in may 1595, bagenal led an army of 1,750 to relieve the garrison at monaghan. his forces were attacked by o'neill and sustained heavy losses. bagenal was forced to withdraw to newry and had to be resupplied by sea as o'neill had blocked the moyry pass. bagenal managed to resupply the armagh garrison in december 1598 and june 1597, but had more difficulty in resupplying a fort on the blackwater. in an attempt to do so, he was mortally wounded by o'neill's forces during battle of the yellow ford.