![Major James Wallis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Major_James_Wallis.png)
Major James Wallis (11 October 1785 – 12 July 1858) was an Anglo-Irish military officer who served in the
46th Regiment of Foot
The 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1881, ...
. Wallis saw service in
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...
,
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
and
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. During his deployment in New South Wales, he commanded a detachment of
grenadier
A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word '' grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited fr ...
s which committed the
Appin Massacre
Appin is a town in the Macarthur, New South Wales, Macarthur Region on Tharawal country near its boundary with Gandangara country, New South Wales, Australia in Wollondilly Shire. It is situated about south of Campbelltown, New South Wales, Cam ...
of 1816, and was later promoted to the post of Commandant at the convict settlement of
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
from 1816 to 1818. Wallis is also noted for producing a number of historically significant sketches and paintings during his colonial military career.
Early life
James Wallis was born into an Anglo-Irish family in
County Cork
County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, his parents being James Wallis and Lucinda Hewson. In December 1803, he was appointed as an
ensign
An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...
in the
46th Regiment of Foot
The 46th (South Devonshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1741. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 32nd (Cornwall) Regiment of Foot to form the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1881, ...
of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
which were garrisoned in Cork at the time.
West Indies
In 1804, the 46th Regiment were deployed to the
West Indies
The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...
and stationed on the island of
Dominica
Dominica ( or ; Kalinago: ; french: Dominique; Dominican Creole French: ), officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of the island. It is geographically ...
where Wallis was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. In 1805, French forces attempted to invade the island but were beaten back by the soldiers of the 46th and other regiments. Wallis received an official commendation for his conduct during the conflict while in charge of the outpost at
Cachacrou. A year later, Wallis was given command of a detachment which chased down and captured a French general and eighty enemy soldiers who had attempted to steal a British vessel. Wallis again received praise for his efforts.
In 1809 and 1810, as part of the 46th Regiment, Wallis was involved in the British expeditions that successfully invaded the islands of
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
and
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
.
New South Wales
In 1813, the 46th Regiment was ordered to proceed to the British colony of New South Wales, arriving in the port of
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
in February 1814.
By this stage, Wallis had been promoted to the rank of army captain in the section of the 46th which was garrisoned at the
George Street barracks.
Massacre at Appin
From 1815, British colonisation expanded out from the Sydney region at a greater pace. To the south-west, the ongoing
Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars
The Hawkesbury and Nepean Wars (1794–1816) were a series of conflicts where British forces, including armed settlers and detachments of the British Army in Australia, fought against Indigenous clans inhabiting the Hawkesbury River region and ...
between the colonists and the resident
Darug
The Dharug or Darug people, formerly known as the Broken Bay tribe, are an Aboriginal Australian people, who share strong ties of kinship and, in pre-colonial times, lived as skilled hunters in family groups or clans, scattered throughout much ...
and
Gandangara
The Gundungurra people, also spelt Gundungara, Gandangarra, Gandangara and other variations, are an Aboriginal Australian people in south-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Their traditional lands include present day Goulburn, Wollondilly Shire ...
people flared. In March 1816, a punitive expedition of British colonists was surprised and ambushed at
Silverdale by a group of Aboriginal people armed with muskets and spears. Four colonists were killed; in response, Governor
Lachlan Macquarie
Major-general (United Kingdom), Major General Lachlan Macquarie, Companion of the Order of the Bath, CB (; gd, Lachann MacGuaire; 31 January 1762 – 1 July 1824) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator from Scotland. Macquarie se ...
ordered an armed reprisal "to inflict exemplary and severe punishment on the mountain tribes...to strike them with terror...clearing the country of them entirely." Macquarie sent three detachments of the 46th Regiment into the region with Wallis being placed in command of the detachment of grenadiers.
![Drawing of the skull of Cannabaygal](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Drawing_of_the_skull_of_Cannabaygal.png)
Wallis' group of 37 grenadiers and officers scoured the area around
Appin
Appin ( gd, An Apainn) is a coastal district of the Scottish West Highlands bounded to the west by Loch Linnhe, to the south by Loch Creran, to the east by the districts of Benderloch and Lorne, and to the north by Loch Leven. It lies northe ...
and
Minto
Minto may refer to:
Places Antarctica
*Mount Minto (Antarctica)
Australia
*Minto, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney
** Minto railway station
* Minto County, Western Australia
* Parish of Minto, New South Wales
Canada
* Minto City, British C ...
and were soon informed that a group of Aborigines were camping near the
Cataract River. In the early morning of 17 April, Wallis led a surprise attack on this camp with "smart firing" resulting in the deaths of at least fourteen Aboriginal people from both gunshot wounds or from falling off the rocky cliffs around the river while fleeing. Most of the dead were old men, women and children. The wanted men, Cannabaygal and Dunnell were also killed. Wallis took two surviving women and three children prisoner and, following the orders of Governor Macquarie, hung the corpses of Cannabaygal and Dunnell from trees on a hill near Appin to "strike the survivors with greater terror." Cannabaygal's skull was later collected and sent to the
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...
where it featured in a book on
phrenology
Phrenology () is a pseudoscience which involves the measurement of bumps on the skull to predict mental traits.Wihe, J. V. (2002). "Science and Pseudoscience: A Primer in Critical Thinking." In ''Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience'', pp. 195–203. C ...
by
Sir George Mackenzie
Sir George Mackenzie of Rosehaugh (1636 – May 8, 1691) was a Scottish lawyer, Lord Advocate, essayist and legal writer.
