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Colonial Military
Regiments
The military in
Australia were employed guarding convicts as well as other duties.
Officers became surveyors, administrators, Magistrates and
engineers. Lower ranking soldiers worked as constables, clerks, pound
keepers and other minor positions. Soldiers also became mounted police
until the NSW police were constituted as a Police force in 1862.
Below are some regiments stationed in various Hunter Valley locations
prior to 1850.
For information on some soldiers
stationed in the Hunter Valley enter 'Regiment' in the Surname/Subject
or their Rank (e.g. Private, Major, Captain etc) in the First name
Field of the database search box above
1809 - Small detachment of the 73rd
regiment arrived in the Boyd 14th August.
1809 - His Excellency Governor Macquarie
and Lady arrived in Hindostan accompanied by Dromedary with
first battalion of
73rd regiment under Lieutenant Colonel O'Connell.
1814 - The Windham arrived with the head
quarters of the
46th regiment commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Molle - 11 February
1814 - First detachment of 73rd regiment
embarked for Ceylon on ship Earl Spencer - January 31
1814 - Head quarters of 73rd regiment
embark for Ceylon - March 26
1814 - Third division of 73rd regiment
under command of Lieutenant Colonel Giels embarked on Windham April
2nd.
1815 - New military barracks constructed in
Sydney. Sited near Wynyard Square. Stone wall surrounding them followed
the western alignment of George Street from Barrack to Margaret Streets
and along the streets to a little west of York Street.
1817 - Head quarters of 48th regiment
under command of Lieutenant Colonel Erskine arrived in Matilda
August 9.
1823 - Head Quarters of the 3rd Regiment
(Buffs) arrived in the Commodore Hayes - August 29
1824 - 48th Regiment under command
of Lieutenant colonel Cimitiere embarked for Madras on transports
Greenock, Asia and Sir Godfrey Webster
1824 - Headquarter of the 40th regiment
under command of Colonel Thornton arrived in transport Mangles
1826 - 40th regiment Detachment of
mounted police under Lieutenant Lowe of 40th reg. arrived at Wallis Plains
- January
1827 - Arrival of 57th regiment
1827 - Arrival of 39th regiment
1827 - 3rd regiment (Buffs) Departed
for Calcutta per Woodford and Speke - January
1830 - Arrival of 17th regiment (Leicestershires)
in Maitland
1831 - 57th regiment Division of
57th including head quarters to depart for India
1831 - 39th regiment (Dorsetshires)
to hold themselves in readiness to embark for India. To be replaced by 4th
Regiment or King's Own - August
1831 - 39th regiment in Sydney. To
depart on the
Hercules. To be replaced by the 4th regiment - November
1832 - 4th regiment (Kings Own)
stationed in Hunter Valley
1833 - 50th regiment (West Kents)
stationed in Maitland
1834 - 4th regiment - Captain Henry
Zouch stationed at Newcastle
1835 - Band of the 17th regiment
entertained at the launching of the Ceres Steamer at Williams River
1835 - 28th regiment (North
Gloucesters) stationed in Maitland
1836 - 17th regiment to embark for
India on Royal Sovereign - February 6th
1837 - 4th regiment departs
1837 - 80th regiment (Staffordshires)
stationed in Maitland
1840 - 80th regiment - Major Samuel
Lettsom in command of detachment stationed in Maitland
1841 - 50th regiment - Departs
1842 - 28th regiment departs
1842 - 80th regiment - Detachment of
80th Regiment arrived in the 'Rose' Steamer to relieve men on duty
in Newcastle. The Detachment on duty then embarked on the steamer 'Thistle'
for Sydney. Captain Frazer endeavoured to suppress their free indulgence
of alcohol without avail - January
1842 - 99th regiment (Lanarkshires)
stationed in Hunter Valley
1843 - 80th regiment - 94 prisoners
escorted by a Lieutenant and 27 rank and file of 80th arrived in Newcastle
by Steamer. 20 convicts for Nobby's the rest for chain gang - July
1844 - 99th regiment - Fired a 'Feu
de Joie' in front of the barracks on Friday 24th in honour of her
Majesty's birthday - June
1844 - 99th Regiment - 50 of the
Regiment embarked on the 'Thistle' steamer for Sydney. Ultimate
destination Norfolk Island
1845 - 99th Regiment - Six Companies
of the 99th stationed in NSW to be ordered to New Zealand - December
1845 - The 11th Regiment (North
Devonshire) arrived in Australia 1845
1848 - Detachment of 11th regiment
arrived by steamer in Newcastle on 19th October. 26 rank and file
commanded by Lieut. Parker and accompanied by Dr. Marshall. To occupy new
military barracks - October 1848
1849 - 11th regiment - departed
Newcastle January 1849. Left Sydney for Launceston on board Ratcliff
25th January
Farewell to an
Officer - 1833
To Lieutenant
Blackburne, 17th Regiment, Hunter's river March 5 1833
Sir, No
opportunity having been afforded us of joining in the Address which was
lately presented to you by a portion of the residences in the District, we
cannot deny ourselves the gratification of also expressing our sincere
regret at your departure from amongst us, with our admiration of the zeal
and activity which you displayed in the discharge of your duties, and of
the gentlemanlike urbanity which distinguished you as a private member of
our society. With the warmest wishes for your future health and happiness.
