Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-06-14

cleared the rear the of theatre, bysweeping
retreating before US. stationed, at this
time, two bodies Of troops at each end of
the theatre, extending across the street,
and sent into theatre for Mr. Matsell and
the sheriff, who came out to me. Mr.
Matsell furnished sufficient police to re-
place those two lines of the military, and
the whole were then put in march around
Eighth street and down Broadway by the
flank the Sheriff at my request, accompa-
nying us. We moved down Astor Place,
through the mob, and as close to the thea
tire as we could get. The mob partially
retreated towards the middle and opposite
part Of the street, and commenced an at
tack on the troops with paving stones.
The pavement had been broken up in
that neighborhood, for the purpose of lay
ing water pipes and building sewer, as
l was informed ; then ordered the regi-
ment to be divided, and form in two lines
across the street, the right wing advanc-
ing towards the Bowery and the left to-
wards Broadway, with view Of driving
the mob each way from the front of the
theatre. During this period, the mob con-
stantly assailed the troops with showers
Of stones and brickbats, and many of them
were seriously hurt. A number of men
near me, and General Hall, were struck
at the time, and some of them very dam
gerously injured. After giving this or
der, advanced myself towards the mid
die of the street, by the side OF Capt. Shum-
way, who led the first company, and CO.
lionel Duryea, who was by his side, until
we got nearly two-thirds ofthe way across
the street. The Sheriff was just behind.
At this time we were assailed by volley
Of stones, by which more than two-thirds
in the front rank were more or less injur-
ed. At this time pistol was fred by
some man in the mob, within very short
distance of the troops, by which Captain
Shumway was wounded in the leg, and,
as believed, General Hall in the face, al
though did not hear it till afterwards;
previous to this, the crowd had been re-
peatedlynotified byGeneral Hall & myself
that they must dispense, or they would be
fired upon; | was partly knocked down at
this time, and when rose, found three or
four Of the front rank down likewise, and
the head Of the column forced back to-
wards the Opera House; the shower OF
stones at this time being incessant, orders
were then given by myself and repeated
by Col. Duryea, to charge bayonets the
attempt was made, but the mob was so
close upon the troops, pressing upon them,
that there was no room for the troops to
charge, and some Of the men had their
BY this time were forced back to- the side
walk | stated to the Sheriff that it was
impossible for us to maintain our position
without firing. several times called out
to the crowd, that they must hold back, or
we would fire. Afterwards, the sheriff
gave the order to fire. Gen. Hall, who
was short distance from me exclaimed,
'Fire over their heads" The order to
fire was repeated by myself and Colonel
Duryea, and the men fired over the heads
of the mob, against the walls of Mrs Lang
don's house. A shout was then made by
the mob ''they have only blank cartridges
give i. to them again - and another vol
ley of stones came instantly. The troops
were then ordered by the colonel and my
self to fire again, Gen. Hall saying, Fire
low" and then for the first time, the mob
began to give way. The troops then NOV
ed forward and crossed the street, driving
the crowd before them, until the troops
got near to the corner Of Lafayette Place.
The mob here rallied, at the corner of La
fayette Place on one side, and the corner
Of the theatre and on the broken ground,
at the opposite side, and advanced again
with fresh showers of stones on the troops.
Several of the military were hurt severe
ly at this second attack, and orders were
given to the troops to fire, one half OBJ
liquely to the right, and one half oblique-
ly to the left, on those two bodies. This
was done, and the crowd fell back into
Lafayette Place, and beyond the broken
ground behind the theatre. There was
no firing after this by the troops but the
mob yet kept up constant attacks with
stones and brick-bats. The whole num-
Der of military engaged in the conflict was
about two hundred and ten, one-half in the
line towards Broadway, and the other in
the line towards the Bowery.
The mob has been variously estimated
at from ten to twenty thousand +; it was ex-
ceedingly dark, the lamps having been put
out, as was informed, and all | could
see was dense mass of people before me;
previous to leaving Eighth street to SO to
the front of the theatre with the troops
sent to the Arsenal to order up the light
artillery, and detachment of the sixth
regiment to support it they arrived on the
ground after the firing had ceased; one
gun was stationed facing the Bowery, and
the other facing Broadway the infantry
disposed at each end, and some at the rear
Of the theatre, and notice given to the mob
that if they did not dispense, they would
be fired upon again, and the artillery used
If necessary after this, the mob gradually
dispersed, and the stoning ceased; up
wards Of fifty men, Of this small military
detachment Of two hundred and ten men,
were disabled, and chiefly before any fir
ing by the troops l do not believe the
troops could have been withdrawn with
safety without the order to fire; it was
entirely impossible for them TO maintain
their position without firing; | have been
upwards of thirty-five years engaged in
military duties, have been out on several
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