from house to house like the track of a torrent of burning lava. Two sides of the square were now in a blaze amidst the frantic yells of the dissolute incendiaries.Plate and other stolen goods by the liberated gaol-birds were conveyed to receiving houses in the neighbourhood, while bottles of wine were held up for sale at 1d or 2d each.
Men, women, boys and girls were seen swallowing the liquors till they fell senseless, and some of them fatally so. Thus were the Saturday and Sunday spent, and on Monday morning, the first house of the south side was attacked, but just as it was begun to be plundered and burnt a troop of the 3rd dragoon guards appeared, when numbers were cut down or ridden over. Some were driven into the burning houses never to return and about 120 were variously killed. But still the rioters continued their pillaging and incendiary work, and it was found necessary to ride with all speed a distance of five miles for the squadron of the 14th, who immediately set out, joined by the Bedminster Yeomanry. They soon arrived and charged the several bodies of rioters, who defended themselves with stones, broken bottles and guns. The carnage was now immense and by the time that the riot was quelled, it was estimated that nearly 500 had paid the penalty of insubordination by death - many by drunkeness and burning, but most by the sword. The number of fatalities, would, perhaps have been less, had the Mayor and military offices been less forbearing.It was only after three days pillaging, burning and otherwise destroying of public and private property that extreme measures were taken, when at least 70 or 80 soldiers charged and pursued the offenders, and about 200 more were on their way from Cardiff, together with a brigade of artillery from Woolwich.Order was restored by Tuesday morning, but not the devastation. Some of the criminal leaders were convicted and hanged, while others, not less guilty were never apprehended.
Thus much of the scene of riot and bloodshed that appears to have had its origin in the avowed hostility to the Reform Bill of he who had previously been a representative of Hastings in Parliament.
Hastings Members vote for the proposed Reform Bill
The two Hastings members performed their promise of voting for the Reform Bill which passed the Legislature in the following year as did Col. Evans, who several times spoke in Hastings in favour of such a measure. He whom was afterwards known as Sir De Lacey Evans was born in Ireland in 1787, entered the British Army at the age of 20, and after several years in India, as did the Marquis Wellesley, returned to Europe and took part in the Penninsular Campaigns of 1812 to 1814. He also fought at the battle of Quatre Bras and Waterloo. After his varied discomfiture and successes at Rye, he in 1835, volunteered to command the British Legion in Spain, where he distinguished himself against the Carlists, and was invested with British and Spanish Orders.In 1854, he again distinguished himself at the battle of the Alma as Commander of the Second Division. At Inkermann? he rose from a bed of sickness to join his Division, but finding how well Gen. Pennefather[a] was handling his men, he declined to deprive him of the merit that he considered was that general's due. He returned to England in 1855, and received the order of the Grand Cross of the Bath.
To return to Mr. North, much as was said against him by the Radicals and the Radical press in consequence of the anti-reform proclivities of his family, I have no doubt that during his first year of Parliamentary life, he used his influence with the Mayor and jurats of Hastings to grant the demands of such as had previously claimed their freedom, but which he, when Mayor, was obliged to refuse, by not departing from long-existing usage.
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