Victoria: with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong/Chapter 7
CHAPTER VII.
"Brief, brave, and glorious was his young career."
"But soon a funeral hymn was heard,
Where the soft breath of evening stirred
The tall, gray forest; and a band
Of stern in heart, and strong in hand.
Came winding down beside the wave.
To lay the red chief in his grave."
CAPTAIN Henry Christopher Wise, the subject of the present short memoir, was born at Rome, in the year 1829. His family reside at Woodcote, in Warwickshire, where his father is a gentleman possessed of considerable property; his mother being the third daughter of the late Sir Evan Skipwith, Bart, of Newbold Hall, in the same county. Of his early years we have no particular account, save of his being under the tuition, for some time, of the Rev. Wm. Nead, from whose care he proceeded to Eton, where, having remained two years, he was entered a student at the Royal Military College of Sandhurst. By steadiness, application, and good conduct, he soon gained the first position amongst his fellow-pupils, and his talents and acquirements soon placed him the first amongst the competitors for College prizes, which eventually, on his first trial at the examination of the Commissioners, obtained an ensigncy for him, without purchase, in the 40th Regiment.
On the 26th of November, 1847, he first joined his regiment in Galway, and served with it for four years on home service, two of which were in the south of Ireland, where his memory is still revered and kindly spoken of, from his affable and courteous manner.
In September, 1849, he purchased his Lieutenantcy, and from his diligence and attention to his duties as a soldier he was appointed Adjutant of the regiment, and, as such, embarked with the headquarters for Australia, in July, 1852, in the ship Vulcan; in December of the following year he was promoted to a company by purchase, shortly after which he was selected to command the pensioner force called from the neighbouring colony of Tasmania to quell the disturbances at the Gold Fields. Tranquillity being restored at the diggings, he proceeded to Hobart Town with his command.
It was during his stay with the 99th Regiment in that city, that the author and his brother officers became intimately acquainted with him, and were led to love and esteem one whose untimely fate so soon after they had to deplore.
On the 8th of December an express steamer arrived in the Derwent, with the intelligence of the outbreak at Ballaarat, and an exaggerated account of the loss of life on the occasion, also a rumour that our gallant friend and late guest had been killed, which spread a gloom among us. The following mail brought a more veracious account of his being severely wounded, but that strong hopes were entertained of his ultimate recovery. On this occasion was evinced that sympathy of nationality so peculiar to the British nation; for immediately that it was understood how the Victorians were embroiled in a civil war, the greatest possible interest and anxiety to assist them was evinced by all classes of the Tasmanians. Public meetings were held, and resolutions passed, expressing it; the Government, too, with equal alacrity obeying the call, despatched three hundred chosen men of the 99th Regiment, under Colonel Jackson, with but a few hours' notice, to Melbourne. On the arrival of this force in Hobson's Bay, words can but ill depict the excitement prevailing through the community: — the whole disposable force of both the navy (from two ships of war then lying in the Bay) and the military, 12th and 40th Regiment, with the exception of a few sailors and marines left as a guard in the city, having departed, as before detailed, under the command of Sir Robert Nickle, for Ballaarat. They found the city in a state of considerable alarm, from the varied and conflicting rumours hourly arriving from Ballaarat; the minds of most were in a state of fear and dismay. for, among other reports, it was circulated (more particularly through the retired, and, consequently, more credulous portion of the inhabitants), that the diggers (their numbers magnified a thousand-fold) having dispersed the military forces, were then on their way to sack the fair city of Melbourne. The arrival, therefore, of their old friends and favourites of the 99th quieted their fears, and restored a certain degree of confidence in the public mind.
As forming one of this expedition, we may, perchance, be accused of egotism, to do away with which, we take the liberty of quoting a paragraph from the leading journal of the city, three months after, when the regiment returned to Hobart Town, the day previous to which a public dinner was given to the officers by the leading men of Melbourne:—
"The perfect tranquillity which, we are happy to say, now prevails in the colony, has enabled the Government to relieve the community from the heavy charge of supporting an extra military force, and, accordingly, the detachment of the 99th regiment, which has for the last three months been quartered in Melbourne, is under orders for Hobart Town. They leave on Friday, and although it is with the greatest degree of gratification that we hail their departure as a sign of the altered state of our social condition from what was the case when they arrived, and also as indicating a reduction in our expenses at this critical time, we should not be doing justice to this fine body of men if we did not acknowledge the utility of their presence in this colony hitherto, under the circumstances which called for it. The regiment is well known in Victoria, and if it be true, what is rumoured, namely, that it is at no remote period to leave this hemisphere for more active service, the colonists will have sufficient confidence, from the opportunities that have been afforded them of judging, in the future career of the 99th regiment being as glorious as that of any of those regiments which are now sustaining the fame of the British soldier before the walls of Sebastopol.
