 10. McClernand also made a nighttime movement: a gap existed between Stuart's division and Post Bayou, and Steele's men were brought up from the rear to fill it. January 11 On the morning of January 11, the Confederate completed improvements to improvised breastworks they had been constructing. Deshler's left flank was exposed, so he had the 15th Texas Cavalry repositioned to make the line stronger. Also on that morning, Steele had Brigadier-General Charles E. Hovey's brigade deployed parallel to Post Bayou and to move towards the Arkansas River to finish surrounding the Confederate force. In order to counter this threat, Deshler had men pulled from his various units to act as a skirmish line to defend the area between the flank of the 15th Texas Cavalry and Post Bayou. Hovey and Deshler's men made contact, and exchanged fire. Learning of Hovey's movement, Churchill had the Texans who had arrived the previous night and two companies of Louisiana cavalry defend the line of Post Bayou down to the Arkansas River, and sent the 19th Arkansas Infantry and four guns of Hart's battery to support Deshler. Around noon, another of Steele's brigades, commanded by Brigadier-General John M. Thayer, moved to Hovey's left. That morning, Sherman had also ordered Stuart to move a brigade forward towards the fort. Stuart sent Colonel Giles A. Smith's brigade forward in a double line, supported by Colonel Thomas Smith's brigade to Giles Smith's left rear. Andrew Jackson Smith's division also moved forward, and Osterhaus's came up from the rear, although only one of his brigades was present, as Lindsey's was still in its blocking position and the third was in the rear guarding the Union transport vessels. Two 20-pounder Parrott rifles were brought forward to engage one of the 9-inch columbiads in the fort, which had given Porter's ships problems