At the close of the day, on returning into the town, Joan told the people that they might count on being free from the enemy in five days’ time, and that by that time not a single Englishman would remain before Orleans.  No wonder that the joy-bells rang out in victorious clamour during all that night in May, the eve of the Ascension.

On the following day no hostilities occurred.  Joan again had a letter sent to the English, summoning them as before to surrender and to quit their forts; she said this was the third and the last time that she could give them a chance of escaping with their lives.  On this occasion she made use of a new way of communicating with the foe; she tied the letter to an arrow, which was discharged into the English lines.  No answer was received in return.

It was now determined that the next attack against the English should be made from the left bank of the river, where they were strongly fortified at the Bastille des Augustins, a little further down the Loire than the Tournelles.  On the opposite side this fortress communicated with the Boulevard of Saint Prive, as well as with the strong fortress of Saint Laurent, near which a small island, which exists no longer, called the Isle of Charlemagne, kept open their connections on both sides of the Loire.  To the east, on the same side of the river, a fortress, that of Saint Jean le Blanc, which had been abandoned on the approach of Joan, had since been reoccupied by the English.  It was at this spot that the next and all-important attack was directed to be made.

The French forces crossed the river over an island called Saint Aignan.  The distance was so narrow between the river bank on the town side and this island, that a couple of boats moored together served as a bridge.  When Saint Jean le Blanc was reached, it was found deserted by the English, Glansdale having left it in order to concentrate his forces at the Tournelles.  Joan led the attack.  At first the French fought badly; they had been seized by a panic, believing that a strong force of the enemy were coming down on them from Saint Prive.  Rallying her men, Joan threw herself on the English, and drove them back into the Augustins.  She was now eagerly followed by the soldiers.

The first barricade was carried in a hand-to-hand fight, and soon the French flags waved above the fortress so long held by the enemy.  The few English able to escape retired to the Tournelles.  Eager to carry on the success of the attack, and to prevent delay, Joan ordered that the fort of the Augustins be fired, with the booty it contained.

The victors, who only numbered three thousand strong, captured six hundred prisoners, one third were slain of the English, and two hundred French prisoners recovered.

This was the second occasion on which the Maid had carried all before her.

The day was closing, and the attack on the Tournelles had to be deferred for that evening.  That night Joan of Arc said to her almoner:  ’Rise early to-morrow, for we shall have a hard day’s work before us.  Keep close to me, for I shall have much to do, more than I have ever had to do yet.  I shall be wounded; my blood will flow!’