"The affability and courtesy of the officers, and the general good behaviour of the men, can be attested by all who have come in contact with them; and we are sure, in wishing the regiment God speed, that our sentiments will be generally participated in. The following officers will embark with the regiment, on board the City of Hobart:—Colonel Jackson, commanding; Captains Deering, Blamire, Montgomerie, Stoney, and Isdell; Lieutenants MacDonald, Nunn, and Ravenhill, and Dr. Carroll, Assistant Surgeon. The two guns will also be embarked, under the charge of Lieut. Akres, Royal Engineers."—Argus, March 14, 1855.
Accounts were also daily received of the continued danger of Captain Wise. It appears that he, as stated in the despatch, before quoted, of Captain Thomas, had charge of his company on the morning of the 3rd, and whilst leading them gallantly over the stockade received a severe wound in the leg, whereupon he fell among his advancing men; but, quickly recovering himself, he again led them on to the charge. The men, now rendered frantic, seeing their much-loved captain wounded, and his heroic conduct, carried all before them. Scarce, however, had the loud shout of his victorious men proclaimed that the stockade was theirs, and the opposing insurgents routed, ere another ball struck him on the knee, which entirely disabled him, weak as he was from the loss of blood from the previous wound. His sorrowing comrades hastily constructing a rude stretcher, carried him to the rear.
An instance of the wild devotion of his men is on record. On the following day a private of his company, waiting on his officer, begged permission to proceed to the stockade in order to bury his brother. "How," said the officer, "know you of your brother being killed? "I shot him myself, sir," was his prompt reply. "How dreadful!" was the rejoinder. "No, sir," still continued the soldier, "he shot my captain, and I shot him." We cannot vouch for the certain authenticity of this Brutus-like anecdote, yet such was currently reported; and from the devotion we have ourselves seen evinced by the British soldier in moments of danger, we think that in the heat of battle and military ardour, when one whom they followed as a leader, loved, and honoured, was cut down before them,—the natural ties of affection would not be dreamt of.
For some days favourable symptoms having made their appearance, strong hopes were entertained of his ultimate recovery, nor was it considered, by any of the medical friends who constantly and unremittingly attended him, that amputation was necessary. The greatest anxiety relative to his fate was evinced by all classes of the community, and everything that skill and kindest attention could do was done to alleviate his sufferings. Mild and gentle ever in disposition, his last days still bore out his character. From day to day despatches were sent to the head of the Government and Melbourne, containing bulletins of his health. But the fiat had gone forth; his constitution, never very strong, gave way under the combined wounds, and he gradually sank until the morning of the 21st, when he ceased to live.
All parties exhibited the greatest regret at the untimely death of this gallant young officer. With the deepest commiseration was the event spoken of in the House of Assembly, with the intention of raising a monument to his memory. A letter of condolence was written by his Excellency Sir Charles Hotham to his father, expressive of his deep regret for his loss, and how it had been his intention, had he survived, to have placed him on his personal staff, and conferred on him all honours in his power to give. We need not say how sincere was the sorrow felt for him among his own immediate comrades and the military body then in Victoria. The day after his decease, the following General Order was issued:—
"December 22, 1854.
"The Major-General has deep regret in announcing to the troops within the Australian command, the death at Ballaarat camp, yesterday morning, the 21st, of Captain Henry Christopher Wise, of the 40th Regiment. He died from the effects of wounds received on the 3rd instant, while bravely leading his company in storming the Eureka stockade, which a numerous band of foreign anarchists and armed ruffians had converted into a stronghold. His name will long be held in honour by the troops whose good fortune it was to bear testimony to his gallantry, and Sir Robert Nickle has heartfelt satisfaction in recording in General Orders the name of an officer who has thus worthily distinguished himself. His remains are to be buried with the honours due to his rank in the graveyard at Ballaarat Gold Field, beside those of the other meritorious soldiers which lie there interred.
"Colonel, Deputy Adjutant-General."
Agreeably to this General Order, the whole of the forces, civil and military, then at Ballaarat, assembled on the 23rd instant, beside which a large concourse of all the inhabitants and miners of the place followed him to the grave, thus displaying their firm attachment to the servants of their Queen, even though their wild passions of rebellion had for a moment made them lose sight of their loyalty and obedience to her laws. He was buried in a small graveyard, a mile from the camp, on a rising ground above Cheswick's Creek, where a plain and elegant monument, erected by his brother officers, now points out his last resting-place. With him and the consequent sorrow attending his death, there seemed to have been buried the hatchet of war, for the peaceful occupations of all were resumed, martial law discontinued, and the troops removed to Melbourne, leaving only the usual detachments at Ballaarat and the other diggings; on which occasion the following General Order appeared:—
"By command
"(Signed) E. Macarthur,
In consequence of the postponement of the state-trials of the rioters of Ballaarat, it was deemed expedient to retain the 99th regiment some time longer at Melbourne; and a Commission of Inquiry having been ordered by the Government, it was considered further advisable to retain them until all matters were put upon a proper footing. Of the termination of these matters we have elsewhere spoken at length. In the beginning of March, his Excellency having reviewed the 99th regiment, and written a highly complimentary letter to the commanding officer, a General Order appeared, of the same purport, and directing their return to Hobart Town on the 14th, and thus closed the disturbances of Ballaarat.