Newport Chartists Vol.5, p.38

Description

38
James Coles alias Farmer - I live in Pillgwenlly
I am known by the name of Farmer - I am employed in the Smiths
Shop of Mr W.T.H. Phelps at the Waterloo Yard Pillgwenlly - On
Monday morning last the 4th of Novr instant myself and
Rees were on the Tram Road - we met a man on horseback riding
very fast towards Newport - he said the Chartists were coming - I went with
Rees to meet them - we walked to the Tram road at the Waterloo Turnpike
Gate on the Cardiff road - we net a large body of men -
There were two men who acted as Leaders and who were at the head
of them- one of them was a person I afterwards heard to be John Frost
and the other person known as Jack the Fifer - The men stopped
when they came to us and the man (I have since understood to be John
Frost ) and who was dressed in a rough coat and black Hat with a red
comforter or Handkerchief round his neck - He asked me "where the
Soldiers were "- I said about a Dozen were at the Westgate and the
rest at the Poor house - Jack the Fifer said "we intend to
have the Westgate" - Jack the Fifer had a Gun and a pike
a great many of the men were armed with Guns Pistols Pikes -
Sticks and Swords and one of them had a long Pike with a Hook
to it which he said was to hook the Horses by the Legs - I heard
Frost and Jack the Fifer then say "come on" or "march" I
will not say for certain which, but he said either "come on" or "march"
and the men marched like Soldiers till they came to the Road
leading to Stow Hill by the Friars - they then divided some went
up the Hill and the others went the straight road to Newport thro'
Commercial Street - I followed them - I think Frost went through
Commercial Street with that part of the men - I some time after
heard firing in the Town and shortly after I saw Frost running away
towards the road leading to the Waterloo as fast as he could - I am sure
it was the same person -
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