The Eureka Stockade

The following document, which does honour and justice to its writer, J. Basson Humffray, to 4500 of our fellow-miners of Ballaarat, who signed it, to the state prisoners themsel...

Now my peace of mind being destroyed, I had recourse to the free British press, for information, wishing to hear what they said in Melbourne. At this time the Morning Herald was...

Peter Lalor, at our request, called in all the captains of division, then present, and the chief persons who had taken part in the movement. We entered a room some twelve feet s...

The following Letter, from the able pen of the spirited correspondent of the 'Geelong Advertiser' who most undoubtedly must be a digger--that is, one of ourselves, from among ou...

"On the disgraced Sunday morning, December 3rd, whilst attending the wounded diggers at the London Hotel, I was arrested by seven troopers, handcuffed, and dragged to the Camp....

Mr. Black began, in plain and straightforward language, to make a truthful statement of the exasperated feelings of the diggers, courageously censuring the conduct of the Commis...

I recollect towards this time I followed the mob to Magpie Gully. It was a digger's life. Hard work by day, blazing fire in the evening, and sound sleep by night at the music of...

"Whereas I, Frank Arthur Hasleham, a native of the good town of Bedford, and son of a military officer, to wit, William Gale Hasleham, who bore His Majesty's commission in the 4...

"There was a deputation admitted to an interview with Mr. Rede, on Thursday night, November 30th. The prisoner was one of the deputation. I think Black was the principal party i...

"The prisoner, Raffaello, on his trial being postponed, wished to address His Honour. He said that he was a native of Rome, and hoped that the same good feeling would be shown t...

One morning, I woke all on a sudden.--What's up? A troop of horse galloping exactly towards my tent, and I could hear the tramping of a band of traps. I got out of the stretcher...

One fact from the 'stubborn-things' store. The Eureka gutter was fast progressing down hill towards the Eureka gully. A party of Britishers had two claims; the one, on the slope...

1st. Did the camp officials give out the licence to the digger at the place of his work, whenever required, without compelling him to leave off work, and renew his licence at th...

The one pervading opinion among the multitude of miners and others who had been attracted thither, appeared to be that Bentley was the murderer; and loud were the cries, the hoo...

The Lieutenant-Governor received a deputation from, with an address signed by, five hundred bankers, merchants, and other classes resident in Melbourne, placing themselves, thei...

The following is the copy of a letter addressed by the state prisoners now awaiting their trial in the Melbourne Gaol, to the Sheriff, complaining of the treatment they have rec...

For my part I decline to answer, because I want to attend at the meeting. J. B. Humffray, is the Secretary of the League; his name is going now the round of the diggings; I wish...

GEORGE WEBSTER examined:- "I attended the meeting at Bakery-hill on the afternoon of the 29th November, Mr. Hayes was chairman, and the prisoner was on the platform. He made a s...

Carl Wiesenhavern, a man of noble character, and, therefore a man who hates knavery, and has no fear of a knave, answered with his peculiar German coolness, "Here I am, what do...

A confusion ensued which baffles description; marching, counter-marching, orders given by everybody, attended to by nobody. This blustering concern, when brought forward on the...

MY STATE TRIAL His HONOUR took his seat shortly after ten o'clock. The prisoner, that is myself, was placed in the dock, and the following Jury sworn (after the usual challengin...

"Gentlemen, I find myself in the responsible position I now occupy, for this reason. The diggers, outraged at the unaccountable conduct of the Camp officials in such a wicked li...

I hastened, and what a horrible sight! Old acquaintances crippled with shots, the gore protruding from the bayonet wounds, their clothes and flesh burning all the while. Poor Th...

I awoke. Sunday morning. It was full dawn, not daylight. A discharge of musketry--then a round from the bugle--the command 'forward'--and another discharge of musketry was sharp...

Mendacium sibi, sicut turbinis, viam augustam in urbe et orbe terrarum aperuit. Stultus dicit in corde suo, "non est Deus." Veritas vero lente passu passu sicut puer, tandem ali...

