The dead & wounded miners
Now, how many died in the battle. Surely we know that for sure. Well, actually no. Perhaps the most authoritative list says 35 men died either during or as a result of the battle from both sides, and 11 were wounded and later recovered. Of the dead, 6 were soldiers. Although some sources say 8. It seems none of the troopers came close enough to a bullet to be killed, what a surprise.
The remainder were diggers, which means 29 of them died. However, the most commonly quoted figures are 22 and 24, goodness knows why. The general suspicion is that more actually died in the bush unrecorded, but there's no evidence of that at all. Oh, my, where have we heard that before?
This is Lalor's list of the dead and wounded, although it's not necessarily absolutely correct, simply who he knew of at the time. We've separated out each name to maximise our respect for them, and to draw attention to some who would otherwise be buried in a mess of words:
The remainder were diggers, which means 29 of them died. However, the most commonly quoted figures are 22 and 24, goodness knows why. The general suspicion is that more actually died in the bush unrecorded, but there's no evidence of that at all. Oh, my, where have we heard that before?
This is Lalor's list of the dead and wounded, although it's not necessarily absolutely correct, simply who he knew of at the time. We've separated out each name to maximise our respect for them, and to draw attention to some who would otherwise be buried in a mess of words:
The following lists are as complete as I can make them. The numbers are well known, but there is a want of names. I trust that the friends or acquaintances of these parties may forward particulars to The Times office, Ballaarat, to be made available in a more lengthened narrative. Killed:
1, John Hynes, County Clare, Ireland;
2, Patrick Gittins, Kilkenny, Ireland;
3, Mullins, Kilkenny, Limerick, Ireland;
4, Samuel Green, England;
5, John Robertson, Scotland;
6, G. Edward Thonen (lemonade man), Elbertfeldt, Prussia;
7, John Hafele, Wurtemberg;
8, John Diamond, County Clare, Ireland;
9, Thomas O'Neil, Kilkenny, Ireland;
10, George Donaghey, Muff, County Donegal, Ireland;
11, Edward Quin, County Cavan, Ireland;
12, William Quinlan, Goulbourn, N.S.W.;
13 and 14, names unknown, one was usually known on Eureka as "Happy Jack".
Wounded and Since Dead:
1, Lieutenant Ross, Canada;
2, Thaddeus Moore, County Clare, Ireland;
3, James Brown, Newry, Ireland;
4, Robert Julien, Nova Scotia;
5, Crowe, unknown;
6, Fenton, unknown;
7, Edward M'Glyn, Ireland;
8, no particulars.
Wounded and Since Recovered:
1, Peter Lalor, Queen's County, Ireland;
2, name unknown, England;
3, Patrick Hanafin, County Kerry, Ireland;
4, Michael Hanly, County Tipperary, Ireland;
5, Michael O'Neil, County Clare, Ireland;
6, Thomas Callanan, County Clare, Ireland;
7, Patrick Callanan, County Clare, Ireland;
8, Frank Symmons, England;
9, James Warner, County Cork, Ireland;
10, Luke Sheehan, County Galway, Ireland;
11, Michael Morrison, County Galway, Ireland;
12, Dennis Dynan, County Clare, Ireland.
(Signed) Peter Lalor, Commander-in-Chief.
It's especially appalling that even Lalor didn't know enough about some of the dead and wounded to be able to give them a name, although that's by no means his fault. He had far too much to cope with in those few days to be memorising all his men's names. But that no-one seems to have known enough to be able to fill in the gaps is just too awful. One wonders who only ever knew they had died by the fact that letters stopped arriving. Were there loved ones, wives, children, parents? It just seems too awful.
And, of course, there are those who were injured and died long after. For example, William Bramwell Withers, a journalist and historian of Ballarat, included this in the second edition of his "The History of Ballarat" in 1887:
And, of course, there are those who were injured and died long after. For example, William Bramwell Withers, a journalist and historian of Ballarat, included this in the second edition of his "The History of Ballarat" in 1887:
The Melbourne Herald of the 12th May, 1856, reported:--
Amongst the deaths of recent occurrence at the Benevolent Asylum is that of Frederick Coxhead, native of London, lawyer's clerk, and 24 years of age. He sided with the insurgents at the memorable battle of the Eureka Stockade at Ballarat, and received a gun-shot wound. Compression of the brain ensued, and an abscess then set in, which terminated fatally on Sunday.
Eighteen months it took this poor bugger to die. Okay, that's just what war is all about, but who mourned this young man when he died. Who of his one-time comrades even knew he was in the "Benevolent Asylum", clearly mentally damaged. Who ever visited him, one wonders. Who knew or cared when he died? Did Lalor? Well, the reality is we don't know, we only have our suspicions, and they could be completely unfair.