Marmaduke George Nixon (1813 or 1814 – 27 May 1864) was a soldier in 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 ...
. Born at
Malta
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
, he joined the British Army in 1831, spending most of his career as an officer in
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
with the
39th Regiment of Foot. He left the British Army in 1851 and shortly afterwards emigrated to New Zealand to take up farming in
South Auckland
South Auckland ( or ) is one of the major geographical regions of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. The area is south of the Auckland isthmus, and on the eastern shores of the Manukau Harbour. The area has been populated by Tāmaki M� ...
. In 1860, during one of the main phases of the New Zealand Wars, he formed and led a cavalry unit in defence of South Auckland. He later participated in 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 ...
as commander of Nixon's Horse, another cavalry unit. He was one of the highest ranking casualties of the New Zealand Wars when he died on 27 May 1864 from wounds received in an attack earlier in the year on a village at
Rangiaowhia
Rangiaowhia (or Rangiawhia, or Rangiaohia) was, for over 20 years, a thriving village on a ridge between two streams in the Waikato region, about east of Te Awamutu. From 1841 it was the site of a very productive Māori people, Māori Mission (s ...
. He was also a
Member of Parliament, representing the largely rural electorate of
Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People and characters
* Franklin (given name), including list of people and characters with the name
* Franklin (surname), including list of people and characters with the name
* Franklin (class), a member of a historic ...
from 1861 up until his death.
Early life
Marmaduke George Nixon was born in
Valletta
Valletta ( ; , ) is the capital city of Malta and one of its 68 Local councils of Malta, council areas. Located between the Grand Harbour to the east and Marsamxett Harbour to the west, its population as of 2021 was 5,157. As Malta’s capital ...
on the island of
Malta
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
in either 1813 or 1814. He was one of at least three children of Henry Nixon, an officer in the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
, and his wife Elizabeth . Marmaduke attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, from which he graduated in 1831 before he was posted to the
39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot
The 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1702. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot to form the Dorsetshire Regiment in 1881.
History Early ...
as an ensign.
British Army
Nixon spent a number of years in
British India
The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...
with the 39th Regiment, serving in the
Coorg War
The Coorg War was fought between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Coorg in 1834. Defiance of the Raja of Coorg ( Chikka Virarajendra), a small state in South India, led to a short but bloody campaign in 1834. In February 183 ...
of 1834 and was involved in the Battle of Maharajpore during the
Gwalior campaign
The Gwalior campaign was fought between the British and Scindia forces in Gwalior in India, December 1843.
Background
The Maratha Empire had controlled most of central and northern India but fell to the British in 1818, giving the British ...
of 1843.
At this stage of his career, he was the brigade major of the 5th Brigade.
In 1851 Nixon resigned from the British Army, having reached the rank of
major
Major most commonly refers to:
* Major (rank), a military rank
* Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits
* People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames
* Major and minor in musi ...
. He was finding it difficult to support his two sisters on his income while serving as an officer in India.
Life in New Zealand
During his service in British India, Nixon made the acquaintance of
Theodore Haultain
Theodore Minet Haultain (27 May 1817 – 18 October 1902) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician and Minister of Colonial Defence (1865–69). He came to New Zealand as a soldier and farmed in south Auckland.
Personal life
Theodore Minet Ha ...
, a fellow officer of the 39th Regiment who later moved to New Zealand. At Haultain's suggestion, Nixon travelled on the ship ''Cresswell'' to settle in New Zealand, arriving in 1852. He began farming at
Māngere
Māngere () is a major suburb in South Auckland, New Zealand, located on mainly flat land on the northeastern shore of the Manukau Harbour, to the northwest of Manukau, Manukau City Centre and south of the Auckland CBD, Auckland city centre. ...
, south of
Auckland
Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
.
Te Ākitai Waiohua
Te Ākitai Waiohua is a Māori iwi of the southern part of the Auckland Region of New Zealand.
History
Te Ākitai Waiohua are descended from Kiwi Tāmaki, the grandson of Huakaiwaka, himself the ancestor of the Waiohua iwi, who lived in Tāmaki ...
, who lived across
Pukaki Creek
Pukaki Creek is an estuarine river of the Auckland Region of New Zealand's North Island. It flows south from its sources in Māngere and Papatoetoe, entering into the Manukau Harbour. The creek is adjacent to Auckland Airport and Pūkaki Marae. ...
from Nixon and other Manukau Harbour tribes, assisted Nixon building his farmhouses. Soon, along with other landowners in the area, he sought access to Māori land in the
Waikato
The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...
region.
However, by this time, Māori were beginning to become increasingly resistant to selling of their land, leading to increased tensions with the
New Zealand Government
The New Zealand Government () is the central government through which political authority is exercised in New Zealand. As in most other parliamentary democracies, the term "Government" refers chiefly to the executive branch, and more specifica ...
