The colonel, as soon as he found himself in his own quarters, gave immediate orders that the gun should be wheeled round to the barrack-yard gate, which had hitherto been kept closed, and that the moment the gates could be got open it should be fired on the crowd.

These gates faced directly into the square, and the destruction caused by one shot would have been tremendous.

The colonel, moreover, calculated that in the confusion he would have been able to reload.

The gun, in its original position, was pointed on the town, but it was immediately seen, that without moving it, it could not be brought to bear upon the crowd congregated round the barracks.
The first attack of the crowd had been at the barrack door, through which the soldiers had retreated; but this was soon changed to the yard gates.

The people, however, were unable to knock them down before the wheels of the cannon were heard, as they had been considerably checked by the fire of the reserved party.