Massacre at Expedition Range
Following the Cullin-la-Ringo massacre on the Nogoa River and immediate reprisals of colonists and the Native Police, reinforcements of Native Police under Captain Bligh were ordered to the area (QSA GOV/23/61/74 (DR110747) ITM17671, p 127).
In his report of 2nd December, 1861, Captain Bligh described the 3 main patrols despatched: 'There is a force of eighteen troopers now stationed on the Nogoa and Comet; six of whom under 2nd Lieut. Moorehead are engaged in patrolling the stations to the east of Expedition Range, six more under 2nd Lieut. Cave are patrolling the neighbourhood of the late massacre, and the remainder under 2nd Lieut. Williams will also patrol there' (QSA COL/A23/61/3038 (DR57340) ITM846753, p 140).
In his report 2nd Lieutenant W. Moorehead of the Native Mounted Police wrote, 'I continued following their tracks until the morning of the 14th inst when a little after daylight, I came upon and found the Blacks (which I had followed 17 days) in their encampment, in a Brigalow scrub, eastwards of Expedition Ranges, and about 9 or 10 miles westward of Mer Masters Station. Upon seeing the Police they (the Blacks) at once .... every disposition to fight - brandishing their tomahawks and throwing several Nulla Nullas at the men and seeing that I could not disperse by quiet means - I was forced to order the Police under my command to fire upon them. Finding they were reluctant to leave the vicinity of their encampment. I made the Police [illegible] & follow the Blacks for some hours thro' the scrub. Before leaving I found that nine of their number were shot by the Police.' Native Police and some colonists were frustrated that Aboriginal people were sheltered at some stations. Moorehead added that survivors had fled to two neighbouring stations where one station owner said that 'he would protect them to the utmost of his power' (QSA COL/A26/62/823, ITM 846756. pp169-177).
In his report of 28 December, 1861, Bligh wrote 'I have abundant evidence to disprove W Dutton's assertion that the Blacks do not cross and recross Expedition Range, upon which he would ground his argument that his Blacks and all those inside his station could not have been concerned in the Nogoa massacre. I enclose a copy of a Report from 2nd Lieutenant Cave on the subject - and would further state that Blacks who had been wounded in the late affray and on the western side of that Range have been seen being carried by their accomplices across W Govern[?] Run on the Mimosa Creek, thirty or forty miles inside W Duttons and within one hundred miles of Rockhampton' (QSA COL/A25, DR110722, ITM3682016).
In his report of 2nd December, 1861, Captain Bligh described the 3 main patrols despatched: 'There is a force of eighteen troopers now stationed on the Nogoa and Comet; six of whom under 2nd Lieut. Moorehead are engaged in patrolling the stations to the east of Expedition Range, six more under 2nd Lieut. Cave are patrolling the neighbourhood of the late massacre, and the remainder under 2nd Lieut. Williams will also patrol there' (QSA COL/A23/61/3038 (DR57340) ITM846753, p 140).
In his report 2nd Lieutenant W. Moorehead of the Native Mounted Police wrote, 'I continued following their tracks until the morning of the 14th inst when a little after daylight, I came upon and found the Blacks (which I had followed 17 days) in their encampment, in a Brigalow scrub, eastwards of Expedition Ranges, and about 9 or 10 miles westward of Mer Masters Station. Upon seeing the Police they (the Blacks) at once .... every disposition to fight - brandishing their tomahawks and throwing several Nulla Nullas at the men and seeing that I could not disperse by quiet means - I was forced to order the Police under my command to fire upon them. Finding they were reluctant to leave the vicinity of their encampment. I made the Police [illegible] & follow the Blacks for some hours thro' the scrub. Before leaving I found that nine of their number were shot by the Police.' Native Police and some colonists were frustrated that Aboriginal people were sheltered at some stations. Moorehead added that survivors had fled to two neighbouring stations where one station owner said that 'he would protect them to the utmost of his power' (QSA COL/A26/62/823, ITM 846756. pp169-177).