We remain very sincerely,
George
McKenzie,; George Townshend; Charles Boydell; J. Phillips, Webber; J.
McLean; W.F. Forster; Mathew Chapman; W.E. Parry; J. Edward Ebsworth; T.L.
Ebsworth; W. Wetherman; H. Dangar; William Caswell; J. C. White; H. Darch;
Henry Hall; Charles Hall; George Jenkins; John Swayne; Alexander McLeod;
J. Rookin; G.B. White; Robert Scott; Helenus Scott; A. Bell; James Glennie;
Henry Glennie; Alfred Glennie; William Ogilvie; W.D. Welman; H. Dumaresq;
W. Dumaresq; Francis Little; William Forsyth; Stephen Coxen; James
Thompson; John Bingle; A. Little.
Reply -
Parramatta
Gentlemen
To say that I
have received the Address which you have been pleased to present me, with
gratification would be too poor an expression for the feelings of
surprise, and I may add, of sincere gratitude, which this mark of your
approbation of my conduct, while performing my duty amongst you, has most
fully called forth. It will ever be a proud thought with me, that I should
have succeeded in meriting your esteem, and I beg to assure you, that go
where I may, I never can forget the kindness, hospitality, and gentleman
like conduct I met with while quartered on Hunter's River, I have the
honor to be your obedient humble servant. J. Blackburne. -
Australian July 1833
( Lieutenant
Isaac Blackburn of the 17th Regiment arrived 6th May 1830 on board the
Mermaid. He was appointed Magistrate in October and was Commandant of
the Mounted Police by December 1830. It was announced in December 1832
that he was to be succeeded in this position by Lieutenant Darley of the
17th Regiment. He resigned from the Mounted Police in January 1833 and
later returned to England.) See
Australia's Red Coat Settlers
for comprehensive information about regiments stationed in New South
Wales.
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The Military in 1835
Soldier's lot - 1839
'The ration of a
soldier, scanty as it is, costs him half his pay, the
remaining half is swallowed up in procuring
necessaries. Even his allowance of rum is useless to
him, for he is compelled to drink it on the spot, and
consequently cannot convert it into cash, wherewith to
purchase any of the comforts of life.
The soldier is charged
sixpence for his ration, yet it is notorious that
until within the last few weeks its real cost in this
Colony to the commissariat has not been more that four
pence; so that the British government have actually
for the last eight or ten years been reaping a profit
of two pence upon the daily ration of each private
soldier!
The situation of the
convict at all times, but especially during the
present scarcity, is far preferable to that of the
private soldier. The ration allowed the former is
better; in proof of this we subjoin the scale of
weekly rations issued under authority to each at the
present time
Soldier
7 Pounds Bread, 7
pounds meat, Allowance of rum
Convict
9 pounds meat, 4 pounds
seconds flour, 4 1/2 pounds rice, 6 ounces sugar, 2
ounces salt, 2 ounces soap
The convict's labour is
as light as the soldier's and the laws which regulate
his conduct are scarcely more severe than are the
rules laid down for the preservation and guidance of
military discipline.
The soldier in New
South Wales where every necessary of life is higher in
price than at home receives no higher pay than the
soldier stationed in Great Britain or Ireland, and to
add to the hardship of his situation in this Colony he
has the mortification of knowing that he would receive
a higher recompense for his labour than at home, but
the severity of his duty prevents him from having any
spare time to employ in his own behalf.
