#OnThisDay 26 January 1808 Australia's first and only military coup, the Rum Rebellion, took place in Sydney.
The Rebellion occurred when Governor Bligh attempted to break the rum monopoly of the NSW Corps (rum was used as common currency in the Colony from 1793) and clashed with Major George Johnston and former Lieutenant, turned grazier and businessman, John Macarthur. Bligh was deposed and arrested when the NSW Corps marched up Bridge Street to Government House at 6pm on 26 January and supposedly found Bligh under his bed. Bligh remained under house arrest until January 1809 when he left for Hobart. He eventually returned to England in 1810.
Johnston acted as Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony and Macarthur was appointed as Colonial Secretary until they returned to England in March 1809.
The Rebellion officially ended when Governor Macquarie, backed by the 73rd Regiment arrived in Sydney in January 1810 to take up his appointment as Governor.
Related
Colonial Secretary's Papers
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