Major George Johnston 1764-1823

Originally a lieutenant in the Marine detachment which accompanied the First Fleet in 1788, he was sent to Norfolk Island in 1790, then acted as adjutant to Governor Arthur Phillip. He transferred to the New South Wales Corps in the rank of captain in 1792 when it began to arrive to replace the Marines.

He received extensive land grants in the Sydney and Georges River area, was appointed adc to Governor John Hunter and promoted to brevet major in 1800, then arrested by CO of the NSW Corps and Lieutenant Governor Lt Col William Paterson for trading in spirits and disobedience of orders. Sent home for court martial, the charges were dropped on evidential difficulties, and he returned in 1802 to take command of the NSW Corps during Paterson's illness, where he entered into regular disputes with Governor King.

He was instrumental in the quick and decisive suppression of the Castle Hill uprising instigated by Irish convicts, and when Paterson was sent as Lieutenant Governor in Van Diemen's Land, became commander of the NSW Corps, entering into acrimonious dispute with Governor Bligh. Egged on by John Macarthur who was facing court martial, he initiated a coup to overthrow Bligh and assumed the title of Lieutenant Governor. Sent home for court martial again, in 1811 he was found guilty of mutiny and given the extremely mild penalty of being cashiered.

Returning in 1813, after Macquarie was instructed to treat him like any other settler, he lived out his life on his property at Annandale.