Overthrow of Governor Bligh Rum Rebellion

watercolour drawing of government house, ca. 1809

on morning of 26 january 1808, bligh again ordered macarthur arrested , ordered return of court papers, in hands of officers of corps. corps responded request new judge-advocate , release of macarthur on bail. bligh summoned officers government house answer charges made judge , informed major johnston considered action of officers of corps treasonable.

johnston, instead, had gone jail , issued order releasing macarthur, drafted petition calling johnston arrest bligh , take charge of colony. petition signed officers of corps , other prominent citizens but, according evatt, signatures had been added after bligh safely under house arrest. johnston consulted officers , issued order stating bligh charged respectable inhabitants of crimes render unfit exercise supreme authority moment in colony; , in charge officers under command have joined. johnston went on call bligh resign , submit arrest.

at 6:00 pm, corps, full band , colours, marched government house arrest bligh. hindered bligh s daughter , parasol captain thomas laycock found bligh, in full dress uniform, behind bed claimed hiding papers. bligh painted coward duffy argues if bligh hiding have been escape , thwart coup. in book captain bligh s other mutiny, stephen dando-collins agrees , goes far suggest bligh planning escape hawkesbury , lead settlers supportive of him , against coup leaders there. during 1808 bligh , daughter mary putland confined government house, under house arrest. bligh refused leave england until lawfully relieved of duty.

johnston appointed charles grimes, surveyor-general, judge-advocate , ordered macarthur , 6 officers tried; found not guilty. macarthur appointed colonial secretary , ran business affairs of colony. prominent opponent of bligh, macarthur s ally thomas jamison, made colony s naval officer (the equivalent of collector of customs , excise). jamison reinstated magistrate, enabled him , fellow legal officers scrutinise bligh s personal papers evidence of wrongdoing deposed governor. in june 1809 jamison sailed london bolster business interests , give evidence against bligh in legal prosecutions might brought against mutineers. jamison died in london @ beginning of 1811, however, did not have opportunity testify @ johnston s court martial, not conducted until june of year (see below).

shortly after bligh’s arrest, watercolour illustrating arrest unknown artist exhibited in sydney @ perhaps australia’s first public art exhibition. watercolour depicts soldier dragging bligh underneath 1 of servants’ beds in government house , 2 other figures standing by. 2 soldiers in watercolour john sutherland , michael marlborough , other figure on far right believed represent lieutenant william minchin. watercolour australia’s earliest surviving political cartoon , political cartoons makes use of caricature , exaggeration convey message. new south wales corps officers regarded gentlemen , in depicting bligh coward, cartoon declares bligh not gentleman , therefore not fit govern.

the origins of watercolour derive dispute between bligh , sergeant major whittle bligh demanding whittle pull down house halting improvements town. has been suggested whittle either commissioned painting or had painted watercolour himself unlikely whittle had done illiterate.

a new governor appointed

macquarie, c. 1800s

following bligh s overthrow johnston had notified superior officer, colonel william paterson, in tasmania establishing settlement @ port dalrymple (now launceston), of events. paterson reluctant involved until clear orders arrived england. when learned in march lieutenant-colonel joseph foveaux returning sydney orders become acting lieutenant-governor, paterson left foveaux deal prevailing situation.

foveaux arrived in july , took on colony, annoyed macarthur. since decision expected england, , feeling bligh s behaviour had been insufferable, foveaux left bligh under house arrest , turned attention improving colony s roads, bridges , public buildings, felt had been badly neglected. when there still no word england, summoned paterson sydney in january 1809 sort out matters.

paterson sent johnston , macarthur england trial, , confined bligh barracks until signed contract agreeing return england. paterson, health failing, retired government house @ parramatta , left foveaux run colony.

in january 1809 bligh given control of hms porpoise ten-gun store ship, on condition return england. however, bligh sailed hobart, tasmania, seeking support of tasmanian lieutenant-governor david collins retake control of colony. collins did not support him , on paterson s orders bligh remained cut off on board porpoise, moored @ mouth of river derwent south of hobart, until january 1810.

the colonial office decided sending naval governors rule colony untenable. instead nsw corps, known 102nd regiment of foot, recalled england , replaced 73rd regiment of foot, commanding officer take on governor. bligh reinstated 24 hours, recalled england, johnston sent england court martial, , macarthur tried in sydney. major-general lachlan macquarie put in charge of mission after major-general miles nightingall fell ill before departure. macquarie took on governor elaborate ceremony on 1 january 1810.