Shots were fired by both sides, contemporary accounts indicate the Chartists attacked first but the soldiers holding the building despite being outnumbered by a large and very angry crowd had vastly superior fire-power, training and discipline all of which soon broke the crowd.
The Chartists attacked first. This is what contemporary accounts indicate. The soldiers holding the building despite being outnumbered by a large and very angry crowd had vastly superior fire-power, training and discipline all of which soon broke the crowd. This is what contemporary accounts indicate.