"Wanted a governor. Apply to the People of Victoria:" that was the extraordinary advertisement, a new chum in want of employment, did meet in the usual column of 'The Argus', De...

I was in some anxiety about you; not receiving any answer to my letter of the 17th October, and especially to that of the 22nd ditto. I was at Creswick's Creek, when I was infor...

I Beg to say at once, that with the exception of Hayes and Manning, of the remaining ten, seven were perfect strangers to me; three I had simply met at work on the gold-fields;...

As I want to be believed, so I transcribed the following document from 'The Argus' of Friday, December 15th, 1854.--Gordon Evans, one of H.M. Captains in the Eureka massacre, no...

The excitement was of Satan. It was reported, the whole of the Melbourne road was swarming with fresh reinforcements. The military would soon attack the stockade, but Vern would...

Eureka was advancing fast to glory. Each day, and not seldom twice a day, the gutter gammoned and humbugged all us 'vagabonds' so deucedly, that the rush to secure a claim "dead...

"That it is the opinion of this meeting that the conduct of Mr. Commissioner Johnson towards the Rev. Mr. Smyth has been calculated to awaken the highest feeling of indignation...

On Monday morning, the fresh air had restored me a little strength. We had an important arrival among us. It was the Editor of 'The Times' newspaper, arrested for sedition. All...

Between four and five o'clock of same afternoon, we became aware of the silly blunder, which proved fatal to our cause. Some three or four hundred diggers arrived from Creswick-...

At last the deputation was before King Rede, whose shadow by moonshine, as he held his arm a la Napoleon, actually inspired me with reverence; but behold! only a marionette was...

Thanks be to God, the day passed 'unstained,' a glorious day for Victoria when the SOUTHERN CROSS was first unfolded on Ballaarat; gathering round itself all the oppressed of th...

Was it then the long, long-looked for German Rifle Brigade? Here is it's four-horned name--I copy from a slip of paper I wrote in pencil on that very Saturday, as the name was t...

Our red-tape, generally obtuse and arrogant, this once got rid of the usual conceit in all things, and had to acknowledge that the digger who remained quietly at his work, alway...

Two men, old friends, named Scobie and Martin, after many years separation, happened to meet each other in Ballaarat. Joy at the meeting, led them to indulge in a wee drop for '...

The learned Counsel spent a heap of dry yabber-yabber on the law of high-treason, to show its absurdity and how its interpretation had ever proved a vexation even to lawyers, th...

Brave LALOR-- Was found 'all there,' With dauntless dare, His men inspiring; To wolf or bear, Defiance bidding, He made us swear, Be faithful to the Standard, ) For Victory or D...

The soldiers were drinking 'ad libitum' from a pannikin which they dipped into a pail-bucket full of brandy. I shall not prostitute my hand, and write down the vile exultations...

It was a horrible day, plagued by the hot winds. A blast of the hurricane winding through gravel pits whirled towards the Eureka this shouting of "Joe." It was the howl of a wol...

1. We were one afternoon taken by surprise by the whole gang of turnkeys, ordered to strip, and subjected to an ignominious search. The very private parts were discovered and to...

The search for licences, or "the traps are out to-day"--their name at the time--happened once a month. The strong population now on this gold-field had perhaps rendered it neces...

I was really delighted to see the old spot once more; Easter, 1854. I do not mean any offence to my fellow-diggers elsewhere; it struck me very forcibly, however, that our Balla...

Si Cessi Il Pianto, L'Ira Si Gusti. Lo Schiavo Che Vuol Finir Le Sue Pene, Vendetta Gridando Al Dio De Giusti, Deve Schiantar Le Proprie Catene. Cuore! Si Vada, Vedasi, Si Vinca...

What's up? a licence hunt; old game. What's to be done? Peter Lalor was on the stump, his rifle in his hand, calling on volunteers to 'fall in' into ranks as fast as they rushed...

