Bonfires along the surrounding hills, however, and shrill whistles soon convinced them that the people were not unprepared for their visitors.

But the yeomanry pushed boldly on.

Suddenly an immense assemblage of peasantry, armed with scythes and pitchforks, poured down upon them.
A terrible hand-to-hand struggle ensued, and in the course of a few moments eighteen of the police, including the commanding officer, were slaughtered.

The remainder consulted safety and fled, marking the course of their retreat by the blood that trickled from their wounds.
A coroner's jury pronounced this deed of death as 'wilful murder' against some persons unknown.

A large government reward was offered, but it failed to produce a single conviction.