James Crossley was the overseer in charge of WP Faithful’s shepherds when they were attacked by Indigenous people at the Broken River near present-day Benalla in April 1838. There is reason to believe his men had acted in a way that required payback as spear bundles were left where the shepherds would find them. Crossley misinterpreted the signal and decided to break camp and move on, in consequence, eight of his men were killed. James Crossley then took his men and sheep over the Goulburn River to the Mount Alexander area, close to William Bowman’s Sutton Grange station. This is where he met up with old acquaintance Benjamin Reed, both men arriving in Australia two years earlier on board the convict ship, Katherine Stewart Forbes. Benjamin Reed went on to become Merriman’s nemesis while Crossley worked for George Faithful for some years before starting his own business in Kilmore as a Butcher.
In 1828 James Crossley was sentenced to 7 years for stealing a cloth cap. His trade was listed as a stone cutter and he arrived in the colony on 18th Feb 1830 and was assigned to W.P. Faithful. (1)
In 1838 WP Faithful appointed Crossley as overseer in charge of 17 men and a large flock of sheep on an overland journey to the Port Phillip district. According to a newspaper article of 1910, WP Faithful’s overlanding party was heading to the ‘Goulburn River, where it was understood good sheep stations were to be had in close proximity to the Melbourne market.’ (1.1)
Travelling with Crossley was WP Faithful’s brother George who was bringing men and cattle to begin a station. WP Faithful remained at his Springfield station near the town of Goulburn NSW. (2)
At the Murray River, there is reason to believe an incident took place as Patrick Drain, an assigned servant to WP Faithful later said that when they left the Murray River about 20 Blacks followed them. Patrick Drain also said two of these Murray Blacks could speak English and joined his party but left his camp on the morning of the Faithful massacre but he could not say if they were the same that murdered the shepherds. He also noted these same two Blacks were seen at the Ovens after the attack in company with other Blacks with whom they seemed quite friendly. (3)
When they reached the Ovens River James Crossley and George Faithful’s party camped near a bend close to where Col Henry White intended to set up a station. White and his son Edward, (Ned) were camped nearby sleeping under their wagon. (4)
JC Bourke wrote about camping a night with Crossley and his shepherds and during this time Bourke got to know Crossley and his men. Bourke recognised them after the massacre at the Broken River a few days later when on his northward journey. (4)
Fifteen years after the massacre, one of the survivors, William Mackay, confessed to his then-employer, John Bon of Wappin Station, that: ‘We had no trouble until we reached the Ovens River, when a party attacked us and speared two of the cattle. We fired at them and they disappeared into the scrub. They followed us at a considerable distance for two days afterwards. We then came to the Broken River.’ (5)
George Faithful sent Crossley’s party on ahead saying he would follow a day behind. Judith Bassett writes it was the shooting at the Ovens that made George Faithful send Crossley’s men on to the Broken River. (2)
James Crossley camped at the Marangan (6) or Broken River and stayed for two or three days and during that time they engaged with the Blacks.
James Crossley said in his sworn statement his shepherds spent time with the Blacks and showed, ‘them the use of our arms’. (7) Another shepherd, William Walker said in his sworn statement, ‘we showed them our arms’. (8)
WP Faithful later confided to Lady Jane Franklin, His men had amused the Blacks by firing at a target against a gum tree and ‘the natives laughed & showed what they could do with spears.’ The Blacks had drawn out the shepherds to see which among them had the best aim in a clever act to determine who among the shepherds was the most dangerous. ‘when they attacked them the first they speared was the only good marksman.’ (9)
On the morning of 11th April 1838, James Crossley’s shepherds were attacked and 7 men were killed, the 8th passing away from injuries while being taken for treatment to Yass. (4) Reports of the time wrote that Crossley and his men were loading their dray getting ready to move on when they were attacked by between 200 to 300 Blacks. The shepherds had no way to escape and had only four guns between them. (10)
In Police Magistrate, George Stewart’s report of 20th June 1838, ‘One of Mr Faithful’s men fired in the air in the hope of intimidating them.’ Then three other men fired and one Black man fell although they could not be certain if this man died.
An article in the Sydney Monitor dater 18th May 1838, wrote many of the attacking Blacks spoke, ‘English, and called out, in their pursuit, that the fugitives were white b—s.’ The author of the article said the remote location made the discovery that the attacking Blacks spoke English, ‘unexpected.’ (11)
Yet, against such incredible odds, ten of the shepherds, including James Crossley managed to escape.
The cause of the attack was believed to be over the theft of sheep or the desire to plunder the drays. However, In 1883, Historian George Rusden wrote, ‘The men with the sheep quarrelled with the natives at the Broken River. The cause was the usual one. The convict men had trafficked with the women.’ (12)
This account adds weight to a story told many years ago by Eddie Kneebone, Bangerang man, artist and educator. He told me he believed the attack of Faithful’s shepherds was a reprisal for the rape of women who were attacked while preparing for a wedding feast.