The first witness against me was such a rum sort of old colonial bird of the jackass tribe, and made such a fool of himself for Her Majesty's dear sake, about the monster meetin...

Here begins a foul deed, worthy of devils, and devils they were. The accursed troopers were now within the stockade. They dismounted, and pounced on firebrands from the large fi...

"Mr. Black explained the results of his mission by stating, that the Deputation was received by the Governor with much courtesy and urbanity, and that personally his Excellency...

We were soon in Ballan. Good reader, please enter now within my mind. The lesson, if read, learned, and inwardly digested, will be of good use for the future. The troubles of th...

There are circumstances in life, so inexplicable for the understanding; so intricate for the counsel; so overwhelming for the judgment; so tempting for the soul; so clashing wit...

I ran up to the stockade to remonstrate with Peter Lalor, for whom I had too much respect to think for one moment, that he had any hand, and much less that he had sanctioned, su...

The sun was far towards the west. All had felt severely the heat of the day. The red-coats themselves, that were of the watch, felt their ardour flagging. Of twelve prisoners, s...

Up to the middle of September, 1854, the search for licences happened once a month; at most twice: perhaps once a week on the Gravel Pits, owing to the near neighbourhood of the...

"All the diggings round about were deserted, and swelled the meeting, the greatest I ever witnessed in this Colony. At two o'clock there were about ten thousand men present! The...

I am a Catholic, and believe in the life everlasting. On the day of judgment it will go milder with the Emperor Nicholas, than with the man whoever he may be, that prompted and...

On Friday, December 1st, the sun rose as usual. The diggers came in armed, voluntarily, and from all directions: and soon they were under drill, as the day before. So far as I k...

"Who's the landlord here?" was the growl from a sulky ruffian, some five feet high, with the head of a bull-dog, the eyes of a vulture, sunken in a mass of bones, neglected bear...

VICTORIA GOVERNMENT GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY. (Published by Authority.) MARTIAL LAW DECLARED IN THE DISTRICT OF BUNINYONG PROCLAMATION By his Excellency Sir Charles Hotham, Knight-...

I came from old Europe, 16,000 miles across two oceans, and I thought it a respectable distance from the hated Austrian rule. Why, then, this monster meeting to-day, at the anti...

The following story was going the rounds of the Eureka. There was a licence-hunt; the servant of the Rev. P. Smyth, the priest of the Catholic church, Bakery-hill, went to a nei...

Sir,--In reply to your communication, dated 26th ultimo, on the subject of your having been deprived of your clothing during your arrest at this Camp, in December, 1855 [I think...

The brave people of Melbourne remembered the state prisoners, forgotten by the Ballaarat diggers, who now that the storm was over, considered themselves luckily cunning to have...

AT the end of Mr. Aspinall's able oration, the jury appeared to me, to be decidedly willing to let me go, with an admonition to sin no more: because Mr. Aspinall took the same l...

It is not the purpose of this book, to begin a lamentation about my four long, long months in the gaol. My health was ruined for ever: if that be a consolation to any one; let h...

When our southern sky is overloaded with huge, thick, dark masses, and claps of thunder warn us of the pending storm, then a gale of wind is roaring in space, doing battle with...

The general impression was, that as soon as government knew in Melbourne the real state of the excited feelings of the diggers, the licence-hunt would be put a stop to.

According to notice, a Public Meeting was held on Saturday, July 14th, 1855, for the election of nine fit and proper men to act as Members of the Local Court--the offspring of t...

All of us were much concerned, and felt the responsibility of our position. By this time the diggers from all parts had swelled to the number of eight hundred. They were not cla...

If 'The Age', always foremost in the cause of the digger, never mind his language or colour; if 'The Argus' would drop the appending 'a foreigner' to my name, and extend even un...

One fine morning (Epiphany week), I was hard at work (excuse old chum, if I said hard: though my hand had been scores of times compelled in London to drop the quill through shee...

The following lists are as complete as I can make them. The numbers are well known, but there is a want of names. I trust that the friends or acquaintances of these parties may...

