<P> The Waterloo Creek massacre (also Slaughterhouse Creek massacre) refers to a series of clashes between mounted police, civilian vigilantes and Gamilaraay Australians in December 1837 - January 1838 which took place south - west of Moree, New South Wales, Australia . The events have been subject to much dispute arising from conflicting views of relatives and connections of the participants about the nature and number of fatalities, and the lawfulness of the action . Interpretation of events at Waterloo Creek was raised during an Australian controversy known as the "history wars" which commenced in the 1990s . </P> <P> A Sydney mounted police detachment was dispatched by acting Lieutenant Governor of New South Wales Colonel Kenneth Snodgrass, to track down the Namoi, Weraerai and Kamilaroi people who had killed five stockmen in separate incidents on recently established pastoral runs on the upper Gwydir River area of New South Wales . After two months the mounted police, consisting of two sergeants and twenty troopers led by Major James Nunn, arrested 15 Aborigines along the Namoi River . They released all but two, one of whom was shot whilst attempting to escape . The main body of Kamilaroi eluded the troopers, thus Major Nunn's party along with two stockmen pursued the Kamilaroi for three weeks from present - day Manilla on the Namoi River north to the upper Gwydir River . On the morning of 26 January in a surprise attack on Nunn's party, Corporal Hannan was wounded in the leg with a spear and subsequently four or five Aborigines were shot dead in retaliation . The Aborigines fled down the river as the troopers regrouped, rearmed and pursued them led by the second - in - command, Lieutenant George Cobban . Cobban's party found their quarry about a mile down the river at a point now known as Waterloo Creek, where a second engagement took place . The encounter lasted several hours and no Aborigines were captured . </P>

Who was involved in the waterloo creek massacre