While it is unlikely Aboriginal people would have been unaware of shepherds and 1000’s of sheep being nearby it is not inconceivable. There are accounts of riders being sent to scout for grazing land for the overlanding party travelling some hours behind. Sometimes these riders came upon groups of women and children and elderly people taking them by surprise. Such accounts were noted by Joseph Hawdon and Hume and Hovell. (13)
If the account of the shepherds engaging in sexual encounters with Indigenous women is correct then it could account for Crossley’s men finding bundles of spears close to their camp. Before the attack occurred one of the shepherds, a man named Bentley, found a bundle of spears among the reeds. The shepherds removed the spears thinking the Blacks might use them in an attack. Eddie Kneebone believed the shepherds ignored the warning sign that compensation needed to be paid and according to JFH Mitchell, ‘bundles of spears are a sign of impending attack.’ (14)
The shepherds spoke of finding the spear bundle as though the Blacks had been careless in their hiding place. However, it is more likely the shepherds were the foolish ones for not recognising the clear message that they needed to make immediate reparation with the Blacks or else they would die.
Thick reed beds grew near the waterways and the surrounding landscape was honey-combed with immensely high tussocks of grass which gave the escaping shepherds places to conceal themselves. (4)
It is possible the ten men who escaped were allowed to get away as Indigenous people were excellent trackers and could easily have followed the survivors picking them off at leisure if they had wished – but they did not.
After the attack, James Crossley and two others arrived at John Clarke’s station on the Goulburn River. (4) (7)
Another survivor found his way to Crown Commissioner EPS Sturt’s camp located 40 miles from the scene of the attack. (15)
The other six men made their way to the Ovens River where George Faithful was camped near Col White.
When James Crossley arrived at Clarke’s on the Goulburn he was instantly recognised by JC Bourke who was heading north on his mail run. (4)
John Clarke gave Crossley a horse and Crossley set out for Melbourne to alert authorities. On reaching Melbourne, he reported to Lieutenant GB Smyth JP, at the Police Court on 14th April 1838.
The morning after the massacre Mr Alfred Langhorne, a nephew of Captain Lonsdale who was the first white settler at Altona was travelling Melbourne to Sydney met up with the remainder of the Faithful party – Sydney Herald Sat 5th Feb.
George Faithful ordered all his men back to Ovens where they camped for three weeks. During the time WP Faithful joined them. (3)
The squatters became fearful of reprisal attacks by Indigenous people, especially after the slaughter of Blacks on the King River about ten days after the Faithful massacre. This killing was led by overlander, Peter Snodgrass and a full account can be read in Profiles, Lt Col Henry White on this website.
All the squatters there about cleared out from the area, among them was Dr George Mackay who arrived to set up Myhree station on the King River on the day of the Faithful massacre. Like others, he abandoned his run and for a full description see profile of Dr George Mackay on this website.
The next we hear of James Crossley is on 16th August when he and Benjamin Reed find the body of missing servant of WP Faithful, George Graham. (16)
After this, James Crossley is in the employ of George Faithful on the Oxley Plains.
Mr S Uren, who wrote articles on the history of Benalla and accounts of the Faithful massacre, wrote James Crossley, used the alias ‘Glen’.
James Crossley went on to open a butcher shop in Kilmore (Sydney Herald, Sat 5th Feb 1910)
On the 1860 census, Crossley’s butcher shop was listed as being at Willowmaven at Bylands on the edge of Kilmore and he was married to Mary Ryan.
On 23rd November 1847, Crossley’s 15-year-old daughter who had been born on the Ovens River ran off with Thomas Kelly. Kelly had worked at Crossley’s butcher shop for 21 months. The couple were found in a Melbourne hotel together. Crossley took Kelly to court over the matter. (Melbourne Leader 15th June 1861)
James Crossley died 1st May 1897 at the age of 96. He was buried in Saint Kilda.
THE REFERENCES;
(1) Convict records James Crossley
(1.1) EARLY MELBOURNE INCIDENTS IN 1838-9 By “Old Chum.” Newspaper article from 1910
(2) Judith Bassett, ‘The Faithfull Massacre at the Broken River,’
(3) This comes from Drain’s statement at Yass, 1st June 1838. Historical Records of Victoria Vol 2A, pg 331
(4) John Conway Bourke letters 1886-88, held by the Royal Historical Society, Melbourne
(5) The North Eastern Ensign, Fri 30th Aug, 1907. Article titled ‘Further Information.’ testament by William Mackay, one of the surviving shepherds of the Faithful massacre.
(6) Marangan is the Indigenous name for the Broken River, Judith Bassett,https://www.reviewedbenallahistory.com.au/contact
(7) James Crossley in his sworn statement to Melbourne Court, 14th April, 1838. Historical Records of Victoria Vol2A
(8) Historical Records of Victoria Vol2A. pg 317.
(9) This Errant Lady by Lady Jane Franklin, pg 101 6th May 1839.
(10) Historical Records of Victoria Vol 2A pg 321. Lieutenant GB Smyth to William Lonsdale, 22 April 1838.
(11) Sydney Monitor, 18th May 1838, wrote many of the attacking Blacks spoke, ‘English, and called out, in their pursuit, that the fugitives were white b—s.’ The author of the article said the remote location made the discovery that the attacking Blacks spoke English, ‘unexpected.’ https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/32160121?searchTerm=Faithful%2C%20blacks%2C%20search%2C%20massacre%20massacre%2C%20Faithfull%27s%20Creek%2C%20Broken%20River%2C#
(12) History of Australia, vol. 2 page 228. 1883. George Rusden.
(13) Joseph Hawdon, Journal of a Journey & Hume and Hovell papers.
(14) JFH Mitchell, ‘bundles of spears are a sign of impending attack.’ A Tale of Twin Cities, Desmond Martin. Chapter titled: The Old People, page 47
(15) EPS Sturt, Letters From Victorian Pioneers
(16) Historical records of Victoria; Vol2A, page 334
