| Narrative | According to historian of the Bathurst Wars, Stephen Gapps, Theophilus Chamberlain, convict overseer to George and Henry Cox's cattle and sheep runs at Dabee Farm (later 'Rawdon' near Rylstone) in the Mudgee area and two convict stockmen were attacked on or about 10 September 1824 by a party of about 30 Wiradjuri warriors led by 'Blucher' north west of Mudgee. After a battle with boomerangs and muskets, Chamberlain shot dead 'Blucher' and two other warriors (Gapps 2021, pp.6-7). The following day, Chamberlain and the two stockmen were returning to Mudgee, when they encountered about 40 Wiradjuri warriors and after a battle, 16 were killed.
"It appeared that the whole of the natives had been engaged in burying the three men that had been killed the preceding day. The party immediately dismounted, and heaped the whole of the arms on the fires; and, whilst they were in the act of burning the same, a large number of natives (men, women, and children), came suddenly towards them. The overseer and his two men immediately mounted their horses and retreated, followed by about 40 native men; but they had few arms with them, which they threw with great fury. The overseer, warily watching the natives, and finding that they had nearly expended their arms, he and his men dismounted, tied their horses together, and faced about, commencing a fire of musquetry on the natives, then charged them with the bayonet until they were completely routed and dispersed. The natives left sixteen men dead on the field, and their weapons were completely destroyed." (Sydney Gazette, 30 September, 1824, p2) |
