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William Cornell Eyewitness Account
- Occupation: Hussar
In the 15th Hussars. Received blow to the thigh and hit by a stone just below his eye. His horse was also hit, almost severing the noseband of the bridle.
Account
Download accountWilliam Cornell sworn: examined by Mr. Littledale.
Q. Were you in the 15th. Hussars?
A. Yes.
Q. In Captain Whitefoord's troop?
A. In Captain Whitefoord's troop.
Q. Did you advance from the front of Mr. Buxton's house?
A. Yes.
Q. Before you got to the hustings, did any thing happen to you?
A. Yes.
Q. What was it?
A. I received a blow on the thigh with a stick.
Q. Who from?
A. One of the mob.
Q. That was before you got to the hustings?
A. Yes.
Q. When you got to the hustings, did anything occur then?
A. Yes.
Q. What?
A. I received a blow on my horse's head.
Q. From one of the mob?
A. Yes.
Q. What did it appear to you to have been done with, at the time?
A. It appeared to have been cut with some instrument.
Q. What was cut?
A. The noseband—the noseband of the bridle.
Q. Was the noseband of the bridle cut through?
A. Not quite.
Q. Up to this time, had your troop kept together or separated?
A. Separated.
Q. What was it occasioned the separation?
A. The thick of the crowd.
Q. Did you see any stones thrown?
A. Yes; a great many.
Q. Who were they thrown by?
A. The mob.
Q. At whom were they thrown?
A. The military.
Q. Did you receive a blow from a stone?
A. Yes.
Q. Whereabouts?
A. Just below the eye.
Q. Did you ride towards the Quakers' meeting-house?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Were there many of the mob collected there?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Did you see whether the mob had got possession of the yard of the Quakers meeting-house?
A. Yes, they had.
Q. Were there any stones thrown there?
A. Yes.
Q. Was there any shouting among the mob there?
A. Yes; a great deal of shouting.
Q. As you was riding towards the Quakers' meeting-house, did you see a pistol fired?
A. I heard it fired off.
Q. Out of the meeting-house yard?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you see any other pistol fired?
A. Yes; on the left hand side the ground.
Q. Did you see any of the Manchester Yeomanry near the place where the pistol was fired?
A. Yes, there were.
Q. Did you see one of the Manchester Yeomanry about this time, getting up to the Quakers' meeting-house?
A. Yes.
Q. Was it at that time the pistol was fired?
A. At the time the pistol was fired out of the meeting-house yard.
Q. Did you see whether this man was surrounded?
A. Yes.
Q. By whom?
A. By the crowd of people—the mob.
Q. Did he fall from his horse when the pistol was fired?
A. Yes, he did.
Q. What became of him; was he got away?
A. He was conveyed away by three or four more of the Yeomanry.
Q. Did you ride from thence towards the middle of the field?
A. Yes, I did.
Q. Do you know a person of the name of Muschamp in Capt. Carpenter's troop?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you see him there—one Thomas Muschamp?
A. Yes.
Mr. Justice Holroyd.—That is nothing; there is no occasion to take that down.
Q. Did you afterwards join your troop?
A. Yes.
Q. Did you find that any of your horses were cut or hit?
A. Yes; many.
Cross-examined by Mr. Evans.
Q. Where was you when your horse received a blow on the head?
A. Within ten yards of the hustings.
Q. At what rate did you go?
A. Walked.
Q. Did you hear the word of command given?
A. I believe I did.
Q. Did you hear Colonel L'Estrange give any orders?
A. No; I did not.
Q. What was the word you heard?
A. "Front, forward."
Q. You was in very great danger when your troop were divided?
A. Yes; we were.
Q. You felt very much alarmed I suppose?
A. No; not much alarmed at that.
Q. You did not?
A. No.
Q. You said nothing and did nothing to the people, as you went along?
A. I did my duty.
Q. What duty?
A. I was ordered to disperse the people.
Q. How?
A. To ride about where they were.
Q. What did you say to them?
A. I wished them to be going.
Q. That was what you all did?
A. It was all I did. I did not take notice of the other people.
Q. You did nothing hut ride up to the people, and say "I wish you would be going"?
A. That is what I did.
Q. You say you was walking, when your horse's bridle was cut?
A. Yes.
Q. Was you in the midst of the crowd?
A. Yes.