Hugh King (soldier)
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Hugh King was a private in the 40th (the 2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot who was at the Battle of the Eureka Stockade. He swore in a signed contemporaneous affidavit dated 7 December 1854 that he recalled:
"... three or four hundred yards a heavy fire from the stockade was opened on the troops and me. When the fire was opened on us we received orders to fire. I saw some of the 40th wounded lying on the ground but I cannot say that it was before the fire on both sides. I think some of the men in the stockade should – they had a flag flying in the stockade; it was a white cross of five stars on a blue ground. – flag was afterwards taken from one of the prisoners like a union jack – we fired and advanced on the stockade, when we jumped over, we were ordered to take all we could prisoners ..."[1]
During the committal hearings for the Eureka rebels, there would be another Argus report dated 9 December 1854 concerning the seizure of a second flag at the stockade in the following terms:
"The great topic of interest to-day has been the proceedings in reference to the state prisoners now confined in the Camp. As the evidence of the witnesses in these cases is more reliable information than that afforded by most reports, I shall endeavor to give you an abstract of it."[2]
Hugh King was called upon to give further testimony live under oath in the matter of Timothy Hayes. In doing so went into more detail than in his written affidavit, as the report states that the flag like a Union Jack was found:
"... rollen up in the breast of a[n] [unidentified] prisoner. He [King] advanced with the rest, firing as they advanced ... several shots were fired on them after they entered [the stockade]. He observed the prisoner [Hayes] brought down from a tent in custody."[2]
King's testimony is considered significant by Eureka Jack investigators as the disputed first report of the battle states that: "The flag of the diggers, 'The Southern Cross,' as well as the 'Union Jack,' which they had to hoist underneath, were captured by the foot police."[3] Gregory Blake (2012) leaves open the possibility that the flag being carried by the prisoner had been souvenired from the flag pole as the routed garrison was fleeing the stockade.[4]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ King, Hugh (7 December 1854). "Deposition of Witness: Hugh King". Public Record Office Victoria. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "BALLAARAT". The Argus. Melbourne. 9 December 1854. p. 5. Retrieved 17 November 2020.
- ↑ "By Express. Fatal Collision at Ballaarat". The Argus. Melbourne. 4 December 1854. p. 5. Retrieved 20 July 2023 – via Trove.
- ↑ Blake 2012, pp. 243-244, note 78.
Bibliography[edit]
- Blake, Gregory (2012). Eureka Stockade: A ferocious and bloody battle. Newport: Big Sky Publishing. ISBN 978-1-92-213204-8. Search this book on
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