Courtney had now proclaimed to his followers that he was no other than Jesus Christ returned to earth, and that they were safer with him than if they were in their beds; therefore they must resist the soldiers, and they were sure of victory. In the meantime a hundred men of the 45th Regiment, headed by Lieutenant Bennett, surrounded Bossenden Wood. Accompanied by the civil magistrates, they advanced to close round the rioters, when Courtney fired at the young Lieutenant commanding the party, and shot him dead. The next minute the prophet himself was slain by a soldier, who covered him with his musket as he fired at Lieutenant Bennett. Then ensued a hand-to-hand fight, which resulted in the death of seven of the rioters and one constable, besides several persons seriously wounded. The illustrations of these riots in the _Weekly Chronicle_ of June 10, 1838, consist of the following:-- 1. 'Courtney with his troops leaving Bossenden Farm.' 2. 'The death of Lieutenant Bennett. Courtney in the act of exhorting his men to advance.' 3. 'Interior of the Red Lion stables, with the bodies as they were laid out after the conflict.' Courtney, whose real name was John Thom, was undoubtedly mad. He never could have found followers, except amongst the most degraded and ignorant; and it is hoped he did better service to his countrymen than he ever dreamt of by drawing attention to the dreadful evils arising from the want of education among the rural population. Most of his followers could neither read nor write, and were so totally unacquainted with the simplest truths of Christianity that they believed him when he asserted that he was Gideon, Samson, and Jesus Christ all in one, and that he had descended from heaven to redress the wrongs of the poor, but more especially to reduce the price of bread! [Illustration: THE DREADFUL RIOT AND LOSS OF LIFE AT BOSSENDEN WOOD, EAST KENT. FROM THE 'WEEKLY CHRONICLE,' JUNE 10, 1838. 1. Courtney. 2. Lieutenant Bennett. 3. Sergeant Langley making a thrust at Courtney with a bayonet, and was knocked down with a bludgeon. 4. Six Magistrates. 5. Soldier who stepped forward and shot Courtney. 6. Major Armstrong. 7. Detachment of the 45th Regiment loading. 8. Lieutenant Bennett's detachment. 9. The man Wills, who knocked down Sergeant Langley. 10. Courtney's flag. 11. J. N. Knatchbull firing at Courtney.]