Major Dyneley Eyewitness Account

• Place: Manchester
• Role: Military
• Occupation: Major

Report of Major Dyneley 4 pm 17/8/1819 on the Battle of Manchester and defeat of the Enemy.

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TS 11/1056 Report of Major Dyneley

‘Manchester, Monday 4 o’Clock

My Dear Sir,

The first action of the Battle of Manchester is over, and has I am happy to say ended in the complete discomfiture of the Enemy. Hunt made his appearance about 12 ½ in his Carriage, accompanied by three male Insides, and a very good looking female (Mrs. Johnson) upon the Box, bearing a very fine silk flag, about 3,000 rabble with a Band of Music, several, perhaps 6 Colors, one Cap of liberty, &c. &c. They arrived at the Hustings about 1 o’Clock. In less than a quarter of an hour the Magistracy thought it right to take Hunt into Custody – this the Mob attempted to resist – the Military were at hand & rushed upon them – & there was the —— to pay. The number that were rode over might have been very great. I saw several carried very badly wounded to the Hospital. I am sorry to say one of the Manchester Cavalry was shot dead, & two or three of the Constables very badly wounded. One of the 15^th Hussars had his arm broken & badly cut on the Head.

We have taken Hunt, Johnson, & three or four of their sort, with two reform Ladies, & lodged them in the New Bailey. The whole Business was settled in 5 minutes. I was at a short distance from the ground, & brought the Guns up at a gallop, but the business was nearly settled by the time, & I had the pleasure of seeing Hunt &c scoured & sent off, the Colors & Cap of liberty in the hands of our troops, the hustings torn to pieces, & I must not say the pleasure of seeing the field of Battle covered with Hats, Sticks, Shoes, Laurel Branches, Drum Heads &c &c in short the field was as complete as I had ever seen one after an action. The mob fired some shots (about 8 or 9) from the tops of the houses, & out of the Windows, which were returned by your skirmishing Infantry. We remained in full possession of our ground about 1 ½ hours, & then moved thro’ the town to the Barracks. I was very much amused to see the way in which the Volunteer Cavalry knocked the people about during the whole time we remained upon the ground; the Instant they saw 10 or a dozen mobbites together, they rode at them, & leathered them properly. We are not by any means quiet – a Squadron is this moment ordered down, but I don’t know that it is anything more than precautions, and we remain harnessed ready to turn out at a moment’s notice.

I think I have now told you all I know. I hope you are able to read what I have written, but I am sure you would excuse it all, could you see the hurried way on which I am writing.

Believe me &c.

The Manchester & Salford Volunteer Yeomanry Cavalry behaved uncommonly well, & a troop from Stockport cut their way through them in form. I have not time to look what I have said.

 

 

Manchester, 17 August 1819

The night went off much quieter than I had reason to expect at the time I wrote, things were going very rough. About 9 o'clock, Harding & I were coming down home, when we were stopt by a Constable to say our lives would be in danger if we went any further, I pulled up, knowing Dalrymple was a few yards in our rear, & we all came on altogether in a trot, & found our Infantry charging the mob, & the sight of us put them to the rout properly. At another part of the town they broke all the windows of a Constable’s house, & the Military fired upon them, but only I believe wounded one or two – this quieted them for the night (i.e.) about 11.

This morning about 10, we were rather alarmed at a report brought in, that the mob were marching upon the town, some said actually in the town, in great force, armed with Pikes. We were not long in turning out to meet them, & came at a pretty sharp trot through the Town, but I am sorry to say the report proved to be unfounded in respect of the Pikes, & the mob, which were only getting together, dispersed – it would have been a pretty thing to have caught them armed, I should of course have opened upon them immediately. You can scarce fancy anything equal to the confusion the poor wretches were thrown into yesterday. They are crying in the streets, the list of killed, wounded, & missing in the action of yesterday. I think we may have a bit of a brush again tonight, but they’ll soon be sick of it. I of course shall not move tomorrow, & have sent of a Post Office Express to say so, & to order back a party that are coming to relieve me. Hunt, as soon as he saw how the thing was going yesterday, threw himself upon us & claimed our protection, a b—kg—d Coward as he is! We have got him close enough now in the New Bailey – he wants to Bail, but they say no, let us see what the Coroner says about the people that are killed.

 

18 August 1819

I had got this far with my letter when I was obliged to lay it aside, when a general turn out came, the Riots Act and all the pretty &cs. We were ready harnessed all day yesterday – we were therefore out in a few seconds – then turned in again as all was quiet. We had a thousand reports brought in from the country, one of which was that the mob intended to attack the Barracks, & seize the arms, I was in consequence ready all night, slow matches lighted &c. We had a false alarm about 11 – the rest of the night was quiet. We shall have the same bother I have no doubt tonight, little or any of our Information can be relied upon. About 12 o'clock last night the mob destroyed the windows & doors of several houses in Macclesfield, all the families in the neighbourhood came into the town. I expect John Byng in every moment from Pontefract. We have nothing to fear – the taste they got the other day will prevent their attempting this town again in a hurry. As to the neighbourhood it will be difficult to say when they will be quiet. I can’t write any more, I haven’t had my clothes off the last two nights, and I am tired.

Believe me, &c.

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