From the window I saw a slight commotion among a body of spectators, chiefly women, who occupied a mound of raised, broken ground on the left, and to the rear of the orators, convinced me they saw something which excited their fears; many jumped down, and they soon dispersed more rapidly. By this time the alarm was quickly spreading, and I heard several voices exclaiming: "The soldiers! The soldiers! Another moment brought the cavalry into the field on a gallop which they continued till the word was given for halting them, about the middle of the space which I before noticed was partially occupied by stragglers.

The cavalry halted in great disorder, and so continued for the few minutes they remained in that spot. The disorder was attributed by several persons in the room to the undisciplined state of their horses, little accustomed to act together, and probably frightened by the shout of the populace, which greeted their arrival.

An officer and some few others then advanced rather in front of the troop, formed in much disorder and with scarcely the semblance of line, their sabres glistening in the air, and on they went, direct for the hustings. At first, i.e., for a few paces, their movement was not rapid, but they soon increased their speed, and with a zeal and ardour which might naturally be expected from men acting with delegated power against a foe by whom it is understood they had been insulted with taunts of cowardice, continued their course, seeming individually to vie with each other which should be first.

As the cavalry approached the dense mass of people they used their utmost efforts to escape: but so closely were they pressed in opposite directions by the soldiers, the special constables, the position of the hustings, and their own immense numbers, that immediate escape was impossible.

On their arrival at the hustings a scene of dreadful confusion ensued. The orators fell or were forced off the scaffold in quick succession. Hunt was dragged, as fast as possible, down the avenue which communicated with the magistrates' house; his associates were hurried after him in a similar manner. By this time so much dust had arisen that no accurate account can be given of what further took place at that particular spot.

I saw nothing that gave me an an idea of resistance, except in one or two spots where they showed some disinclination to abandon their banners; these impulses, however, were but momentary; their sticks, as far as came under my observation, were ordinary walking sticks. I have heard from the most respectable authority that the cavalry were assailed by stones during the short time they halted previous to their charge. I certainly saw nothing of the sort, and my eyes were fixed most steadily upon them, and I think that I must have seen any stone larger than a pebble at the short distance at which I stood and with the commanding view I had. I indeed saw no missile weapons used throughout the whole transaction, but, as I have before stated, the dust at the hustings soon partially obscured everything that took place near that particular spot, but no doubt the people defended themselves to the best of their power, as it was absolutely impossible for them to get away and give the cavalry a clear passage till the outer part of the mob had fallen back.