Who fought at the battle of vinegar hill
descendants day

As part of the 200th Anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Vinegar Hill in March 2004, the combined Councils of Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Holroyd, and Parramatta will be organising a Descendants Day to recognise the contribution that those involved in the Battle made to justice, freedom and the right to self determination in Australia. Commemorating this particular incident in our history is not to pay tribute to a battle but to honour the survivors from both camps, and their children after them, as the pioneers of our nation.

If you are a descendant of any of the people listed below, or would like to help with the organisation of the event, please contact: The Co-ordinator, Patricia Parker, 43 Phillips Street, Alexandria NSW 2015. Patricia can also be contacted on (02) 9319 1008 and p_parker@bigpond.net.au


The Battle of Vinegar Hill by Lynette Silver

The list below was obtained from the book The Battle of Vinegar Hill by Lynette Ramsey Silver, published by Watermark Press, updated and expanded 2002.

Please ask your library to obtain a copy.


WHO FOUGHT AT VINEGAR HILL ?

THE REBELS Numbering 233. (Not all the rebels were convicts).

Casualties:
Fifteen unnamed men killed on the battle field.

Phillip Cunningham - executed at Windsor without trial.
William Johnston - executed at Castle Hill and then hung in chains just outside Parramatta on the road to Prospect.
John Neale - executed at Castle Hill.
George Harrington - executed at Castle Hill.
Samuel Humes - executed at Parramatta and hung in chains.
Charles Hill - executed at Parramatta.
Jonothon Place - executed at Parramatta.
John Brannan - executed at Sydney.
Timothy Hogan - executed at Sydney.
John Burke - reprieved, detained at the governor's pleasure.
Bryan McCormack - reprieved, detained at the governor's pleasure.
John Griffin - 500 lashes and exile to the Coal River chain gang.
Neil Smith - 500 lashes and exile to the Coal River chain gang.
Bryan Burne - 500 lashes and exile to the Coal River chain gang.
Connor Dwyer - 500 lashes and exile to the Coal River chain gang.
David Morrison - 200 lashes and exile to the Coal River chain gang.
Cornelius Lyons - 200 lashes and exile to the Coal River chain gang.
Owen McDermot - 200 lashes and exile to the Coal River chain gang.

  • Twenty-three other rebels, besides the seven listed above, were also exiled to the Coal River (Newcastle).
    This group included John Cavenah, Francis Neeson and another convict named Tierney, as well as four men who assisted the rebels - Robert Cooper, Dennis Ryan and two emancipists, Bryan Spaldon and Bryan Riley. Riley and Ryan were also punished with as many lashes as they could stand without their lives being endangered.
  • Thirty-four prisoners were placed in irons until they could be 'disposed' of. It is not known whether some, or all of them, were sent to the Coal River.
    Note: As this list is handwritten, some of the names are difficult to decipher.
    Owen Black, Andrew Coss, Douglas Hartigan, Thomas Brodrick, James Cullen, Peter Magrath, Brien Burn, William Day, Jonothon Malony, Thomas Burne, James Duffy, Joseph McLouglin, Jonothan Butler, Thomas Gorman, Jonothan Reilley, Jonothan Campbell, Edward Griffin, Jonothan Roberts, William Cardell, Jonothan Griffin, Anthony Rowson, Nicholas Carty, James Higgans, George Russell, Thomas Connel, Thomas Kelly Richard Thompson*, James Cramer, Jonothan Moore, Jonothan Tucker, Peter Garey, Edward Nail, James Turoney.

*Thompson, and another person, whose name appears to be 'Teakus' were to be sent to trial. The remaining rebels, as well as other suspects, were allowed to return to their places of employment.


THE GOVERNMENT SIDE

One trooper, 29 soldiers and over fifty members of the Active Defence.
The Parramatta Loyalists were also embodied to defend the town.

NEW SOUTH WALES CORPS

Major George Johnston, Lt John Brabyn, Trooper Thomas Anlezark, Quartermaster Thomas Laycock, A sergeant and 26 other ranks.

ACTIVE DEFENCE

A group of civil officers, constables and free citizens who had volunteered to assist the military in times of unrest. With the exception of two men they are not the volunteers from the group known as the Loyal Associations.

William Evans - sheriff's officer, Henry Marr, - constable, Richard Partridge - jailer, John Smitherson - constable, Thomas Bates - constable, Benjamin Carver - constable, Thomas Baker, William Dumsden, Samuel Glasop, Patrick Branan, Thomas Dunn, Thomas Graham, William Briggs, Dennis Dunnervan, John Gorden, Richard Burn, Thomas Francis, Richard Hadden, James Higgins, Isaack Mills, John Vardey, Robert Howard, William Mounslow (a Parramatta Loyalist), Joseph Huff, Andrew Nash, James Walton, Charles Ivory, John Read, William Watkins, George Jarvis, Barny Riley, Robert Wells (a Parramatta Loyalist), John Jones, John Roberson, James Welsh, George Lewers, Richard Shaw, William Witten, Thomas Minsher, Robert Shrieves, Henry Yates, Isaack Miles, Thomas Smith, William Miller, George Thurley.

Then follows a secondary list, containing the names of the following citizens James Bean, Patrick Burne, Robert Cooper, James Evans, Seth Watkins.

And also citizens Dabbs, Innes, Parker and several others whose names are indecipherable. Father James Dixon was also present but did not take part in the fighting.


THE PARRAMATTA LOYALISTS

Contrary to popular belief, the 36 Parramatta Loyalists embodied on 4 March 1804, with the exception of William Mounslow and Robert Wells, remained in Parramatta to defend the town. Some, however, took place in the search and subsequent arrest of Samuel Humes' party, 'lost' near Castle Hill.
Captain John Savage, Corporal Jonothan Stevenson, Sergeant Major G.W.Evans, Corporal Charles Wright, Sergeant James Larra, Drummer Adams, Sergeant Rowland Hassall, Drummer Saunders.

PRIVATES

Henry Armstrong, John Hodson, Samuel Terry, Thomas Bedford, Hugh Hughes, Humphrey Thorn, John Butcher, John Lewin, John Thorogood, William Cole, Thomas McKenzie, John Weavers, Thomas Cosier, William Matthews, Daniel Welling, William Crook, William Mayo, John Whittear, Edward Elliot, Thomas Norris, Edmund Wright, John Graham, Andrew Snowden, James Wright, Samuel Haslem, John Tate.


THE SYDNEY LOYALISTS

Although 38 Sydney Loyalists were embodied on 4 March 1804, the only member to take part in the pursuit and the confrontation was Lieutenant Thomas Smyth, the Provost Marshal.

Captain Thomas Rowley, Corporal John Griffiths, Sergeant James Bloodsworth, Corporal Thomas Massey, Sergeant John Gowan, Corporal William Wall.

PRIVATES:

Gilbert Baker, Samuel Hockley, Joseph Prosser, David Batty, Lewis Jones, Thomas Raby, Daniel Chambers, Joseph Lewis, Thomas Randall, William Chapman, George Mathews, William Roberts, Francis Cox, Frederick Meredith, Samuel Skinner, Andrew Cunningham, William Miller, James Somerville, Jonothan Dowling, Jonothan Mitchell, Jonothan Sparrow, William Evans, Jonothan Morrison, Samuel Thorley, Joseph Flood, William O'Neal, James Underwood, Michael Geary, Felix Owen, Edward Goode, William Peachy.