At Dorchester Races, en IVednesday week, a disturbance between the
military and the people took place; the particulars of which are given by the Dorset County Chronicle-
" During the evening several quarrel* took place between the country-people, who remained drinking in the booths, and the men of the Sixth or Enniskillen Dragoons. In two instances these quarrels proceeded to blows, in which the soldiers were the losers of the battle. Advice of this was conveyed to the bar- racks; when a picket of men armed with their swords and mounted, accom- panied by anon-commissioned officer, and several armed men on foot, came on the course, anti charged the people assembled there, indiscriminately cutting and slashing every pet son they came upon ; anti &great many persons were very dangerously and others severely wounded. The reddiers took into custody one tithe men who had fought with their comrade, and had hint bound over to appear at the Sessions. Another man, against whom they brought a charge of assault, was fined between three and four pounds by the same Magistrate. The pour fellow had been ill-treated by a soldier, who knocked hint down; on his rising he .'ruck the soldier nearest to him, who happened not to be the assailant. No charge has yet been made against the soldiers: the Kimilarity of dress, their being mounted, and the difficulties thrown in the way of those attemping to re- eogeize them, render the selection of the offenders very uncertain. The pre- valent feeling is that the niilitary are in fault, anti that a serious and adequate investigotion into the affair is absolotely requisite. It is a siogular circum- stance, that the last time the Irish Dragoons, the same regiment, were quar- tered at Dorchester, they committed a gross and violent outrage upon the people at the race time, now eleven years since."
John Chapman, a private in the Fourth Dragoons, is now in custody at !Manchester, on a charge of cutting a " on the face with his sword, so severely no to cause fear for his death. Ile cut off part of the man's nose and check with orie blow, and made a gash in is neck with the second.
Previous page