It was eight o'clock. Drilling was going on as on the previous day. Father Smyth came inside the stockade: it was my watch. He looked very earnest, a deep anxiety about the hope...

Spy Goodenough, entered panting, a cocked pistol in his hand, looking as wild as a raven. He instantly pounced on me as his prey, and poking the pistol at my face, said in his r...

EXPLANATION, TO BE SUBMITTED TO HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA, LONDON, AND TO HIS HOLINESS PIUS IX., PONTIFEX MAXIMUS, ROME. BY MY BROTHER DON ANTONIO CARBONI, D.D.,...

"There is something strange, and to the government of this country, something not quite comprehensible, in this League. For the first time in the southern hemisphere, a Reform L...

At four o'clock on Tuesday morning, we were commanded to fall in, dressed and hobbled as we were. Captain Thomas, with the tone and voice of a country parson, read to us his 'Or...

Out came the 'Ballaarat Times', Saturday, November 25, 1854. Work was stopped at every hole: the miners left the deep and mobbed together round any reader of the full report of...

The whole of the morning passed off as quietly as any well wisher to our cause could desire. Towards twelve o'clock it was our decision that licence-hunting was over, for the da...

In the dead of the night after the burning of the Eureka Hotel, three men had been taken into custody, charged with riot, and subsequently committed to take their trial in Melbo...

"That a meeting of the members of the Reform League be called at the Adelphi Theatre, on next Sunday, at 2 o'clock, to elect a Central Committee; and that each forty members hav...

In the course of the day (December 7th), in spite of all the bayonets and blunderbusses, the report reached us that the Melbourne people had had a Monster Meeting of their own,...

At Bacchus Marsh we were thrown into a dark lockup, by far cleaner than the lousy one of Ballaarat. Captain Thomas, who must have acknowledged that we had behaved as men, sent u...

They were happy days in my youth, when I thought with Rousseau, that the heart of man is from nature good. It was a sad fatality now that compelled me to feel the truth from the...

I. An immediate change in the management of the goldfields, by disbanding the Commissioners (undoubtedly the unanimous demand, or 'desire'--if the word suit better the well-affe...

"That this meeting being convinced that the obnoxious licence-fee is an imposition and an unjustifiable tax on free labour, pledges itself to take immediate steps to abolish the...

In the afternoon, our camp on the Eureka was enclosed in by slabs, near-handy thrown down at random. All diggers who had been able to procure fire-arms kept coming in, in right...

Judas Iscariot, 'Goodenough,' was among us, in the garb of a fossiker; he appeared to me, then, to be under the influence of drink; so Vandemonian-like were his shouts about sta...

Their dead, as far as I did see, were four, and a dozen wounded, including Captain Wise, the identical one, I think whom I speak of in relating the events of Tuesday evening, No...

Sir,--Advertising to your correspondence (September 30th), in reply to my letter of the 20th ultimo, I am directed by His Excellency to state that government are compelled to ad...

Some one who had been spouting, stumping, and blathering--known as moral-force 'starring'--in 'urbe et argo', for the benefit of the state prisoners, had for myself personally n...

I WAS soon at the portal of the Supreme Court, a free man. I thought the people would have smothered me in their demonstrations of joy. Requesting silence, I stretched forth my...

Suppose, even that all diggers who had fire arms had been present and plucky, yet no man in his right senses will ever give Vern the credit for military tactics, if that gallant...

La Volpe Cambia Il Pelo, Ma Non La Pelle; Cambia La Pelle Il Serpe, Non Il Veleno: Il Cane Non Abbaia Col Ventre Pieno; Vestesi Il Lupo In Pecora Tra Liagnelle. Antica Storia; M...

To be serious. I am a Catholic, born of an old Roman family, whose honour never was questioned; I hereby assert before God and man, that previous to my being under arrest at the...

Chorus. For brave Lalor-- Was found 'all there,' With dauntless dare: His men inspiring: To wolf or bear, Defiance bidding, He made them swear-- Be faithful to the Standard, for...