raw air of the yard, where we were exposed above an hour,
unnecessarily to the severity of the weather. After submitting to this
caprice of our keeper, for several mornings, in hopes he would be
satisfied as to the accurate number of the men in prison, we all
refused to go out again in wet and raw weather. Shortland pursued his
usual method of stopping the market; but finding that it had no
effect, he determined on using force; and sent his soldiers into the
yard, and ordered them to drive the prisoners into the prison _in the
middle of the afternoon_, whereas they heretofore remained out until
the sun had set, and then they all went quietly into their
dormitories. The regiment of regulars had been withdrawn, and a
regiment of Somersetshire militia had taken their place, a set of
stupid fellows, and generally speaking ignorant officers. The regiment
of regulars were clever fellows, and Shortland was awed by their
character; but he felt no awe, or respect, for these irregulars.

The prisoners told the soldiers that this was an unusual time of day
for them to leave the yard; and that they would not tamely submit to
such caprice. The soldiers could only answer by repeating their
_orders_. More soldiers were sent for; but they took special care to
assume a position to secure their protection. The soldiers began now
to use force with their bayonets. All this time Shortland stood on the
military walk with the major of the regiment, observing the progress
of his orders. Our men stood their ground. On observing this
opposition, Shortland became enraged; and ordered the major to give
the word for the soldiers _to fire_. The soldiers were drawn up in a
half circle, to keep them from scattering.

We were now hemmed in between No. 7, and the wall, that divided this
from the yard of No. 4. The major then gave orders to the officer in
the yard, to "charge bayonet." This did not occasion our prisoners to
retreat; they rather advanced; and some of them told the soldiers,
that if they pricked a single man, they would disarm them. Shortland
was watching all these movements from behind the gate; and finding
that he had not men enough to drive them in, drew his soldiers out of
the yard. After this, the prisoners went into the prison of their own
accord, when the turnkey sounded a horn.

These militia men have been somewhat intimidated by the threatenings
of the "rough allies," before mentioned. These national guards thought
they could d