Major-General Sir Robert Nickle, KH (12 August 1786 – 26 May 1855 ) was a commander of the forces in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. Nickle was born at sea, the son of Robert Nicholl, an officer in the 17th Light Dragoons, and entered the army at an early age. He served with the

Connaught Rangers The Connaught Rangers ("The Devil's Own") was an Ireland, Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army formed by the amalgamation of the 88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) (which formed the ''1st Battalion'') and the 94th Regiment of Fo ...

in various parts of the world for upwards of twenty-two years, seeing much hard service and winning great distinction for bravery. Nickle went to the

West Indies The West Indies is an island subregion of the Americas, surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which comprises 13 independent island country, island countries and 19 dependent territory, dependencies in thr ...

in 1830, and was appointed Governor of St. Christopher and its dependencies. He served during the insurrection in British North America in 1838, and was knighted in 1844. In 1853 he was appointed commander of the forces in Australia, and during the

Eureka Rebellion The Eureka Rebellion was a series of events involving gold miners who revolted against the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British administration of the Victoria (Australia)#Colonial Victoria, colony of Victoria, History of Au ...

of 1854 displayed great forbearance and tact. Coming on the scene shortly after the affair of the Eureka stockade, where Captain Thomas was in command of the Queen's troops, he induced the rioters to disperse without further bloodshed. Miner and diarist Charles Evans recorded the effect of Nickle's conduct as follows: :Sir Robert Nichol has taken the reins of power at the Camp. Already there is a sensible and gratifying deference in its appearance. The old General went round unattended to several tents early this morning & made enquiries from the diggers relative to the cause of the outbreak. It is very probable from the humane & temperate course he is taking that he will establish himself in the goodwill of the people. He was nearly seventy years of age at the time of his death, which occurred in

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

, Victoria, Australia on 26 May 1855.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nickle, Robert 1786 births 1855 deaths 19th-century British Army personnel Connaught Rangers officers British Army major generals People born at sea British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars Eureka Rebellion Battle of the Eureka Stockade People of the Eureka Rebellion