Camerontown or Cameron Town was a British Army supply depot used during the

Invasion of the Waikato The invasion of the Waikato became the largest and most important campaign of the 19th-century New Zealand Wars. Hostilities took place in the North Island of New Zealand between the military forces of the colonial government and a federation ...

during the

New Zealand Wars The New Zealand Wars () took place from 1845 to 1872 between the Colony of New Zealand, New Zealand colonial government and allied Māori people, Māori on one side, and Māori and Māori-allied settlers on the other. Though the wars were initi ...

in 1863, and later a small settlement.

Location

The depot was on the north bank of the lower

Waikato River The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand, running for through the North Island. It rises on the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and flowing through Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake. It th ...

, west of

Tuakau Tuakau () is a town in the Waikato region at the foot of the Bombay Hills, formerly part of the Franklin District until 2010, when it became part of Waikato District in the North Island of New Zealand. The town serves to support local farming, ...

and south of

Pukekohe Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. The town is located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Puke ...

. It was named after the British commander, Lieutenant General Duncan Cameron.

History

During the advance into the Waikato in 1863, a supplementary line of supply was established. Supplies were taken by steamer from Onehunga to the Waikato Heads, then transported upriver in canoes by Queenite Māori to the intermediate depot at Camerontown, then to the

Queen's Redoubt Queen's Redoubt is a fortification of the New Zealand Wars, located at Pōkeno, New Zealand. It was built to protect the southern end of a major supply route to Auckland. It subsequently served as the main British base during the early stages of ...

at Pōkeno. The use of water transport was more efficient than the overland route of fifteen miles. As it was a major British supply route the Kingite Māori decided to destroy it. A party of a hundred Ngati Maniapoto from Pukekawa launched a surprise attack on the morning of 7 September 1863. They took Camerontown, and burnt the depot and its protective pa and over forty tons of supplies. The depot was defended by 4 Europeans and 20 Ngati Whauroa. Five defenders were killed, including Mr Armitage. The British were in a canoe. The British troops from the

Alexandra Redoubt Alexandra Redoubt is a fortification of the New Zealand Wars, located at Tuakau, New Zealand. Overlooking the Waikato River, it was built to protect the British supply routes during the Invasion of the Waikato. Erected in July 1863, it was garri ...

at Tuakau were informed of the attack and sent out a detachment of 50 men. The detachment commander, Captain Swift of the 65th Regiment attacked what they thought were Kingites drunk on captured rum, but were met by a massive volley which felled both officers (Swift and Lieutenant Butler, who was disabled) and several men. The survivors beat a hasty retreat. They were hunted through the bush until nightfall, but the Ngati Maniapoto Kingites did not press home their attack. Two British soldiers, Colour Sergeant Edward McKenna and Lance-Corporal John Ryan were awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

for their action that day, when McKenna took over command after the death of Captain Swift, and they protected his body. Sergeant Bracegirdle and four privates (Bulford, Cole, Talbot and Thomas) were awarded the

Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was a decoration established in 1854 by Queen Victoria for gallantry in the field by Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Army. It is the oldest British award for gallantry and was a second level military ...

.Ryan & Parham p. 212 Later the settlement was the birthplace of Harold Abbott, a

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

footballer and member of the legendary 1905 Original All Blacks.

References

*''The New Zealand Wars: and the Victorian Interpretation of Racial Conflict'' by James Belich pp. 121,136,137 (1986, Auckland University Press, Auckland) *''The Colonial New Zealand Wars'' by Tim Ryan and Bill Parham p. 212 (1986, Wellington, Grantham House)

External links

''The First Engagements'' by James CowanThe Attack on Camerontown, from the ''Otago Daily Times'' of 12 October 1863The Attack on Camerontown, from the ''Otago Witness'' of 16 October 1863Camerontown, Seizure of a Still: from the ''Daily Southern Cross'' of 22 September 1870
{{Waikato District New Zealand Wars Geography of Waikato 1863 in New Zealand Waikato District