Russians attempted first on 2 March and on 8 March to get the fortress to surrender by negotiations but Swedes refused. When Russian artillery started bombarding the fort it soon became apparent that only 8 of the whole forts guns could be brought to shoot at the Russians as the narrow firing slits made it impossible to use the rest of the guns. Fort was already suffering from the siege with one sixth of the garrison sick and having shortage of warm clothing and food. Morale crept even lower and officers feared mutiny.