[The following takes place after William Bligh, of the well-known mutiny fame, took control as governor of New South Wales.]
Bligh didn’t like this “dangerous militia” at all. He certainly didn’t like the way they ogled his daughter, Mary, and he was not prepared to compromise in the slightest. He was up against Captain John Macarthur, who was a dishonest, scheming soldier-bootlegger who had made himself the richest man in the colony. Bligh was a straight-up-and-down bastard. Macarthur was a crafty lying bastard.
Bligh confiscated Macarthur’s stills. Macarthur was furious and demanded that Bligh return his (utterly illegal) property. Bligh refused and doubled down by summoning Macarthur to court. Macarthur went to court quite happily. He knew that the jury would have to be composed of soldiers and free settlers, all of whom he had in his pocket, and all of whom had already taken a dislike to Bligh. On the day of the trial the jury actually started cheering Macarthur, as did the soldiers who had ostentatiously gathered around the courthouse. Bligh, who had been born furious, became furiouser and furiouser. He sent for the commander of the regiment, Major George Johnston, demanding that the get his men under control. Johnston replied with a note saying that he was sorry, but he had been drunk the night before and crashed his carriage, so there wasn’t a thing he could do as he was a little sore.
Source:
Forsyth, Mark. “Australia.” A Short History of Drunkenness. Three Rivers Press, 2017. 176-77. Print.
Further Reading:
Vice-Admiral William Bligh FRS
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