Rum Rebellion was an uprising of British military officers in Sydney, Australia, on Jan. 26, 1808. During the rebellion, the New South Wales Corps—a British infantry regiment responsible for keeping order in the colony of New South Wales, Australia—illegally arrested and deposed William Bligh, the colony’s governor. Historians call the uprising the Rum Rebellion because many of the New South Wales Corps officers were liquor traders. However, the conflict largely involved land and property issues.
Bligh was a British naval officer who had a reputation as a stern leader with a strong temper. He had earlier gained fame as a result of a 1789 mutiny on his ship, the Bounty. Bligh arrived in Sydney in August 1806 to govern New South Wales. The colony was beset with problems when he took office. One problem was a shortage of coins, which made it difficult for farmers to sell their crops. Instead, many farmers bartered their crops for other goods, including rum. Many New South Wales Corps officers made enormous profits from dealing liquor to farmers. In an effort to protect the farmers, Bligh ordered a stop to this sort of liquor trade. He also attempted to have the entire New South Wales Corps removed from the colony.
Another problem facing New South Wales involved land ownership. Bligh found that some Sydney residents had claimed ownership of property that he believed should have remained public. Many of these residents had already built houses and businesses on the land. Nevertheless, Bligh began to cancel their leases and exercise government control over the land.
Bligh’s actions brought him into conflict with some of the colony’s leading citizens. John Macarthur, a former officer of the New South Wales Corps, urged the acting commander, Major George Johnston, to arrest Bligh and to assume command of the colony. Johnston and his soldiers seized and imprisoned Bligh on Jan. 26, 1808. That night, many residents of Sydney lit bonfires to celebrate Bligh’s downfall.
Following Bligh’s arrest, officers of the New South Wales Corps administered the colony’s affairs. Bligh remained under military guard in Sydney for more than a year before sailing to Hobart, on the island of Tasmania. Bligh eventually returned to the United Kingdom in May 1810. Later that year, the British government recalled the New South Wales Corps.
Johnston appeared before a British military court and was found guilty of mutiny. He was dismissed from the Army, even though the court acknowledged that he had faced extraordinary circumstances. Macarthur went to the United Kingdom to speak in defense of Johnston. No charges were brought against Macarthur, but he had to remain in the United Kingdom, virtually in exile, until 1817. Bligh was promoted to rear admiral in 1811 and vice admiral in 1814. However, he was never again entrusted with a naval command or public office.
See also Australia, History of (The 1808 Rebellion); Bligh, William; Macarthur, John; New South Wales Corps.
