Tedbury's War

Tedbury's War
Date 1802-1810 Location New South Wales Result Tedbury's death
Belligerents
British soldiers European settlers	Aboriginal Australians
Commanders and leaders
	Tedbury

Tedbury's War is the name given to the resistance to European colonisation undertaken by Tedbury, the son of Pemulwuy, following his father's death.

Tedbury was captured in 1805 and tried before Reverend Marsden.^[1] He was released at the behest of aboriginal Australians who had participated in the captured of Musquito.^[2]

Tedbury was an ally of John Macarthur and a frequent visitor to Elizabeth Farm. When Governor Bligh placed Macarthur under arrest in 1808, Tedbury offered to spear the governor.

He also took part in a robbery of a traveller on Parramatta Road called Tunks in 1805. The local newspaper reported at the time:

The son appears to have inherited the ferocity and vices of his father : Upon the above occasion he pointed his spear to the head and breast of Tunks, and repeatedly threatened to plunge the weapon into him ; but other persons fortunately appearing in sight, the assailants betook to the woods. Several other such attacks have been made, but as Tedbury is stated to have always been of the party, which consisted; but of two or three, it may be inferred that a spirit of malevolence is far from general; and under this belief, it may be hoped the settlers will not permit their servants or families to practice unnecessary severities which may irritate, and provoke those who are at present peaceably disposed, to join in the atrocities of a few miscreants, whom their own tribes, if not exasperated by ill treatment, would no doubt as they have frequently done before, betray into our hands, and avowedly assist in apprehending.^[3]

Bond Farm Attack

Tedbury also took part an attack on a settlers farm owned by Thomas Bond at Georges River on 26 September 1809. According to a contemporary report:

A number of natives assembled about the farm... and behaved in a very outrageous manner. They manifested an inclination to plunder, but were prevented by the determination that was shewn to resist them. They threw several spears, one of which grazed the ear of Mr. F. Meredith, who assisted in the defence of the place, which it was at length found necessary to abandon.^[4]

Tedbury was then involved in a theft of a flock of sheep belonging to Edward Powell of Parramatta Road, Canterbury. Powell and some men tried to track down the thieves but they escaped, although some of the sheep were recovered.^[5]

Tedbury's death

In 1810 Tedbury was shot by Edward at Paramatta and died of his wounds.^[6][7]

References

1. "SYDNEY.". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842). NSW: National Library of Australia. 19 May 1805. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
2. "SYDNEY.". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842). NSW: National Library of Australia. 4 August 1805. p. 1. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
3. "SYDNEY.". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842). NSW: National Library of Australia. 3 September 1809. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
4. "SYDNEY.". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842). NSW: National Library of Australia. 1 October 1809. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
5. "SYDNEY.". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842). NSW: National Library of Australia. 15 October 1809. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
6. "SYDNEY.". The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842). NSW: National Library of Australia. 17 March 1810. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
7. J. L. Kohen, 'Tedbury (?–1810)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University,published in hardcopy 2005 accessed online 25 February 2014.