Preston Fight by William H. Ainsworth

OWING to his prodigious strength and daring, Brigadier Mackintosh was more feared than any other of the rebels confined in Newgate, and it was deemed necessary to place him in irons.

Highly indignant at such treatment, he complained of it in the strongest terms to the governor, but was told it was done by the express order of Lord Townshend.

"His lordship wishes to inflict a disgrace upon me," he said; "but he simply dishonours himself by treating a Highland commander like a common felon. Tell his lordship his contemptible fetters will not prevent my escape."

After Forster's escape, which had caused an extraordinary sensation throughout London, the vigilance of the jailers was doubled, and Brigadier Mackintosh delayed the execution of the daring project he had conceived till the latest moment.

Not till the night before his trial was fixed to take place at Westminster Hall did he make the attempt.

Already he had partly sawn through the hateful fetters, so that he could cast them off in a moment, and they were now rather advantageous to him than otherwise, as they procured him greater freedom.

Colonel Mackintosh, who was likewise a prisoner, Charles Wogan, Robert Hepburn of Keith, with several others, chiefly Scotsmen, were to be partners in the flight, but the entire conduct of the enterprise was left to the brigadier himself.

About eleven o'clock at night, Mackintosh, having freed himself from his irons, cautiously descended the stairs leading from the upper ward to the press-yard, and stationed himself at the door.

His friends remained in the dormitory, but were ready to join him in a moment.

Presently the door was unlocked, as he expected it would be, by the governor's black servant, Caliban, bearing a lantern.

Caliban was a powerful fellow, but no match for the brigadier, who seized him by the throat with a gripe like that of a vice, and hurled him to the ground.

The cries of the half-strangled black brought the governor, and Mr. Ballard, the head turnkey, to the spot.

They were struck with amazement at seeing the brigadier, but did not dare to grapple with him, now that he was free from his irons.

Leaving them to be dealt with by his followers, who were now thronging the press-room, the brigadier hurried on -- his object being to disarm the sentinel.

Before the man could raise the musket to his shoulder, Mackintosh sprang upon him like a tiger, and forced the weapon from his grasp, while young Hepburn pinioned the man's arms.

Meantime, Ballard had been deprived of his keys, and he and Mr. Pitts were thrust through the door leading to the staircase from the press-room, and locked out.

The porter in the lodge alone remained -- at least, it was thought so by the fugitives -- but he chanced to have a watchman with him at the time, and this gossiping guardian of the night, hearing the disturbance, endeavoured to rush out and spring his rattle.

But he was caught and deprived of his coat, lantern, and hat by the brigadier, who thought the disguise might prove serviceable to some of his followers.

In another minute the fugitives were out in the street, which was fortunately quite deserted at the time, and the lodge gate being locked outside, immediate pursuit was impossible.

Bidding each other a hasty farewell, the fugitives then separated, each seeking the asylum which he knew had been provided for him.