Early life
Mackenzie, who was born in Dundee, was the son of Sir Simon Mackenzie of Lochslin (died c. 1666) and Elizabe ...
.
Wallis then continued to march his troops through to the
Georges River
The Georges River, also known as Tucoerah River, is an intermediate tide-dominated drowned valley estuary, located to the south and west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
The river travels for approximately in a north and then easterly ...
and toward the
Illawarra
The Illawarra is a coastal region in the Australian state of New South Wales, nestled between the mountains and the sea. It is situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the South Coast region. It encompasses the two cities of Wollongo ...
, with prominent colonist
John Oxley
John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1784 – 25 May 1828)
was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He served as Surveyor General of New South Wales and is perhaps best known for his two exp ...
joining him. Wallis split his group into several sections with one led by Lieutenant A.G. Parker capturing an additional number of Aborigines. In all 16 Aboriginal people were captured during the operation, of which four children were sent to the Parramatta Native School and the rest sent to Sydney Gaol. These people were released after a month except for one man who was transported to
Van Diemen's Land
Van Diemen's Land was the colonial name of the island of Tasmania used by the British during the European exploration of Australia in the 19th century. A British settlement was established in Van Diemen's Land in 1803 before it became a sepa ...
.
Wallis and his detachment returned to Sydney on 4 May where Governor Macquarie praised Wallis for acting "perfectly in conformity to the instructions I had furnished them." Wallis was rewarded with fifteen gallons of rum and was appointed as commandant and magistrate of the penal colony at
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
.
Commandant at Newcastle
![Drawing of Newcastle, New South Wales by James Wallis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Drawing_of_Newcastle%2C_New_South_Wales_by_James_Wallis.png)
Wallis arrived at Newcastle in June 1816 and proceeded to implement civic improvements to change what was a basic coal mining convict camp into a functioning town. Within two years, Wallis had presided over the construction of several important buildings such as a hospital, the
Christ Church Cathedral and a school which is now known as
Newcastle East Public School
{{Infobox school
, name = Newcastle East Public School
, image = nepslogo.PNG
, motto =
, established = {{start date and age, 1816
, type = New South Wales Public School
, principal = Mike McCann
, city = Newcastle
, state = New South Wal ...
. He also oversaw the building of a barracks and a jail, and started major improvements to the harbour by the construction of a causeway from the headland to
Nobbys Island.
With cedar logging operations by colonists extending inland from Newcastle along the
Hunter River Hunter River may refer to:
*Hunter River (New South Wales), Australia
*Hunter River (Western Australia)
*Hunter River, New Zealand
*Hunter River (Prince Edward Island), Canada
**Hunter River, Prince Edward Island, community on Hunter River, Canada
...
, areas of land upriver were opened to further colonisation. In 1818, Wallis authorised several experimental farms to be established by well-behaved convicts at a location of open plains. These plains were named Wallis Plains in his honour by Governor Macquarie and this collection of convict farms later evolved into the town of
Maitland
Maitland is an English and Scottish surname. It arrived in Britain after the Norman conquest of 1066. There are two theories about its source. It is either a nickname reference to "bad temper/disposition" (Old French, ''Maltalent''; Anglo Norm ...
.
![Painting of Aborigines of the Newcastle area by James Wallis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Painting_of_Aborigines_of_the_Newcastle_area_by_James_Wallis.png)
While in command at Newcastle, Wallis came into contact with talented convict artists
Joseph Lycett
Joseph Lycett (c.1774 – 1828)
was a portrait and miniature painter, active in Australia. Transported to Australia for forging banknotes, Lycett found work in the colony as a painter specialised in topographical views of the major town ...
and
Richard Browne. In addition to Wallis utilising these artists to design the new buildings being constructed in Newcastle, he also encouraged them to paint representations of the land and the Aboriginal people of the region. Under the patronage of Wallis, Lycett in particular produced a series of historically important paintings of Newcastle during its first years of existence and the
Awabakal
The Awabakal people , are those Aboriginal Australians who identify with or are descended from the Awabakal tribe and its clans, Indigenous to the coastal area of what is now known as the Hunter Region of New South Wales. Their traditional te ...
people. Lycett also seems to have influenced Wallis into acquiring artistic skills, with Wallis starting to produce paintings and sketches from this time. Like Lycett, Wallis completed several significant works depicting the landscape, flora and fauna of the Newcastle area as well as unique portraits of local
Aboriginal Australians
Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Islands ...
such as
Burigon
Burigon (died 1820), also called Burragong or Jack, was an Awabakal man and "Chief of the Newcastle Tribe". Alongside his tribe, Burigon entertained Governor Macquarie with a corroboree at the site of the Newcastle Government House. Under the p ...