In his report of 28 December, 1861, Bligh wrote 'I have abundant evidence to disprove W Dutton's assertion that the Blacks do not cross and recross Expedition Range, upon which he would ground his argument that his Blacks and all those inside his station could not have been concerned in the Nogoa massacre. I enclose a copy of a Report from 2nd Lieutenant Cave on the subject - and would further state that Blacks who had been wounded in the late affray and on the western side of that Range have been seen being carried by their accomplices across W Govern[?] Run on the Mimosa Creek, thirty or forty miles inside W Duttons and within one hundred miles of Rockhampton' (QSA COL/A25, DR110722, ITM3682016).
Notes:
CorroborationRating: ***
LanguageGroup: Mandalgu
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 9
CorroborationRating: ***
LanguageGroup: Mandalgu
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 9
People involved
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Sources
- Bowen to Newcastle, 16 Dec. 1861, QSA GOV/23/61/74 (DR110747) ITM17671 https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM3682012; QSA COL/A26/62/823, (DR64776.pdf) ITM 846756. pp169-177 https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM846756; QSA COL/A25, DR110722, ITM3682016 https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM3682016
Event mentions
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Massacre at Expedition Range14 Dec 1861 — Expedition Range — massacreFollowing the Cullin-la-Ringo massacre on the Nogoa River and immediate reprisals of colonists and the Native Police, reinforcements of Native Police under Captain Bligh were ordered to the area (QSA GOV/23/61/74 (DR110747) ITM17671, p 127).
In his report of 2nd December, 1861, Captain Bligh described the 3 main patrols despatched: 'There is a force of eighteen troopers now stationed on the Nogoa and Comet; six of whom under 2nd Lieut. Moorehead are engaged in patrolling the stations to the east of Expedition Range, six more under 2nd Lieut. Cave are patrolling the neighbourhood of the late massacre, and the remainder under 2nd Lieut. Williams will also patrol there' (QSA COL/A23/61/3038 (DR57340) ITM846753, p 140).
In his report 2nd Lieutenant W. Moorehead of the Native Mounted Police wrote, 'I continued following their tracks until the morning of the 14th inst when a little after daylight, I came upon and found the Blacks (which I had followed 17 days) in their encampment, in a Brigalow scrub, eastwards of Expedition Ranges, and about 9 or 10 miles westward of Mer Masters Station. Upon seeing the Police they (the Blacks) at once .... every disposition to fight - brandishing their tomahawks and throwing several Nulla Nullas at the men and seeing that I could not disperse by quiet means - I was forced to order the Police under my command to fire upon them. Finding they were reluctant to leave the vicinity of their encampment. I made the Police [illegible] & follow the Blacks for some hours thro' the scrub. Before leaving I found that nine of their number were shot by the Police.' Native Police and some colonists were frustrated that Aboriginal people were sheltered at some stations. Moorehead added that survivors had fled to two neighbouring stations where one station owner said that 'he would protect them to the utmost of his power' (QSA COL/A26/62/823, ITM 846756. pp169-177).
In his report of 28 December, 1861, Bligh wrote 'I have abundant evidence to disprove W Dutton's assertion that the Blacks do not cross and recross Expedition Range, upon which he would ground his argument that his Blacks and all those inside his station could not have been concerned in the Nogoa massacre. I enclose a copy of a Report from 2nd Lieutenant Cave on the subject - and would further state that Blacks who had been wounded in the late affray and on the western side of that Range have been seen being carried by their accomplices across W Govern[?] Run on the Mimosa Creek, thirty or forty miles inside W Duttons and within one hundred miles of Rockhampton' (QSA COL/A25, DR110722, ITM3682016).Source: Bowen to Newcastle, 16 Dec. 1861, QSA GOV/23/61/74 (DR110747) ITM17671 https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM3682012; QSA COL/A26/62/823, (DR64776.pdf) ITM 846756. pp169-177 https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM846756; QSA COL/A25, DR110722, ITM3682016 https://www.archivessearch.qld.gov.au/items/ITM3682016