The Battle of Kororāreka, or the Burning of Kororāreka, on 11 March 1845, was an engagement of the

Flagstaff War The Flagstaff War, also known as Heke's War, Hōne Heke's Rebellion and the Northern War, was fought between 11 March 1845 and 11 January 1846 in and around the Bay of Islands, New Zealand. The conflict is best remembered for the actions of H� ...

in New Zealand. Following the establishment of

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

control of the islands, war broke out with a small group of the native population which resulted in the fall of the town of Kororāreka, present day Russell, to Māori

warrior A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste. History ...

Background

Although he had been the first to sign the

Treaty of Waitangi The Treaty of Waitangi (), sometimes referred to as ''Te Tiriti'', is a document of central importance to the history of New Zealand, Constitution of New Zealand, its constitution, and its national mythos. It has played a major role in the tr ...

in February 1840,

Ngāpuhi Ngāpuhi (also known as Ngāpuhi-Nui-Tonu or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland regions of New Zealand centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2023 New Zealand census, the estimate ...

chief

Hōne Heke Hōne Wiremu Heke Pōkai ( 1807 – 7 August 1850), born Heke Pōkai and later often referred to as Hōne Heke, was a highly influential Māori rangatira (chief) of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe) and a war leader in northern New Zealand; he was ...

became increasingly unhappy with the outcome. He objected to the relocation of the capital to Auckland and changes to custom tariffs that caused a serious loss of revenue to the Ngāpuhi. In July 1844, Heke and a group of warriors entered the town, and the Pakaraka chief Te Haratua cut down the flagstaff."...Te Haratua, Heke's second in command, led his men to cut down the flagstaff..." Heke himself had set out to cut down the flagstaff, but had been persuaded by Archdeacon William Williams not to do so. Six months later on 10 January 1845 the flagstaff was cut down a second time - this time by Heke. A new and stronger flagstaff sheathed in iron was erected later that month and a guard post built around it - but the next morning the flagstaff was felled for the third time. Governor FitzRoy sent over to New South Wales for reinforcements. A block-house and ditch, designed by Captain George Augustus Bennett, RE, was built at the base of the flagstaff, a guard of 20 soldiers was placed in this, and a fourth flagstaff erected.

Battle

On 11 March 1845 Hōne Heke and his men, along with Te Ruki Kawiti and his followers, attacked the town. British forces were outnumbered. HM Sloop ''Hazard'' landed a party to aid the detachment of 96th Regiment commanded by Lieutenant Edward Barclay. In all there were about 140 soldiers, sailors and marines. The American sloop USS ''St. Louis'', under Captain Isaac McKeever, USN, was also present and her crew assisted in evacuating the British subjects. Heavy skirmishing lasted for a while until a large explosion destroyed all of the defender's reserve ammunition. The explosion also set a building on fire which spread. At about that time the British had begun to withdraw to the safety of the ships anchored in the bay and evacuate the civilian population. HMS ''Hazard'' then bombarded Māori positions. On the day, ten military defenders and three civilians were killed in action or died of wounds. At least thirty-six were variously wounded. The town was mostly destroyed after evacuation and over the following days. File:Kororāreka before the assault.png, Kororāreka (Russell) before the battle, 10 March 1845 File:Kororāreka during the battle.png, Kororāreka (Russell) during the battle, 11 March 1845 File:Relic, flagstaff (AM 1921.52-1).jpg, Wood fragments said to be from the flagstaff cut down by Hōne Heke.

Auckland War Memorial Museum The Auckland War Memorial Museum (), also known as Auckland Museum, is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its neoclassical architecture, neoclassical building constructed in the 1920s and 1950s, stands on Observatory ...

File:Russell from Kororareka Bay.jpg, Russell (Kororāreka) from the bay, 24 January 2018

Memorial

Six men from the ''Hazard'' who died in the action are remembered by a grave marker at Christ Church, Russell. The last two verses of the poem ''England's Dead'' by

Felicia Hemans Felicia Dorothea Hemans (25 September 1793 – 16 May 1835) was an English poet (who identified as Welsh by adoption). Regarded as the leading female poet of her day, Hemans was immensely popular during her lifetime in both England and the Unit ...

are inscribed on the marker in memory of them:

The warlike of the isles,
The men of field and wave!
Are not the rocks their funeral piles,
The seas and shores their grave?

Go, stranger! track the deep,
Free, free the white sail spread!
Wave may not foam, nor wild wind sweep,
Where rest not England's dead.

Variation in the verses appear in visitor observations and through marker restoration since 1845.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Battle of Kororareka

Kororareka Russell () is a town in the Bay of Islands, in New Zealand's far north. It was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. History Māori settlement Before the arrival of the Europeans, the area now known as Russ ...

Flagstaff War 1845 in New Zealand March 1845

Background

Battle

Memorial

See also

References