The garrison of Raglan (estimated when in full force at 800 strong, in horse and foot) made several desperate sallies on Colonel Morgan’s forces: their bold commander often personally encountering the hostile party with marked gallantry, losing on one occasion a colour; and a cornet his life. While on the Royalist side a major and a captain were slain, besides many wounded. But when General Fairfax, sending reinforcement from Oxford, had raised Colonel Morgan’s regiment of 1500 to 3500 men, such sallies became less frequent.[92] The General, who had been at Bath to recruit his health, hastening to Raglan, put life into the siege by his presence, and, on the 7th of August, he sent in his summons to the Castle; in consequence of which, numerous messages passed between the Marquis and the General, the Marquis reminding him in one of his replies how well he was known “in Henry, Earl of Huntingdon’s time, unto your [the General’s] noble grandfather at York;” at the same time inviting some propositions to be made; specially requiring on his own behalf to have any acts of his first approved by the King, through whom, moreover, he was “above £20,000 out of purse.” The conditions offered, required, among others, that the Marquis should submit to the mercy of the Parliament; while those affecting the garrison and inmates of the Castle were honourable to all parties. In consequence of these negotiations, the Marquis, on the 13th of August, sent out a drum, desiring leave for his Commissioners to meet the next day, to arrange articles of peace; which being approved, the drum was returned with safe-conduct for the Commissioners’ coming forth, and orders given for five hours cessation of arms. The Marquis must have been fully alive to the jeopardy in which he was placed, after ten weeks of close siege, hemmed in on every side, stores fast diminishing, the cannon ball of the enemy knocking down turret and tower, and demolishing the weaker portions of his castle, never originally intended to withstand more than the ravages of time, with the exception of a very limited portion, the Citadel itself. The main work of the enemy’s approaches, too, was then within 60 yards of the garrison’s works, and a breach already made in the eastern wall, near the library or closet tower; besides which, four mortar pieces had been advantageously planted, capable of carrying grenado shells of 12 inches diameter; also two mortar pieces in another position, capable of delivering similar shells. Captain Hooper, the engineer, expressed his expectation to be in a few days within ten yards of the castle, with trenches, which he was constructing very exact and secure; from these he purposed making galleries, mines, and numerous batteries. The General himself, not only took great interest in these military works, visiting them daily, but at that very time had designed a new approach.