The Battle of Oak Street

The troops assembled outside the towns overnight, but poor light and noise discipline gave the surprise away. As the troops moved in, they found the workers alert and ready for them. The first assault broke down in hails of thrown stones. A second assault with fixed bayonets was repulsed in brutal hand-to-hand fighting, leaving dozens of dead and dying in the streets. The officers in charge have pulled back to consolidate their forces, while the workers are extending their fortifications and arming themselves with the weapons left behind in the retreat. A second day of fighting is expected tommorrow, but Military High Command does no longer believe that victory is likely.