“EUREKA - THE ATTACK ON THE STOCKADE AND THE EVENTS LEADING TO IT" by Peter Butters Part 6:Rampant Diggers and the Stockade The stockade was a very important structure but whilst there are many references to it there is no definitive description. Construction began on a crude stockade of approximately one acre of ground which encompassed some tents, huts, a store and several shafts. Huyghue, a clerk at the Government Camp, stated that the timber breastwork was in some places nearly seven feet high, and the stockade consisted of various materials such as felled trees, branches, bags of sand, and towards the Melbourne road, partly overturned carts. It was however mainly composed of thick slabs which were normally used to timber shafts. The split posts were inserted into a trench of about four feet in depth, the round sides facing inwards and the rough split sides to the exterior of the stockade. 'Peter Lalor - the Man from Eureka' informs that the Stockade enclosed such places as Patrick Curtain 's licensed store, Peter Lalor 's hut, Patrick O'Donoghue 's tent and Thomas Allen 's Waterloo Coffee House. It consisted chiefly of thick slabs of timber which miners customarily used to reinforce the earthen walls of their pits and shafts. The slabs, set in earth and sloping outwards, formed a roughly rectangular enclosure. Between the slabs, which were three to four feet apart, other slabs were criss-crossed, or overturned carts wedged in the spaces, so that a breastwork about four feet high was formed which would halt any attempt by troopers to gallop their horses in. The men who were drilled within the Stockade were instructed to fire their muskets between the slabs and to aim firstly at any officers. 'From Tent to Parliament' described the stockade as the flimsiest construction ever seen. It was composed of slabs 4 feet 4 inches long, placed at a distance apart in the ground, and leaning together at the top, forming an inverted V shape on a sectional view. It offered no resisting power whatever, and when rushed it collapsed like the shutting of a book. Cassell's Picturesque Australasia described 'the Eureka Stockade [as] surrounded by a rude fence of slabs, strengthened wherever they thought necessary by overturned carts, boxes, barrels, and anything, in fact, they could lay their hands on. The rebels were no engineers, and the ground enclosed was over an acre in extent - far too large for their purpose.... ' Lalor highlighted the role of the stockade in his public statement. ' On Saturday morning we commenced to muster at Eureka about eight o'clock. Well grounded fears being entertained that Government spies would mix with the volunteers, and betray their movements, and it also being found necessary that a distinct place should be marked off, in which the men could muster together and be drilled, a piece of ground at Eureka was enclosed with slabs for that purpose. The government laid great stress on the erection of this enclosure, and have dignified it with the titles of stockade, barricade, fortified entrenchment, and camp. It may suit their policy to give it these titles, but in plain truth, it was nothing more than an enclosure to keep our men together, and was never erected with an eye to military defence. The remainder of the day was spent in further drilling, procuring horses, arms and ammunition; and establishing patrols throughout the diggings ...' Whether the Stockade was built on Friday or Saturday is a little difficult to determine. Stephen Cummins who was on night watch in his diggers hole on Friday night, awoke after his sleep next morning to see the Stockade being completed. But Carboni said Vern superintended its building on Friday, following instructions from Lalor. The stockade was situated at the point where the Eureka Lead took its bend by the old Melbourne Road (Eureka Street) Late on 30 November Lalor and his captains returned to Bakery Hill and there raised the flag of the Southern Cross. Holding his rifle in his left hand Lalor mounted the stump nearby and requested those not prepared to swear an oath to immediately leave - which many did. He then knelt at the foot of the flagpole and with his right hand raised towards the flag he swore in the 500 men who remained, standing around the flag, with bare heads and with their right hands raised. Lalor's voice echoed - 'We swear by the Southern Cross to stand truly by each other, and fight to defend our rights and liberties', and the void between the miners and the administration widened even further. The diggers' actions were later summed up in correspondence. 'The disaffected miners formed themselves into corps, elected their leaders, and commenced drilling; they possessed themselves of all the arms and ammunition within their reach, they established patrols and placed parties on the high roads leading to Melbourne and Geelong, searched all carts and drags for weapons, coerced the well affected, issued orders signed by the 'Secretary to the Commander in Chief of Diggers under Arms', dispatched emissaries to the other diggings to excite the miners, and held a meeting whereat the Australian flag of independence was solemnly consecrated and vows proffered for its defence.' The building of a stockade under such circumstances, and the swearing of oaths to a flag not of the sovereign country, could be deemed by the Government as dangerous acts of rebellion. The authorities at the Camp were being kept informed of the situation on the diggings by 'spies' placed amongst the diggers. An impasse was rapidly approaching and Lalor despatched a deputation to Rede as bloodshed appeared probable. Carboni, Black, and Father Smyth met Rede late at night outside the Camp because Rede was concerned that the meeting may have had an ulterior motive to give the deputation an insight into the layout of the Camp and its fortifications if the diggers had been planning an attack. The deputation took a proposition from Lalor to Rede. If Rede agreed to suspend licence hunts until the finding of the Royal Commission was released, and if he released the diggers taken prisoner , the diggers would agree