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 dificulty 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 impossible 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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