They could not themselves tell, as the attitude of a large portion of the spectators would be determined by which way the battle went.
Not a blow was struck until the lines came close together.

Then the Raider center launched itself forward against ours, and grappled savagely with the leading Regulators.

For an instant--it seemed an hour--the struggle was desperate.
Strong, fierce men clenched and strove to throttle each other; great muscles strained almost to bursting, and blows with fist and club-dealt with all the energy of mortal hate--fell like hail.

One-perhaps two-endless minutes the lines surged--throbbed--backward and forward a step or two, and then, as if by a concentration of mighty effort, our men flung the Raider line back from it--broken--shattered.

The next instant our leaders were striding through the mass like raging lions.
Carrigan, Limber Jim, Larkin, Johnson and Goody each smote down a swath of men before them, as they moved resistlessly forward.
We light weights had been sent around on the flanks to separate the spectators from the combatants, strike the Raiders 'en revers,' and, as far as possible, keep the crowd from reinforcing them.
In five minutes after the first blow--was struck the overthrow of the Raiders was complete.