1st Lieutenant Major Marine George Johnston (1764....1823)

Participant at the Battle of Vinegar Hill

Back To . . . The Royal Marines

Descendants :

Some information was kindly supplied by Ron Richards E-mail address RREDC@bigpond.com

Some information was kindly supplied by Mel Grieveson at python@mail.ebbs.com.au

Some information was kindly supplied by Marion McGuirk mcguirk@presto.net.au

Area Settled :

 

Children :

1 . George Johnstone ( bapt.4/3/1790......d.19/2/1820) Died in a riding accident . Enlisted in the 102nd Regiment 1804

2 . Robert Johnstone ( b.9/3/1792.....d. 8/9/1882 )

3 . David Johnstone (b. 1800...d.1866)

4 . Maria Johnstone (b . 1801....d.))

5 . Julia Johnstone (b . 1803.....d . 1879)

6 . Isabella Johnstone(b . 1804.....d.1806)

7 . Blanche Johnstone (b . 1809....d. 29/8/1904)

History & Achievements :

George Johnstone enlisted in the Royal Marines as a member of the 45th Marine Company as

a 2nd Lieutenant . He served at New York , Halifax , Nova Scotia. He was with his father at the battle of Bunker Hill where his father was wounded. George was wounded in battles against the French in the West Indies. While fighting on board the ship "HMS Worcester" he sustained a severe wound which saw him return to England and off duty for 6 months . Transferred to Norfolk Island to serve as part of the colonial guard, he and his family returned to Sydney on May the 9th 1791. George transferred to the Royal New South Wales Regiment and was instrumental in stopping the uprising at . Vinegar Hill . On January 26th 1808 he assumed the command of the colony after leading the revolt against Governor Bligh. He returned to England to press for an investigation into the removal of Bligh but found him self court marshalled. Found guilty but only mildly punished with a fine, George returned with his family in May of 1813.

1st Lieutenant Major of Marines, NSW Corps, Aide-de-camp to Governors Philip and Hunter, and

Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony of NSW. Presbyterian . He was the son of a Scottish Army Officer who had been aide-de-camp to Lord Percy. George at the age of 12 enlisted on the 6th March 1776 as 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Marines. He saw service in the American Colonies when they rebelled against George III, at New York and Halifax. In 1781 he fought against the French in the East Indies, and severely wounded in action. After six months leave in England, he was appointed in command of the Royal Marines detachment ordered to garrison the Australian Colonies. (This paragraph from "Australian Genesis" by Levi and Bergman). He became Captain of the NSW Corps when he transferred to them on the 6th April 1792. He then became Aide-de-camp to Governors Philip and Hunter. He was the person who led the rebellion which deposed Governor Bligh in 1808 and for 6 months acted as Lieutenant-Governor of the Colony of NSW.

JOHNSTON was called back to England to face court martial over his involvement with the rebellion and

as a result he was cashiered from the Army, but was allowed to return to NSW in 1813, and retained his land grants. He continued life as a successful and influential landowner and became the trusted friend of Governor Macquarie. He died after a short but severe illness. NSW Death Ref. V18235847-2B.