Massacre at Norman River, Gulf Country
In 1868 the Burketown Correspondent for the Brisbane Courier reported that
following directly on from a massacre at Burketown
a native police detachment led by D'Arcy Uhr had 'rounded up' a further 3 groups of Aboriginal people (with 14, 8 and 9 people in each group) and shot them in reprisal for the murder of a man named Cameron and a 'chinaman' (Brisbane Courier, June 9, 1868, p 3).
"No sooner was this done, than a report came in that Mr. Cannon had been murdered by blacks, at Liddle and Hetzer's station near the Norman. Mr. Uhr went off immediately in that direction, and his success I hear was complete. One mob of fourteen he rounded up; another mob of nine, and a last mob of eight, he succeeded with his troopers in shooting. In the latter lot there was one black who would not die after receiving eighteen or twenty bullets, but a trooper speedily put an end to his existence by smashing his skull. In the camp of the last lot of blacks, Mr. Uhr found a compass belonging to a Mr. Manson of the Norman, and a revolver belonging to a Chinaman. He then followed the tracks of the sheep Manson and the Chinaman had a short time before passed with, and in a waterhole found the bodies of poor Manson and the Chinaman cut about and mutilated in a most frightful manner. Cameron's body has also been found. In this expedition I am informed Mr. Uhr was accompanied by Mr Hetzer, who has been very kind and indulgent to the myalls for a long time, but now sees his folly. Everybody in the district is delighted with the wholesale slaughter dealt out by the native police, and thank Mr Uhr for his energy in ridding the district of fifty-nine (59) myalls. Cassidy's station, on the Upper Leichhardt, has also been attacked, and one man speared. Albert Downs station, on the Gregory, was also attacked by blacks a short time back, and all the fire- arms, axes, and chisells [sic] taken off." (The Brisbane Courier, 9 Jun 1868)
following directly on from a massacre at Burketown
a native police detachment led by D'Arcy Uhr had 'rounded up' a further 3 groups of Aboriginal people (with 14, 8 and 9 people in each group) and shot them in reprisal for the murder of a man named Cameron and a 'chinaman' (Brisbane Courier, June 9, 1868, p 3).
"No sooner was this done, than a report came in that Mr. Cannon had been murdered by blacks, at Liddle and Hetzer's station near the Norman. Mr. Uhr went off immediately in that direction, and his success I hear was complete. One mob of fourteen he rounded up; another mob of nine, and a last mob of eight, he succeeded with his troopers in shooting. In the latter lot there was one black who would not die after receiving eighteen or twenty bullets, but a trooper speedily put an end to his existence by smashing his skull. In the camp of the last lot of blacks, Mr. Uhr found a compass belonging to a Mr. Manson of the Norman, and a revolver belonging to a Chinaman. He then followed the tracks of the sheep Manson and the Chinaman had a short time before passed with, and in a waterhole found the bodies of poor Manson and the Chinaman cut about and mutilated in a most frightful manner. Cameron's body has also been found. In this expedition I am informed Mr. Uhr was accompanied by Mr Hetzer, who has been very kind and indulgent to the myalls for a long time, but now sees his folly. Everybody in the district is delighted with the wholesale slaughter dealt out by the native police, and thank Mr Uhr for his energy in ridding the district of fifty-nine (59) myalls. Cassidy's station, on the Upper Leichhardt, has also been attacked, and one man speared. Albert Downs station, on the Gregory, was also attacked by blacks a short time back, and all the fire- arms, axes, and chisells [sic] taken off." (The Brisbane Courier, 9 Jun 1868)
Notes:
CorroborationRating: **
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 31
CorroborationRating: **
Victims: Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander People
VictimsDead: 31
People involved
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Sources
- Brisbane Courier, June 9, 1868, p 3 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1299073; Queenslander, 13 June 1868, p 7 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20319067; Roberts, 2005, p 12.
Event mentions
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Massacre at Norman River, Gulf Country1 Apr 1868 – 31 May 1868 — Norman River, Gulf Country — massacreIn 1868 the Burketown Correspondent for the Brisbane Courier reported that
following directly on from a massacre at Burketown
a native police detachment led by D'Arcy Uhr had 'rounded up' a further 3 groups of Aboriginal people (with 14, 8 and 9 people in each group) and shot them in reprisal for the murder of a man named Cameron and a 'chinaman' (Brisbane Courier, June 9, 1868, p 3).
"No sooner was this done, than a report came in that Mr. Cannon had been murdered by blacks, at Liddle and Hetzer's station near the Norman. Mr. Uhr went off immediately in that direction, and his success I hear was complete. One mob of fourteen he rounded up; another mob of nine, and a last mob of eight, he succeeded with his troopers in shooting. In the latter lot there was one black who would not die after receiving eighteen or twenty bullets, but a trooper speedily put an end to his existence by smashing his skull. In the camp of the last lot of blacks, Mr. Uhr found a compass belonging to a Mr. Manson of the Norman, and a revolver belonging to a Chinaman. He then followed the tracks of the sheep Manson and the Chinaman had a short time before passed with, and in a waterhole found the bodies of poor Manson and the Chinaman cut about and mutilated in a most frightful manner. Cameron's body has also been found. In this expedition I am informed Mr. Uhr was accompanied by Mr Hetzer, who has been very kind and indulgent to the myalls for a long time, but now sees his folly. Everybody in the district is delighted with the wholesale slaughter dealt out by the native police, and thank Mr Uhr for his energy in ridding the district of fifty-nine (59) myalls. Cassidy's station, on the Upper Leichhardt, has also been attacked, and one man speared. Albert Downs station, on the Gregory, was also attacked by blacks a short time back, and all the fire- arms, axes, and chisells [sic] taken off." (The Brisbane Courier, 9 Jun 1868)Source: Brisbane Courier, June 9, 1868, p 3 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1299073; Queenslander, 13 June 1868, p 7 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article20319067; Roberts, 2005, p 12.