Major James Wallis (11 October 1785 – 12 July 1858) was an Anglo-Irish military officer who served in the 46th Regiment of Foot. Wallis saw service in Dominica, New South Wales, and India. During his deployment in New South Wales, he commanded a detachment of grenadiers which committed the Appin Massacre of 1816, and was later promoted to the post of Commandant at the convict settlement of 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, Ireland, his parents being James Wallis and Lucinda Hewson. In December 1803, he was appointed as an ensign in the 46th Regiment of Foot of the British Army which were garrisoned in Cork at the time.
West Indies
In 1804, the 46th Regiment were deployed to the West Indies and stationed on the island of Dominica 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 and Guadeloupe.
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 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 between the colonists and the resident Darug and Gandangara 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 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.
Wallis' group of 37 grenadiers and officers scoured the area around Appin and Minto 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 where it featured in a book on phrenology by Sir George Mackenzie.
Wallis then continued to march his troops through to the Georges River and toward the Illawarra, with prominent colonist John Oxley 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.
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.