Charles made Shrewsbury a garrison town. Under his direction Lord Capel built a strong fort on the Mount to prevent any enemy from planting cannon there. It was called Cadogan’s Fort. Two years after, in 1644, Colonel Mytton, a valorous officer who governed a small garrison at Wem, and was general of the Parliamentary forces in Shropshire, made two unsuccessful attempts to reduce Shrewsbury. The first occurred on a Saturday, when he attacked the fort at the Mount, but was repulsed. The second effort was made on the following Saturday, about midnight. Mytton brought his forces to the Old Heath, but the darkness was against them. They mistook their way, and marched in the direction of Pimley and Atcham. On the succeeding Saturday the third attempt took place. General Mytton’s forces consisted of 250 foot and 250 horse drawn out of the garrisons of Wem and Moreton Corbet. To these were added the same number of foot and horse of the Staffordshire army, under the command of Colonel Bowyer. Sir William Brereton gave valuable assistance. They arrived at Shrewsbury on Saturday morning, February 22nd, 1644. They landed under the Castle Hill, on the east side. Half a hundred troopers dismounted, and, led by the Rev. Mr. Huson, Captain Villiers, and Lieutenant Benbow, stormed the town with pistols. Musqueteers followed along the Severn side, under the Castle Hill, near the Council House, and entered the town at the gate of the Water Lane, which now runs into Raven Street. The musqueteers were succeeded by about 350 foot. These marched to the Market Square; and meanwhile the remainder of the Parliamentary army reached the Gates, which then stood on Castle Gates. The royal guard had fled, and the horse under General Mytton and Colonel Bowyer entered the town unresisted. Dreadful consternation spread among the inhabitants. Mytton’s men came down “like wolves on the fold.” They plundered goods; they pilfered plate; they stole whatsoever they could. Distress immediately prevailed. Shrieks and lamentations were heard far above the din of the contending parties. The people were devoutly loyal to their monarch. Their sufferings were painfully grievous. The Castle and the fort at the Mount held out for some time with great bravery, but at twelve o’clock at noon the Castle was delivered up upon condition that the English march to Ludlow, but the Irish remain as the conquerors’ prisoners of war. About midnight the fort could no longer be defended, and was handed over to the Parliamentarians. The whole of the garrison surrendered upon bare quarter. It is remarkable that the loss of life on both sides amounted to only two: one Parliamentarian, Richard Wycherley, of the Clive, Grinshill, and one royalist, the captain of the main guard, who was killed at the Market Square. Among the prisoners taken were eight Knights and Baronets, forty Colonels, Majors, Captains, and other officers, with a large quantity of ordnance.