Siartwyr Casnewydd Cyf.6, p.37

Disgrifiad

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Basil Gray sworn states I am a Lieutenant in the
Forty fifth Regiment of foot doing duty at Newport - I received

orders on Monday Morning last a little after Eight oClock to
proceed to the Westgate Hotel to put myself under the order of the

Mayor - I repaired thither immediately with thirty men - I
formed in front of the building - the Mayor then desired me to

enter the Court yard - the Gate of which was closed after me -

he then took me to the building on the right of the Hotel, the room
I occupied is part of this House and asked me if that suited my
purposes - it did so - and I immediately proceeded to get it cleared
of the furniture and various other articles with which it was
crowded - this took me some time as the Room was so foul with
smoke as not to be habitable - It had been full of Constables

all night - I then marched my men in - the Mayor gave

me instructions to conceal my men as much as possible to

avoid irritating the mob which was then approaching to effect

which I closed the under shutters of the Room which had three

projecting bow windows and latched them - I had time to give my

men a few necessary instructions when I heard cheering and the

Mayor told me they were approaching - they formed in front of

the house - I saw a few of their spear heads over our half shutters

and they immediately let fly a volley of small arms - this demolished

the window and brought down all the glass - I immediately gave

the word to load - I did not do this before as I hoped that matters

would not have turned so seriously - While my men were loading

which took a very short time the crowd effected an entrance into

the building by rushing into the Hall and the back entrance into

a passage which communicated with a door of our Room. As

soon as we were loaded I stepped forwards to unlatch one of the

Window Shutters - the Mayor handsomely opened another - this

unmasked us and a quantity of small arms was discharged

at as by which the Mayor was twice wounded and a Serjeant

by my side (Serjeant Daily) was wounded in the head - I

saw him covered with blood immediately after - I heard them

both say they were hit - the Mayor said it to me only in a

whisper which could not have been heard by my men and went &