to lay down their arms and return to work. Rede rejected the suggestion that Westerby, Fletcher and McIntyre be released . Father Smyth believed it was up to Rede to make concessions because the diggers were not, and had not been the aggressors and they bore no arms until they were coerced at the force of arms. Rede however was convinced that the protests over the licence were 'a mere cloak to cover up a democratic revolution'. Constable Henry Goodenough, as agent provocateur had tried to urge diggers to attack the Camp and misinformed Rede about a proposed 4am attack. Only a few diggers obeyed Lalor's desire to reassemble at that time but they soon dispersed when they heard that some of the Camp forces had turned out to confront them. Black and Kennedy rode to Creswick to rouse up the miners to sever ties with the English but their endeavours were rejected by the majority as it was seen as a call to take up arms against the Victorian Government. On 1 December a Government officer who was in the Camp at the time of the Stockade affair - 'the Government took final measures to meet assault. Every Government employee was armed and told of his post, and sentinels and videttes were placed at several points. The principal buildings of the Camp, including the present Mining Board-room, in Camp Street, were fortified with breastworks of firewood, trusses of hay, and bags of corn from the commissariat stores, and the women and children were sent for security into the store, which was walled with thick slabs, and accounted bulletproof. A violent storm of rain, with thunder, commenced as these arrangements were completed, and the mounted police, soaked through with the rain, spent the night standing or lying by their horses, armed, and horses saddled ready for instant action. At 4 a.m. on Saturday, 2nd December, the whole garrison was under arms, and soon after daylight a demonstration in force was made towards Bakery Hill without opposition. We heard today that the insurgents were visiting the outlying stores and demanding arms. Bodies of men are seen drilling near the Red Hill. No work is now carried on throughout the entire diggings, and every place of business is closed. A mounted trooper from Melbourne with despatches was fired at near the Eureka line, where through the information of spies, it is known that a stockade is being erected.' Over 300 men arriving from Creswick made a colourful spectacle as a band played the 'Marseillaise' and they were led by Kennedy who was waving his sword. However, they arrived without food or arms and after being disillusioned by what they saw at the Stockade most returned home. Governor Hotham, in Melbourne despatched Major General Sir Robert Nickle to Ballarat with several hundred men from the 12th and 40th Regiments and Marines from HMS Electra, together with four pieces of field artillery. The diggings were in turmoil as diggers raided stores for guns, ammunition and food supplies, horses were confiscated for digger's use, shops closed and mining ceased. Carboni highlighted in his book, ' a similar gang, four strong, had entered the store of D. O'Conner, on the Golden Point, and asked in the name of the committee, powder and shot, but the vagabonds did not care so much for the ammunition for their guns, as for the stuff for their guts, what tempted them most was fine good Yorkshire hams, and coffee to wash it down. In short they ransacked the whole store, and each took care of 'something' the best course, and therefore the cash-box, worth some twenty pounds was not forgotten.' Some peace orientated persons such as Humffray had received death threats and Camp personnel only ventured out under escort. Alfred Black was Lalor's 'Minister for War' and a 'Declaration of Independence was drawn up. Black had allied himself with Vern and others who favoured the establishment of a republic. Lalor issued 'Orders of War' for arms and ammunition and the impressment of people or goods for service and picquet's were sent out to prevent the seizures being made a cover for robbery. James McDOWALL, a storekeeper related, 'This muster obstructed business of every description. Plunder and daylight robberies were very prevalent for a time. Stores robbed, and the contents carted into the Stockade, surrounded by guns and old rusty bayonets , the storekeepers not daring to say - what doest thou. A short time prior to this date I had gone into business in the timber trade. Finding that one of my valuable horses had been taken from one of my men when on his way home with a load of timber, I marched straight to the Stockade, and had an interview with the Commander in Chief, Frederick Vern . I endeavoured to regain possession of my horse, but without success. The Commander informed me that his men should require horses, but pressing my claim still further, I secured a written guarantee that should any damage be done to the horse, it should be made good. This document described the horse correctly, and was signed - A.A. Black , Secretary of War . By order of the Commander in Chief , Frederick Vern. On the following day, after the battle was over, the horse was found with a very severe wound on his stern, thereby proving that he and his rider (if any) were clearing out while the battle was raging. The authorities were concealed behind a fortification made of bales of hay and other horse feed in bags, and I was only allowed to speak to the said authorities through a small space near the roof of the verandah of the house wherein they were fortified.' The Melbourne Age reported, 'I am informed that the owners of houses facing the back part of the camp in Lydiard Street have had orders to fire their premises if an attack is made on the camp by the diggers, lest they should be used as covers from which the diggers might annoy them while engaged in defending the point. Barricades of all kinds are being thrown up inside and around the camp on which it is considered an attack is shortly to be made ' Captain Charles Pasley, one of the engineers of the later attack on the insurgents held grave fears of an impending attack by the insurgents on the Camp. Had the attack eventuated the Camp had decided to burn the nearby houses, if necessary, and fireballs had been prepared to throw at them. V. R. NOTICE No light will be allowed to be kept burning in any tent within musket-shot of the line of sentries after 8 o'clock p.m. No discharge of fire-arms in the neighbourhood of the Camp will be permitted for any purpose whatever. The sentries have orders to fire upon any person offending against these rules. (By order), T. BAILEY RICHARDS, Lieut. 