Wednesday, August 27, 1834
Friday the town of Chatham was thrown into the utmost confusion owing to a body of Sailors and other persons parading the town armed with bludgeons. This disturbance arose from a serious riot that took place on Chatham Lines the preceeding evening when the privates and the non-commissioned Officers belonging to the 88th Regiment advanced in complete battle array towards the booths where the people were enjoying themselves after the races. The soldiers armed with bayonets plunged them indiscriminately into every individual within their reach, thereby wounding about 30 persons. A warrant officer belonging to his Majesty's ship Tribune now lies at the Royal Naval Hospital, Brompton, in a very precarious state; and James Parr, a stome mason, recieved two severe sabre cuts in the head, which nearly proved fatal. There is a drummer lying at the hospital, and no hopes are entertained of his recovery. The scene on the Lines was terrific, men, women and children were trampled and cut about in a most horrid manner.
A public meeting is to take place on the subject; a requisition has been presented to the High Constable, signed by many respectable inhabitants. The following are the words of the requisitions;- " We, the undersigned, request that you will call a public meeting of the inhabitants of the borough, to take into consideration the steps necessary to be adopted to protect themselves from the violence, and to pevent, if possible, a repedition of the outrages which have been recently committed by some of the troops at present forming a part of the Chatham Garrison, who have in several instances wounded many persons with their bayonets."
From The Times.