The besiegers were preparing to be besieged. All the rest only capitulated after agreements between besiegers and besieged. These new fortifications quickly negated the advantages cannon had offered to besiegers. He mobilised his cavalry and began harassing the besiegers. Ralph Sadler also wrote of desertions and the weariness of the besiegers. The besiegers began mining and bombarding the walls. Matilda of Boulogne then commanded her army to attack the besiegers. Confederate fort and naval gunnery dictated night time movement and construction by the besiegers. Venice thus achieved lasting independence by repelling the besiegers. Gillespie was caught in a trap, badly outnumbered by the besiegers. After three desperate onsets, the besiegers retired behind the ditch. However, instead of taking action against the besiegers, they also began to dig trenches. The besiegers, to save the remaining prisoners, withdrew. Cardinal Richelieu acted as commander of the besiegers when the King was absent. Charles countered this by attacking the Russian besiegers at the Battle of Narva (November 1700).