His pay is one shilling
per day out of which sixpence goes to pay for his
scanty ration and the remainder to purchase clothes
etc. On this ration, insufficient for the support of a
single man, many of the soldiers have to support wives
and children. The soldier labours under far greater
disadvantages than the common labourer, even supposing
the pay of each were alike, for he must always appear
respectably clad, and at his own cost. With bread
sixteen pence the 2lb load, and beef and mutton nine
pence per lb. How is it possible for these men to live
honestly? Sydney Gazette 6 August
1839
Military Behaviour
1843
'With reference to the assault on the
Morgans, I have not yet fully ascertained the particulars,
and shall not therefore make any remarks upon it at
present. As to the military being 'daily to be seen in a
state of beastly intoxication, indulging in the most vile
and filthy language' - this statement is untrue; I have
every opportunity of observing their conduct, and can
without hesitation declare it to be false. A Considerable
number of them are teetotallers. There is, however, a
great hatred existing between the military and the lower
orders of the inhabitants of Newcastle, in which'
Civilian' seems to participate,; this ill feeling was
greatly augmented by the following circumstance. One
evening some months back an auction was being held at the
Commercial Hotel, then kept by Mr. Groves, when a corporal
of the 99th regiment entered the room, a little under the
influence of liquor. He had not been in long before he was
annoyed by some of the bystanders, by pulling his hair,
knocking his cap over his eyes etc. and he was
subsequently challenged out to fight. He, as may be
expected, accepted the challenge, and left the room; he
had not been a second on the verandah when the mob fell on
him and cruelly murdered him. An inquest was held on the
body, and some two or three of the ringleaders were tried
before the coroner for the murder ; but as there could be
no evidence found to prove who gave the guilty blow the
prisoners were acquitted, and a verdict of 'wilful
murder, by some person or persons unknown,' was returned
by the jury. An account of the murder quickly reached the
comrades of the deceased, who, as soon as they heard of it
, became enraged, and , no longer capable of governing
themselves, and as was natural sought revenge. About
twenty proceeded to the inn, and fell on all at the
auction indiscriminately. This is the 'riot and
destruction of property; Civilian so greatly blames the
military for; but by taking an impartial view of the
affair it will at once appear that they were not thus
outrageous without the greatest provocation.
I have
related this that you and the public may see that the
military are not actuated by any wanton feeling to commit
those acts which are painted in such glaring colours by
their enemies, and that the blame lies not wholly on their
side.' Maitland Mercury December 1843
Mounted
Police in Dungog 1846
'All about the
country looks most beautiful. The pleasant hills and ridges in ‘verdure clad,’
ever and anon remind us of the vicinity of fair and courtly mansions, creating
impressions which years of absence from England have not worn away.
We regret to
say that the aboriginal natives of this part have had a serious encounter with
the natives of Port Stephens. They met in the woods near Stroud, armed with
muskets, and kept up a treacherous fire, until one or more of the Stroud
blacks were killed. The worthy Commissioner, Captain King, immediately
dispatched an express to Mr. Cook, the senior magistrate here, to send over
the troopers stationed in Dungog barracks to scour the bush and scatter the
blacks, who had collected in great strength in the neighborhood of Stroud.
Those brace and thoroughly efficient men went to Auchentorilie yesterday, on
their way thither, and as they passed through the village, the daring,
fearless, and onward bearing of the gallant fellows, who are all chosen men
from her Majesty’s infantry – the warlike appearance of the horses, whose
necks seemed ‘clothed with thunder’ – the ring and flash of the swords and
trappings as they moved in the sun, and the keep unflinching eye over the dark
mustachios of the horsemen – drew forth the admiration of every beholder. The
sergeants and troopers of the regular Mounted Police form the best protective
force we have in the bush’ unlike the Border Police, which has been justly
censured by Mr. Wentworth as inefficient. Our free and well trained troopers
although soldiers follow the maxim of the Hero of Trafalgar, which is still
cherished in the letters of brass round the rudder wheel of the Victory, at
Portsmouth, in these glowing words – ‘England expects that every man will do
his duty’. Since the execution of ‘Charlie’ the blackfellow, at Dungog in 1838
for the murder of five shepherds the blacks dread the soldiers; and it is to
be hoped that their appearance amongst them at this time will again subdue
their savage propensities.'
Maitland Mercury
21October 1846
A Narrow Escape
- The 99th Regiment in Newcastle
One of the soldiers
belonging to the detachment of the 99th regiment, who are quartered at
Newcastle, having taken a drop too much on Saturday night last, lay down
in a boat to take a nap, when, by some means, the boat's painter got loose
and she drifted out of the harbour. She was observed on Sunday morning by
one of the men on the look-out at the signal station, about eight miles
out at sea; but the man not being able to make out exactly what the object
was, reported the circumstance to the Port Master, who manned his boat,
and after a long struggle with the waves, which ran very high, and great
exertions on the part of the crew, they came up with the dingy, with the
poor soldier lying in it more dead than alive, and towed him safe into
Newcastle, where, on his landing, every care was taken for his recovery,
and I am happy to hear that he is now doing well. It was extremely
fortunate that the man on the look-out was so attentive with his glass,
otherwise the poor fellow in the boat would have perished in the waves, or
have been starved to death. The greatest praise is also due to Captain
Livingstone, the Port Master and pilot, who, together with his boat's
crew, so manfully exerted themselves in the cause of humanity, and thereby
saved the life of a fellow creature. It is to be hope such conduct will
not go unrewarded
Maitland Mercury 12 May
1847 |
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