From other sources we learn that the main body of the Royalist Horse was stationed at the end of the barricade on the north side of the town, and the Prince’s Guards were in the Castle Green. The word for the night was, “We are with you,” and the signal was a handkerchief tied round the right arm. The word for the night of the Parliamentarian Army was, “Emmanuel, God with us,” and each man carried a sprig of furze in his hat. Fairfax himself also gives a detailed account of the affair in a letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons, in which he says:— Accordingly on Monday morning I drew out the army to an early rendezvous at Ring-Ash, within six miles of the enemy; the weather still continued very wet and so by all signs was like to hold till we advanced from the rendezvous; but suddenly, when we were upon march, it, beyond all expectation, began to be fair and dry, and so continued whereas we had scarce seen one fair blast for many days before. The enemy (as we understood by the way), had all their horses drawn together about Torrington, and with their foot prepared to defend the town, which they had fortified with good barricadoes of earth cast up at every avenue, and a competent line patched up round about it, their horse standing by to flank the same, and some within to scour the streets. Our forlorn hope had order to advance to Stephenson-park, about a mile from the town, and there to stay for the drawing up of the army, there being no other place fit for that purpose nearer to the town on that side we came on. But when we came near we understood that the enemy had with 200 dragoons possessed the house in the park, and were fortifying it, being of itself very strong, but upon our nearer approach their dragoons quitted the house, and our forlorn hope falling on them took many prisoners and pursuing them near the town were engaged so far as they could not well draw back to the park which occasioned to sending up of stronger parties to make them good where they were, or bring them off; and at last there being some fear that the enemy would draw about them and hem them in, Colonel Hammond was sent up with three regiments of foot, being his own, Colonel Harlow’s, and mine, and some more horse to lie for reserves unto them, by which time the night was grown on so that it was not thought fit unless the enemy appeared to be drawing away to attempt anything further upon the town till morning, in regard none of us knew the ground nor the advantages or disadvantages of it; but about nine of the clock, there being some apprehension of the enemy’s drawing away, by reason of their drawing back some outguards, small parties were sent out towards the town’s end to make a certain discovery which going very near their works before the enemy made any firing, but being at last entertained with a great volley of shot and thereupon supposed to be engaged,