First Battle of Eureka Stockade

The Eureka Rebellion was a rebellion in 1854, instigated by gold miners in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, who revolted against the colonial authority of the United Kingdom. It began in the Battle of the Eureka Stockade, which was fought between miners and the colonial forces of Australia on 3 December 1854 at Eureka Lead and named for the stockade structure built by miners during the conflict. The battle resulted in the deaths of at least 59 people, the majority of whom were rebels.

The rebellion was the culmination of a period of civil disobedience in the Ballarat region during the Victorian gold rush with miners objecting to the expense of a miner's licence, taxation via the licence without representation, and the actions of the government, the police and military, the lack of liberties and freedoms. The local rebellion grew from a Ballarat Reform League movement and culminated in the erection by the rebels of a crude battlement and a swift and deadly siege by colonial forces.

The rebel forces were mostly made up of miners and visionaries and possessed few guns, swords and pikes, but with the support of James McGill’s ‘Independent Californian Rangers’ which was a Calvary unit armed with revolvers and bowie knifes, stayed behind to protect the road, and they also got their hands on two naval 12 pounder guns to protect the rebels.

The battle began on the 3rd of December 1854 at 3am in the morning a party of 276 soldiers and police, under the command of Captain John W. Thomas approached the Eureka Stockade and a battle ensued. There is no agreement as to which side fired first, but the battle was fierce & brief. The ramshackle army of miners was hopelessly outclassed by a military regiment but with the support of James McGill’s unit and the two guns was able to defend and repel the British forces.

During the height of the battle, Ross was shot in his left arm, took refuge under some timber and was smuggled out of the stockade and hidden. His arm was later amputated. But the Leader of the rebellion, Peter Lalor was shot dead after killing a British soldier, shouting ‘Saotharlann do Chách Eureka!’ Latin for ‘Liberty for all Eureka’, and thus became a symbol and martyr of the Eurekan Rebellion movement. It was the first battle of the Australian War of Independence.

Following the carnage of the battle reactions were different on all sides, for the rebels the idea of secession and independence was coming into fruition, while thousands of young idealists and visionaries were flocking to the newly formed brigades and units formed across the continent to fight against the British. While the British were shocked by the loss and felt a serious threat in the rebels and brought more troops and loyalist militias together to defend the British colonies.

The two sides from the 3rd of December until early-Feb of next year would be planning and preparing for the war that was coming, the next main battle would determine if the rebellion was to be a nation or that Britain was to rule the Pacific region, in the Battle of Melbourne.