They ambushed the wagons carrying the new cropping frames. The drivers were seized and taken prisoner until the new cropping frames had
been totally destroyed. No doubt buoyed by this recent success, at their next secret meeting at the Shears Inn a more ambitious plan was hatched to attack Cartwright's Rawfolds Mill and destroy
the existing despised machinery. They planned to attack the mill the following Saturday night 11th April. That night as arranged they left their homes and local inns at different times, so as not to
arouse suspicion, before making their way to the prearranged muster point in the field behind the Dumb Steeple. They were met there by the Huddersfield Luddites led by King Ludd, George Mellor.
They were now some one hundred and fifty strong. King Ludd's army must have been a strange sight that night. Lined up in the field they were armed with all sorts of weaponry, some with guns and
pistols, but the majority armed with old swords or home made weapons. At the head of the army men carried the great enochs to carry out the destruction. To avoid recognition they wore masks or
blackened their faces. They were also dressed in all sorts of strange attire, many of them dressed in carter's smocks, others had their coats turned inside out, some had put their checked shirts
over their clothes and a few had actually dressed themselves partly in women's apparel." This strange army still growing in number set out on its three mile walk to Rawfold's Mill. Along the
way at a prearranged point they joined together with the Luddites from Leeds. They now numbered near three hundred strong. William Cartwright was no fool, he knew an attack was likely and had made
provision. He was also a captain in the Halifax Militia so had some understanding of military tactics. The mill had been fortified, the doors had been strengthened, the stairwells set with heavy
spiked rollers to crush any attackers and a large acid carboy (a large glass contain holding several gallons of acid) was kept ready on the roof to be poured on any attackers. Cartwright, along
with four trusted employees and his dog, were sleeping on the premises along with five soldiers who had been detailed to guard the mill.
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