.
In late 1818, the remaining soldiers of the 46th Regiment were ordered to redeploy to
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and Wallis was replaced as commandant and magistrate of Newcastle by Major
James Morisset
Lieutenant Colonel James Thomas Morisset (1780Baptised 21 August 1780 in the Church of St Giles in the Fields, Holborn, London, the son of James Morisset (1738–1815) and Jannetta Tadwell. His father, James Morisset, was a famous goldsmith of ...
. One of Wallis' last duties at Newcastle was to assist
John Oxley
John Joseph William Molesworth Oxley (1784 – 25 May 1828)
was an explorer and surveyor of Australia in the early period of British colonisation. He served as Surveyor General of New South Wales and is perhaps best known for his two exp ...
complete his explorations of coastal New South Wales by sending a relief vessel to
Port Stephens where Oxley's group were unable to proceed due to their position and ongoing skirmishes with local Aborigines. Wallis left New South Wales in charge of a mixed group of British forces on board the ''Tottenham'' in February 1819 bound for India.
India
![Drawing of Mallik Rehan Tomb in Sira by James Wallis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Drawing_of_Mallik_Rehan_Tomb_in_Sira_by_James_Wallis.png)
In India, Wallis was promoted to the rank of Major and was made commanding officer at the headquarters of the 46th Regiment based at
Bellary Fort
The Bellary Fort ("Bellary Kote") was built on top of a hill called the "Ballari Gudda" or the Fort Hill. It is situated in the historic city of Bellary, in the Bellary district, in Karnataka state, India. It was built in two parts namely, the Up ...
. Under his command, the 46th Regiment were involved in the suppression of the 1824 insurrection against
Company rule
Company rule in India (sometimes, Company ''Raj'', from hi, rāj, lit=rule) refers to the rule of the British East India Company on the Indian subcontinent. This is variously taken to have commenced in 1757, after the Battle of Plassey, when ...
at
Kittur
Kittur, historically as Kittoor, is a ''taluka'' in the Belagavi district of the Indian state of Karnataka. It was part of Bailhongal taluka but was declared as an independent taluka on 23October 2012 by the Chief Minister of Karnataka on the ...
led by the Indian queen
Kittur Chennamma
Kittur Chennamma (23 October 1778 – 21 February 1829) was the Indian Queen of Kittur, a former princely state in present-day Karnataka. She led an armed resistance against the British East India Company in 1824, in defiance of the Paramountcy ...
. Wallis received official accolades for his abilities in leading the 46th Regiment and retired from military service in 1826.
Wallis produced a number of sketches and paintings of the
Karnataka
Karnataka (; ISO: , , also known as Karunāḍu) is a state in the southwestern region of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, with the passage of the States Reorganisation Act. Originally known as Mysore State , it was renamed ''Karnat ...
region while based at Bellary.
Later life
![Painting of Lucyville estate in Cork by James Wallis](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Painting_of_Lucyville_estate_in_Cork_by_James_Wallis.png)
After retiring from the British Army, Wallis returned to Ireland where he lived with his first wife Anne Mann at the Wallis family estate at Lucyville near
Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
. He continued his artistic pursuits, producing a number of paintings of various locations around the British Isles. His wife died in 1835 and Wallis moved to
Clifton
Clifton may refer to:
People
*Clifton (surname)
*Clifton (given name)
Places
Australia
* Clifton, Queensland, a town
**Shire of Clifton
*Clifton, New South Wales, a suburb of Wollongong
*Clifton, Western Australia
Canada
*Clifton, Nova Scotia ...
, near
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
where he married Mary Ann Breach in 1836. They had twin sons in 1838, one being delivered stillborn. The other twin died three years later. Wallis lived for a time at
Douglas, Isle of Man
Douglas ( gv, Doolish, ) is the capital and largest town of the Isle of Man, with a population of 26,677 (2021). It is located at the mouth of the River Douglas, and on a sweeping bay of . The River Douglas forms part of the town's harbour ...
and then moved to
Prestbury Green near
Cheltenham
Cheltenham (), also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a spa town and borough on the edge of the Cotswolds in the county of Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort, following the discovery of mineral s ...
where he died in 1858.
Wallis Lake
Wallis Lake, an open and trained wave dominated barrier estuary, is located within the Mid-Coast Council local government area in the Mid North Coast region of New South Wales, Australia. Wallis Lake is located adjacent to the towns of Forster ...
and Wallis Creek in New South Wales were named in his honour.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wallis, James
1785 births
1858 deaths
British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars
46th Regiment of Foot officers
Australian penal colony administrators
People from County Cork