Captain Thomas saw that, while the
Eureka Stockade threatened to become a serious obstacle to the
Government if its completion were allowed, in its uncompleted state it
was really a source of weakness to the insurgents. By collecting their
forces in one spot, and thus rendering them more exposed to a crushing
attack, and by drawing off the men who threatened the government camp,
it really left the commander of the troops free to act with decision.
Accordingly, Captain Thomas at once determined to attack the position.
Assembling his forces (somewhat fewer than two hundred men) at three
o'clock on the morning of December 3d, he moved toward the stockade.
At about one hundred fifty yards from the intrenchments he was perceived
by the scouts of the insurgents, who promptly fired on the advancing
troops. Thomas himself, Pasley (his aide-de-camp), Rede (the resident
commissioner), and Racket (the stipendiary magistrate), all of whom were
present at the attack, positively assert that the insurgents fired
before a shot was discharged by the troops.
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