Carbine
profile:
Earliest/Latest Known date
1857 - 1864
Area of Origin
Wide Bay?
“A sensational story is in circulation to the effect that one of the men has already distinguished himself by his sagacity and sanguinary instincts. It is, perhaps cruel to dispel the pleasurable excitement of such a melodramatic yarn, but it is, nevertheless, a fact that “Carbine” is a myth. There is no hero of the name known, and no such exploits are on record.”
Biography:
Listed as part of the 1st Division under John Murray, Robert Walker, Frederick Powell and Frederick Carr in September 1857. Served under George Murray at Rockhampton in 1863-1864.
Probably the same Carbine who became a semi-legendary figure (although this was also disputed): 'We have always heard in the West that the Wide Bay boys made very smart and serviceable troopers, being characterised by an amount of dare devil pluck. One, who is now growing old in the service, of the name of Carbine, has earned a great reputation for himself, and is a good specimen of the disciplined pluck united with aboriginal ferocity and treachery that characterises the force. A story is told of him, that after some extensive depredations had been committed by a tribe of blacks on a station, a great number of sheep having being stolen and huts robbed, Carbine volunteered to find out and punish the guilty blacks himself. He rode out to the tribe, told them a long story about his having bolted from the police, and managed to secure their confidence to a certain extent. He then induced them to talk about their late doings, and ascertained who had been the ring leaders in the robberies, Taking an opportunity after this, he managed to get his horse, still without awaking their suspicions, and then, to their astonishment, delivered a lecture to them as they stood around about the wickedness of stealing sheep, finishing by leaping on his horse, shooting down a ring leader with each barrel of his carbine—he was an unerring marksman—and then galloped off amidst the general consternation."' (Brisbane Courier 17 February, 1872, p4).
Postings
1862 - 1864: Malchi Hill, Gracemere