Massacre at Appin, 17 April 1816

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17th April

A little after one o’clock AM we marched,

Noble joined us, and led us where he had seen the

the natives encamped , the fires were burning

but deserted, we feared they had heard us and

were fled, a few of my men who wandered

now heard a child cry. I formed line ranks,

enter(ed) and pushed on through a thick brush

towards the precipitous banks of a deep

rocky creek, the dogs gave the alarm and

the natives fled over the cliffs, a smart?

firing now ensued, - it was moonlight

the grey dawn of morn appearing, so

dark as to be able only to discover their

figures bounding from rock, to rock

before marching from quarters, I had

ordered my men to make as many prisoners

as possible, and to be careful in sparing,

and saving the women and children

my principal efforts were now directed

to this purpose, I regret to say some had

been shot, and others met their fate by

rushing in despair over the precipice

I was however partly successful, I led up

two women and three children they were

all that remained to whom death would

not be a blessing, t’was a melancholy

but necessary duty I was employed

upon, fourteen dead bodies were counted

in different directions, the bodies of Durell

and Kinnahygal I had considerable dif-

iculty in getting up the precipice, I

regretted the death of an old native

Balyin and the unfortunate women

and children from the rocky place they

fell in, I found it would be almost im-

possible to bury them, I detached Lieut

Parker with the bodies of Durell and

Kinnahygal, to be hanged on a conspicuous

part of a range of hills near Mr Broughton’s

and after to lay in ambush, at a ford

where it was expected Boodbury (sic) was

with the other natives to pass. In the camp

we found abundance of plundered potatoes

and corn and numbers of spears clubs

etc, Mr Kennedy afforded me much assistance

in supplying me with carts, ropes etc

at his and Mr Sykes request I left a

Corporal and three privates to protect

them from the revengeful fury of the

natives, till I received the Governors

commands, the prisoners I forwarded in

a cart, Warby was to escort them to Mr

Cuddens, who was directed immediately

to proceed to Liverpool, where I hope he

will arrive early this evening, in consequence

of this opportunity I did not send the dragoon

who had been thirteen hours out without

?ing(?) his horse, with a hurried letter

I wrote to the Governor, enclosed to Mr Howe (?)

Lt Parker returned without having seen any

natives, as I suppose they heard our firing.

18th According to the Governors instructions marched

my detachment and encamped near Dr

Redfern’s old stock yard in Airds a few

miles from where the natives were supposed to be.

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