The Rum Rebellion

As Australia day (Jan 26th) staggers up on us again it is a good time to remember it is 200 years ago since the only succesfull overthrough of a government in Australia by armed forces took place. For two years the NSW Corps ruled the colony in what would now days be called a military Junta, but would happen if they had decided to stay in power. Would Britain busy fighting Napoleon in Europe be bothered with a convict colony with nothing worth exporting on the far side of the globe. Could the rebel corp get support from other countries to trade with or the would British just boycott supplies and starve them into submission?

The Rum Rebellion, also known as the Rum Puncheon Rebellion, of 1808 was the only successful armed takeover of government in Australia's recorded history. The Governor of New South Wales, William Bligh, was deposed by the New South Wales Corps under the command of Major George Johnston, working closely with John Macarthur, on 26 January 1808. Afterwards, acting governors were sworn in until the arrival from Britain of Major-General Lachlan Macquarie at the beginning of 1810.
 

randomkeith

Banned
As Australia day (Jan 26th) staggers up on us again it is a good time to remember it is 200 years ago since the only succesfull overthrough of a government in Australia by armed forces took place. For two years the NSW Corps ruled the colony in what would now days be called a military Junta, but would happen if they had decided to stay in power. Would Britain busy fighting Napoleon in Europe be bothered with a convict colony with nothing worth exporting on the far side of the globe. Could the rebel corp get support from other countries to trade with or the would British just boycott supplies and starve them into submission?

The Rum Corps actually stayed loyal to the British government they simply wanted Bligh gone. The man had a history of incompentance and was an asshole to everyone.

Remember this was the man who not only had a ship rebel against him ( see "Mutiny on the Bounty" but also an intire country. "Rum Rebelion"

Britain didn't really care about the rebelion, as it was to remove a governor not the British Monarchy. People in the UK must have began to think "Hhmmm this Bligh guy must be an idiot cause every time we put him in charge of something they kick him out."

On a scary note Bligh's great-great-great-great granddaughter has just been elected premier of Queensland.

A rebelion and overthrow of the Queensland government are only days away.
 
Bligh was a brillant sailor, he navigated the long boat that he a Bounty crew loyal to him 1600 miles from the where they were dumped in the Pacific to Batavia in Java with out loss of life. It rates as one of the great sea journey in history. His blind spot seems to be he would not take advice or orders from anyone he though below his rank. This is born out by the fact that on his voyage out to Australia he was in charge of one ship in the flotilla but he would not obey order from the captain in charge of the fleet an ended up arresting him.

P.S. I did not know Anna Bligh was relative but she does not seem to have his temperament as Paul Lucas the deputy Premier was not slapped in chains when accidently called himself premier at a news conference.:D
 
Britain didn't really care about the rebelion, as it was to remove a governor not the British Monarchy. People in the UK must have began to think "Hhmmm this Bligh guy must be an idiot cause every time we put him in charge of something they kick him out."
Given that it was a 18 month round trip,
The arrival of a New Governor in only 2 years indicates some one in London was paying attention.
 

randomkeith

Banned
Britain didn't really care about the rebelion, as it was to remove a governor not the British Monarchy. People in the UK must have began to think "Hhmmm this Bligh guy must be an idiot cause every time we put him in charge of something they kick him out."


Don't delibratley misquote me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

People in the UK didn't care about Bligh getting booted out of office, of course they had to send a replacement govenor as soon as possible.

As to the leaders in the rebellion Johnston was court-martialled and cashiered, the lowest penalty possible, and he returned as a free citizen to his estate, Annandale, in Sydney. Macarthur was not tried but was refused permission to return to NSW until 1817, since he would not admit his wrongdoing.

So the two ring leaders of the mutiny Johnston gets the lowest possible penelty and Macarthur is released scott free, this is absolute proof that no one in England cared about Bligh and they probally even thought of the rebelion as semi-legitemate given Bligh's personality. (They deffinatly would have found it funny)

NB. The only resistance offered in the rebelion was from Bligh's daughter whom attacked the soldiers with her parasol when they entered government house. :eek::eek::eek:
 
Bligh was sent to N.S.W to keep the military in check, this was because of the personality that he displayed. The problem was that without any troops loyal to him or the crown the rebellion was going to be inevitable. As for the people in the colony, most of them did support the Govenor and the N.S.W. Corps were considered the villians of the rebellion. The British government did send a military expedition to deal with the N.S.W. Corps, the 73rd regiment, but when they arrived they were met with bands by the rebels and many of the troops expressed dissapointment that they didn't destroy the traitors on the battlefield. Johnston was court-marshailled, Macarthur was exilled for seven years and Bligh was promoted to Admirall while the N.S.W. Corps was renamed the 102th regiment and disbaned after the Napoleonic wars ended. If the N.S.W. Corps did put up a fight when the 73rd arrived it would have been a very one-sided affair and when it was over the people would have welcomed Macquarie and the 73rd as liberators.
 
Bligh was also one of the captain's whose ship mutinied in the 1797 Nore mutiny, so three times...

The Rum Corps actually stayed loyal to the British government they simply wanted Bligh gone. The man had a history of incompentance and was an asshole to everyone.

Remember this was the man who not only had a ship rebel against him ( see "Mutiny on the Bounty" but also an intire country. "Rum Rebelion"

Britain didn't really care about the rebelion, as it was to remove a governor not the British Monarchy. People in the UK must have began to think "Hhmmm this Bligh guy must be an idiot cause every time we put him in charge of something they kick him out."

On a scary note Bligh's great-great-great-great granddaughter has just been elected premier of Queensland.

A rebelion and overthrow of the Queensland government are only days away.
 
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