Unknown Hussar Eyewitness Account

Occupation: Soldier

Soldier in 15th Hussars. Testifies of necessity of other military forces going to aid of Manchester Yeomanry who were dispersed amongst the crowd. His progress met resistance from the densely packed crowd. He and his horse fell. He remounted his horse and headed for the Quaker Meeting House. Troops were pelted with stones. Struck a man with his sword who he considered was going to attack him with an iron loop, but man fell so he ‘barely did strike him’.

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(First page of testimony missing)

A. Captain Carpenter commanded the troop to which I was attached.

Q. I believe you halted before the Magistrates' house?

A. We did.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—Before Mr. Buxton's house?

A. Before Mr. Buxton's house.

Q. Was you able, at that time, to see in what situation the Manchester Yeomanry were?

A. They appeared very much dispersed among the crowd; I should think there was one Yeomanry man in a group of one hundred of the mob, or two hundred.

Q. Detached from each other, and each surrounded by a number of the mob?

A. Surrounded by a number of the mob.

Q. So that they could no longer act as a body?

A. Certainly.

Q. In your judgment, was it necessary for their safety that assistance should be given?

A. Except for their being dispersed, I could not see their immediate danger.

Q. But in the situation in which they were?

A. I should think, certainly, sir; they appeared jammed in.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—You did something to assist them?

A. I did, to enable them to get out of the crowd. Orders were given for other military forces to come to their assistance.

Q. Was it necessary to order other military forces to come to their assistance?

A. Certainly.

Q. What orders were then given?

A. We were ordered to front, and forward.

Mr. Justice Holroyd. —That order would be given by the officer?

A. I heard it from the officer in front.

Q. Who was the officer?

A. I really forget.

Q. Did you proceed forwards?

A. We did.

Q. In proceeding forward, did you meet with any resistance?

A. The mass of people was so great, that I thought it proper to urge my mare to bolt as fast as she could—there were such a number of people in close contact, that she fell, and I with her.

Q. Did you see any resistance offered?

A. Those persons with whom I came in contact, were stationed as though determined to oppose the body then advancing.

Q. Do you know the Quakers' meeting-house?

A. l do.

Q. Did you go there?

A. As soon as I could extricate my mare, and disengage myself from her, and she was raised up, I mounted and gallopped towards the Quakers' meeting-house, the other side of Peter-street.

Q. Did you hear any cries among the mob?

A. Several of the mob had made front—had fronted.

Q. To the military?

A. To the military.

Q. Did you hear cries?

A. I heard several cries of "pelt them, pelt them," and there were several showers of missiles.

Mr. Justice Holroyd.—You said something about missiles.

A. I said, I heard cries of "pelt them, pelt them," accompanied at the same time with showers of missiles.

Q. Of what did those missiles consist?

A. I do not exactly know. As far as I could see in the way they were flying in the air, I think they were brickbats, and decidedly stones.

Q. Where were these people placed who made resistance?

A. The greater part were behind the breastwork of a wall.

Q. Did they appear to be determined in their resistance?

A. Very much so. I thought the very act of their remaining there denoted that.

Q. Did you hear whether any words of encouragement were given to others?

A. I heard these words of "pelt them, pelt them"; they appeared to be directed to others on the spot, and to the Quakers' meeting house adjoining.

Q. Were there a number of persons in the yard adjoining?

A. A great many.

Q. In the meeting house yard?

A. In the meeting-house yard. I endeavoured to get into the meeting-house yard by some steps on the side.

Q. I was just going to ask you what height was the wall that separates the meeting house and the field?

A. The wall is of considerable height, I really forget, but I should think considerably higher than this (meaning the witness's box). I tried to get up, but I found it impracticable from the numbers; I rode to the opposite side, in Dickinson-street.

Q. You found it impracticable to gain access to the meeting house yard?

A. I found it impracticable without loss of time.

Q. Were there people upon the wall?

A. Upon the wall, below the wall, and within the wall.

Q. Did they appear to be acting together in concert?

A. Decidedly so.

Q. Was the mare you rode at all injured?

A. At the time, I did not know of it. She was injured; allow me to continue. I gallopped in the direction of Dickinson-street, and I met Col. Dalrymple, who desired me to look for a trumpeter. I went in the rear of the meeting-house, through a crowd, some of whom were armed with sticks.

Q. You say several were armed with sticks, did they attempt to strike you?

A. I had to push through such a group, that I could not see whether they raised their arms. But, in the mean time the rally had been sounded, and I gallopped to where my troop formed. As I went to where my troop was, I encountered a man who was armed with a weapon. It was an iron hoop, doubled in such a way as to make it a three-fold casing of iron.

Q. Did this appear to you to be a formidable weapon?

A. Very much so; as far as for the haste I was in, I could distinguish, it appeared strong and of some length.

Q. What did he do?

A. He raised this, as I thought to attack me; I think I made a cut at him but he happening to fall on a raised ground, my sword only struck him slightly. He fell so quick, I barely did strike him.

Q. This was after he had attempted to strike, you?

A. After he had attempted to strike me. There were several flying in every direction, but this man remained.

Q. The man armed with this instrument stood his ground?

A. Yes.

Q. Did you afterwards discover that your mare had received any injury?

A. I went to the troop, and a man remarked—a farrier—a man told me to look, and he said "your mare is wounded;" I looked and found she was.

Cross-examined by Mr. Evans.

Q. When you came on the ground, was there a great mob between you and the hustings?

A. A very great mob.

Q. Consequently your troop went gently through them?

A. I was at too great a distance from the commanding officer to know what pace he ordered, but I think on the flank to which I was attached, we cantered; for myself, I know I cantered. I saw no possibility of getting on with any other pace than a canter.

Q. I understand you was not near enough to the commanding officer to know what order he gave?

A. There was so much bustle, that I could not see where the commanding officer was: but I heard the order repeated by Captain Carpenter or some officer: "forward," I heard distinctly.

Q. Any other expression?

A. "Forward, forward."

Q. Your mare fell?

A. My mare fell.

Q. And the troop went on?

A. Several fell at the same time.

Q. By the mass against which you had cantered, a great many were thrown down by cantering against the mass; when did you get up again?

A. I extricated myself as soon as I possibly could, and trying to get on, one of my men seized the bridle of my mare, and I got on.

Q. You gallopped?

A. I gallopped.

Q. Then the mob were dispersed?

A. In two seconds, I raised myself.