“Major Johnston to Lieutenant-Colonel Paterson. 
  “HEADQUARTERS, SYDNEY,
  “9th March, 1804.

“Sir,—­I beg leave to acquaint you that about half-past 1 o’clock on Monday morning last I took the command of the detachment marched from headquarters accompanied by Lieutenant Davies, consisting of two officers, two sergeants, and 52 rank and file of the New South Wales Corps, and, by His Excellency Governor King’s orders, I proceeded immediately to Parramatta, where we arrived at the dawn of day.  I halted at the barracks about 20 minutes to refresh my party, and then marched to Government House, and, agreeable to His Excellency’s orders, divided my detachment, giving Lieutenant Davies the command of half and taking Quartermaster Laycock and the other half, with one trooper, myself, having the Governor’s instructions to march in pursuit of the rebels, who, in number about 400, were on the summit of the hill.  I immediately detached a corporal, [Sidenote:  1804] with four privates and about six inhabitants, armed with musquets, to take them in flank whilst I proceeded with the rest up the hill, when I found the rebels had marched on for the Hawkesbury, and after a pursuit of about ten miles I got sight of them.  I immediately rode forward, attended by the trooper and Mr. Dixon, the Roman Catholic priest, calling to them to halt, that I wished to speak to them.  They desired I would come into the middle of them, as their captains were there, which I refused, observing to them that I was within pistol-shot, and it was in their power to kill me, and that their captains must have very little spirit if they would not come forward to speak to me, upon which two persons advanced towards me as their leaders, to whom I represented the impropriety of their conduct, and advised them to surrender, and I would mention them in as favourable terms as possible to the Governor.  C. replied they would have death or liberty.  Quartermaster Laycock with the detachment just then appearing in sight, I clapped my pistol to J.’s head, whilst the trooper did the same to C.’s and drove them with their swords in their hands to the Quartermaster and the detachment, whom I ordered to advance and charge the main body of the rebels then formed in line.  The detachment immediately commenced a well-directed fire, which was but weakly returned, for, the rebel line being soon broken, they ran in all directions.  We pursued them a considerable way, and have no doubt but that many of them fell.  We have found 12 killed, 6 wounded, and have taken 26 prisoners.

“Any encomiums I could pass on Quartermaster Laycock and the detachment I had the honour to command would fall far short of what their merit entitles them to, and I trust their steady perseverance, after a fatiguing march of upwards of 45 miles, to restore order and tranquillity will make their services acceptable.  Return of arms taken from the rebels:  26 muskets, 4