73 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1816. 



severe struggle ensued between 

 them and the rioters^ who had 

 secreted themselves in different 

 houses, and were armed with 

 guns, with which they fired many 

 shots at the military and civil 

 power, and severely wounded one 

 of the soldiers, but not danger- 

 ously. The military then received 

 orders to fire, and the man who 

 had wounded the soldier was in- 

 stantly shot dead, and another 

 fell, who, having lost the lower 

 part of his face, and part of his 

 tongue, is since dead. When 

 this took place the rioters were 

 completely disconcerted, and fled 

 in every direction ; but by the 

 perseverance and activity of the 

 mihtary and civil power no less 

 than 73 of the rioters were taken 

 prisoners, and are now lodged in 

 Ely gaol. Many more were also 

 taken, who, appearing to have 

 been forced to join the mob, have 

 been liberated. Amongst those 

 taken, and now under confine- 

 n ent, are several persons of some 

 pioperiy, and apparent respecta- 

 bility of life ; and it is very evi- 

 dent that rapine (not want) was 

 the principal instigation of this 

 unprecedented disturbance, as 

 the parish of Littleport on Wed- 

 nesday night, and again on Thurs- 

 day night, resembled in every re- 

 spect a town sacked by a besieg- 

 ing army, the principal inhabit- 

 ants having been compelled to 

 abandon their homes for the pro- 

 tection of their lives, and leave 

 their properties to the mercy of 

 this daiing banditti of robbers. 



At least 50 guns and 9 or 10 

 large fowling-pieces, such as are 

 used by gunners for the destruc- 

 tion of wild fowl, each carrying 

 at least 4 or 5 pipes of powder^ 



and as many of shot, were taken 

 from the rioters, and plate and 

 other articles to the value of 3 or 

 4001. have been recovered. 



A detachment of the 69th regi- 

 ment arrived at Ely on Sunday 

 morning, where they will be sta- 

 tioned for some time to come, al- 

 though the inhabitants of Ely and 

 its environs are now easy, and 

 have abandoned all alarm. 



Another Letter. — On Wednes- 

 day evening last, about nine 

 o'clock, a most alarming disturb- 

 ance broke out at Littleport ; a 

 furious attack was made on the 

 premises of the Rev. Mr. Vachel, 

 magistrate for the isle, which 

 began by breaking his windows j 

 the rioters soon entered the pre- 

 mises, completely gutted the 

 same, broke every article of fur- 

 niture, (except one table) with 

 which they pelted the green- 

 house, scarcely leaving a whole 

 square of glass, carried off all 

 the family plate and trinkets of 

 Mrs. Vachel, ripped up the fea- 

 ther-beds, scattered the feathers 

 in the street, and, in .short, on 

 those premises their aim was total 

 destruction : the damage is esti- 

 mated at 2,0001. Mrs. Wadde- 

 low, a general shopkeeper, ex- 

 perienced treatment nearly simi- 

 lar, and also lost a great part of 

 her stock in trade. From the 

 premises of Mr. Stephen Wiles, 

 shopkeeper, after extoi ting from 

 him lOl. they took all his gun- 

 powder and shot, to the value oi 

 111. and totally destroyed his new 

 shop-windows ; they also broke 

 open the bureau of Mr. Dewie, 

 farmer, from whence they took 

 100 guineas. 



27- Suffolk. — At a meeting of 

 the lord-lieutenant and the ma- 

 gistrates 



