[Editor: This is a chapter from The Eureka Stockade by Raffaello Carboni. A glossary has been provided to explain various words and phrases that may be unfamiliar to modern readers.]
XXXIX.
Disciplina, suprema lex in bello.
In the afternoon, our camp on the Eureka was enclosed in by slabs, near-handy thrown down at random. All diggers who had been able to procure fire-arms kept coming in, in right earnest, and formed new divisions. The pikemen grew stronger and stronger. Drilling was tolerably progressing. We were of all nations and colours. Lalor gave me his consent and order to direct all foreigners in their respective language, however little they knew of the English, to fall in in divisions according to the arms they had got; and here I solemnly declare, to whomsoever it may concern, that up to four o’clock of Saturday there was not one single division distinguished by nationality or religion.
The armed men numbered now (six o’clock) about five hundred.
Vern’s gall was fermenting, but on Peter Lalor being proclaimed Commander-in-chief, the appointment was ratified by hurrah! from the diggers.
There was such a decided intention to do “something” with the strong arm, and at once, that I was called on the stump. I requested the diggers to give us time for deliberation, and pledged my word that I would inform them of the result. “Go a-head! Great works!” was the shout.
Source:
Raffaello Carboni. The Eureka Stockade: The Consequence of Some Pirates Wanting on Quarter-Deck a Rebellion, Public Library of South Australia, Adelaide, 1962 [facsimile of the 1855 edition], pages 51-52
Editor’s notes:
*disciplina, suprema lex in bello = (Latin) “discipline, the highest law in war” (*rough translation)
Leave a Reply