40th Regt., Garrison Adjutant. Regarding the Camp the Argus reported, '[in the vicinity of the camp]... might be seen the Government officials and their staff, with the scarlet shirts and white caps of the cavalry standing out in bold relief against the more sombre hues in the background of straw trusses and old sandbags... I tried to obtain an entrance to the Camp. I applied for admittance for the purpose of finding out the escort returns.. My reception was a policeman in a blue shirt with red pipings bringing his musket to the 'port' and denying admission to any civilian under whatever name, or whatever pretext... ' Rebels Ruling The Goldfields Commission were told that Morrison, the storekeeper was told by an armed group that if he did not step aside whilst they were appropriating what they wanted he would be shot. Some mining parties endeavoured to continue work as normal but were prevented from doing so by armed parties and many diggers sent their families away for safety. The Camp was running short on some supplies as tradesmen discontinued deliveries. 2 December - Construction of the Stockade was now completed. The position of second in command to Lalor, was aspired to by Vern who had promised to raise 500 armed German diggers, but the position was given to James McGill. He was a dubious American who had claimed to have attended the West Point Military Academy, and who had arrived with 200 men, The Californian Rangers Revolver Brigade. McGill made an unexpected decision and took the majority of his Rangers, who had the best firearms, to intercept Major Nickle's men at Ballan which left the stockade virtually defenceless and ill equipped. Rampant diggers were still impressing wanted items and Mrs Skarrett from the Victoria Restaurant near the Stockade drew a revolver from her bosom and threatened to shoot the three men who had claimed to be sent by the 'commander in chief', and who had endeavoured to take her horse. The mediator, Father Smyth, sought permission from Lalor to address the Catholics in the Stockade and in doing so pointed out to them their poor defences and their lack of experience in the face of two hundred well armed men, with more reinforcements on the way. He pleaded for them to stop before blood was spilled, and to attend Mass the following morning, but he was unsuccessful in his attempt. The Ballarat diggers did not get the full support of their Bendigo 'brothers' who re-affirmed their policy of peaceful constitutional reform. And whilst they did not support the Ballarat militants they agreed not to pay licence fees and to revive the wearing of red ribbons to signify that non payment. Life was leisurely in the Stockade in the afternoon as there had never been a licence hunt after midday Saturday, and most men had drifted away to go home to their families or to visit friends outside the boundary. In another prophetic statement the 'Argus' Ballarat correspondent said on 2 December, We are standing here 'on the brink of a great event.' What the next forty eight hours will bring forth, I feel, will form a page in the future history of Victoria.' He noted, 'The tranquillity of this day has been absolutely agonising. I am now writing amidst the reports and flashes of a thousand stand of arms. Everyone is excited and confused. I wish the crisis were over ; the suspense is fearful.' Historian Withers noted, 'Pikes were forged in the Stockade, and arms and ammunition had been largely collected. Several companies of riflemen and pikemen were formed, and military insurgency established. The mass of the diggers did not support this armed resistance, but friends, and it is said, enemies also, dropped into the Stockade at all hours of the day and night of Saturday the 2nd of December. Friendly butchers brought cart-loads of beef to the rendezvous, and Lalor's men lay about the fires cooking, burnishing arms, or engaged in other warlike business.' Lalor had retired to the stores tent within the Stockade for much needed sleep by midnight and there were only about 120 diggers with a hundred or so firearms between them and very little ammunition left within the Stockade. Lalor had obviously not contemplated an attack as he had allowed the majority of its occupants to leave. Assistant Commissioner Amos from the Eureka Police Camp, who had been taken prisoner by the insurgents but released, had arrived at the Camp towards evening. Tension was rising at the Camp, but unlike the insurgents the Camp personnel were unified. A meeting between Rede, Captain Thomas of the 40th Regiment, the Regiment Assistant Engineer, Captain Pasley and Amos was convened of which Amos was an integral part because he had an intimate knowledge of the Eureka diggings and the Stockade. There was still concern that the Camp could be attacked and Rede was informed by his spies about conditions on the diggings. There was a hint of things to come when on the day prior to the attack Rede had written to the Governor, 'I am convinced that the future welfare of the Colony and the peace and prosperity of all the Gold Fields depends upon the crushing of this movement in such a manner that it may act as a warning.' Rede believed that the insurgents desired the downfall of the Authorities of the Crown, and he wanted them to be caught with arms in their hands. He was informed that the Stockade was virtually deserted and that the Californian Rangers Revolver Brigade were absent, having headed towards the arriving troops. It was an ideal time therefore to mount an attack and to destroy the Stockade, the symbol of the insurgents. The details of the attack plan were formalised.