At 7 a.m. Wednesday 2 January 1856 Constable Brunton left Porcupine to go to Sandhurst to have his horse shod. At 11 p.m. that evening his mount returned unaccompanied to its stable and the alarm was raised. A search later located Brunton's body lying on the Sandhurst Road his death having been caused by a fall from his horse.