He writes thus to His Excellency; <br />Myself and Major Stiggings <br />Go our brave fellows all equipped <br />And started for the diggings. <br />Our band struck up God Save the Queen, <br />Into cheers our men were bursting, <br />And every gallant soldier was <br />For glorious action thirsting. <br /> <br />Our first attack was on two drays, <br />Which we saw in the distance, <br />But the enemy just surrendered, <br />After just a slight resistance. <br />We were disappointed in our search, <br />Of these two wretched traitors, <br />For instead of seizing powder, <br />It was loaded with potatoes. <br /> <br />At length into the diggings, <br />Footsore our men did tramp there, <br />And we took up our position <br />Within the Government Camp there. <br /> <br />We watched at night, but all was still, <br />For glory we were yearning, <br />And we fired upon a tent in which <br />A candle was seen burning <br />We killed a woman and a child, <br />Thought ‘twas not our intention. <br />But that slight mistakes sometimes occur, <br />Of course I needn’t mention <br />And so on for many verses.<br /><br />Charles Thatcher<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-private-despatch-of-captain-bumble-of-the-40th-stationed-at-ballarat-to-his-excellency-sir-charles-hotham/
