Site NameWest Tamar
Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Place Name
Language Group, Nation or PeoplePort Sorell [Pallittore North]
Present State/TerritoryTAS
Colony/State/Territory at the timeVDL
Police DistrictGeorge Town
Latitude-41.325
Longitude146.964
Date18 Feb 1829
Attack TimeNight
VictimsAboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
Victim Descriptions
Victims Killed7
Victims Killed Notes
AttackersColonists
Attacker DescriptionsSoldier(s)
Attackers Killed0
Attackers Killed Notes
TransportFoot
MotiveOpportunity
Weapons UsedFirearm(s), Musket(s), Bayonet(s), Blade(s)
NarrativeA military party was attacked by Aboriginal warriors at West Tamar and in the engagement seven Aboriginal people were killed. The next day, constables who had been with the officer denied the incident. According to the Hobart Town Courier a 'gallant officer' with '...three or four constables, was attacked by a party of the blacks on the west bank of the Tamar on Wednesday last, when seven of the latter fell, the chief on [sic] receiving a ball from the officer's fusee jumped twelve feet from the ground, (a tremendous leap truly). This officer describes the engagement as worthy of great praise, and states that much generalship was displayed by him as commander of the vanquishing party, but his brother officers of the staff and comrades, (perhaps jealous of the honour of the field) declare that they did not see one of the black people during the whole of their excursion.' (HTC February 28, 1829, pp 1-2).
SourcesHTC February 28, 1829, pp 1-2 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/page/641939. (Sources PDF)
Corroboration Rating*