.
Following the commencement in March 1860 of
hostilities at Taranaki, in one of the main phases of 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 ...
, Nixon submitted a proposal to the New Zealand Government for the raising of a force of colonial volunteers. He was made a lieutenant colonel in the Auckland Militia and formed the Royal Volunteer Cavalry, which had responsibility for the townships at
Otahuhu,
Panmure, and
Howick. He also led his forces ensuring the security of the communication and supply routes from Auckland through to defensive positions in South Auckland.
In 1861, he stood for the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...
as the member for the
Franklin electorate, which encompassed most of rural South Auckland, and was duly elected on 28 January.
The Royal Volunteer Cavalry was disbanded in 1862. However, the following year the Colonial Defence Force Cavalry was formed and Nixon was appointed its commander. He helped in the recruitment for the unit, attracting almost 200 men from Otahuhu, which soon became known as "Nixon's Horse",
which had troops at Auckland, Howick and Otahuhu. He is considered the father of New Zealand cavalry for his roles in raising the first units of their type in New Zealand.
Invasion of the Waikato
In July 1863, Nixon's Horse was part of the British and Colonial forces, commanded by General
Duncan Cameron, that
invaded the Waikato region with the intention of suppressing the
"Kingitanga Movement", which was resisting colonial rule. Immediately prior to the invasion,
Governor Grey ordered all Māori living in the South Auckland region to evict the area, or to swear fealty to the Queen. While leaving for the Waikato, Nixon captured
Ihaka Takanini, the paramount chief of Te Ākitai Waiohua and his former neighbour at Māngere. Takanini and his family were taken prisoner to
Rakino Island
Rakino () is a rural locality (a village) in Chernushinsky District, Perm Krai
Perm Krai (, ; ) is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (a Krais of Russia, krai), located in Eastern Europe. Its administrative center is Perm, ...
, where he died. By February 1864, after a series of actions as the invasion force moved south along the path of the
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 ...
and then the
Waipā, Cameron's forces was aiming for the valuable farming land around
Te Awamutu
Te Awamutu is a town in the Waikato, Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the council seat of the Waipā District and serves as a service town for the farming communities which surround it. Te Awamutu is located some south ...
. On 21 February, after bypassing Māori at Paterangi they secured a largely unoccupied Te Awamutu.
Beyond the town, away, was the settlement of
Rangiaowhia
Rangiaowhia (or Rangiawhia, or Rangiaohia) was, for over 20 years, a thriving village on a ridge between two streams in the Waikato region, about east of Te Awamutu. From 1841 it was the site of a very productive Māori people, Māori Mission (s ...
. Cameron opted to advance against this settlement as well. Nixon led the attack on the lightly defended village, at which there were many women and children present. Possibly influenced by the fact that Cameron was observing events, Nixon's leadership of the attack was reckless and he was shot and severely wounded as he approached a hut. About 24 Māori were killed or wounded during the attack and another 33 taken prisoner.
The British then withdrew to Te Awamutu. Cameron was later criticised for the Rangiaowhia attack; it was not a fighting ''
pā
The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...
'' and the Kingites considered the action contrary to established conduct of warfare. There were also accusations that one or more ''
whare
A wharenui (; literally "large house") is a communal house of the Māori people of New Zealand, generally situated as the focal point of a ''marae''. Wharenui are usually called meeting houses in New Zealand English, or simply called '' whare' ...
'' to which some Māori had fled during the Rangiaowhia attack were set on fire with them inside and that one man attempting to surrender was shot.
After Rangiaowhia, Nixon was evacuated north to his property at Mangarei in Mangere. His wounds, to his chest and lungs, ultimately proved fatal and
gangrene
Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the ga ...
set in several weeks later. He died at his home on 27 May 1864.
[ The previous month he had been promoted to ]colonel
Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...
. He was one of the highest-ranking soldiers to have been a casualty of the New Zealand Wars. Buried at Symonds Street Cemetery
Symonds Street Cemetery is a historic cemetery and park in central Auckland, New Zealand. It is in 5.8 hectares of deciduous forest on the western slope of Grafton Gully, by the corner of Symonds Street and Karangahape Road, and is crossed by t ...
, he was survived by his two sisters. Nixon's death resulted in the 1864 Franklin by-election, won unopposed by his friend from his days in the British Army, Haultain.
Nixon monument
Soon after his death, discussions began in relation to the erection of a monument in his memory. By May 1865, land at Ōtāhuhu
Ōtāhuhu is a suburb of Auckland, New Zealand – to the southeast of the CBD, on a narrow isthmus between an arm of the Manukau Harbour to the west and the Tāmaki River estuary to the east. The Auckland isthmus is the narrowest connect ...
, south of Auckland, had been acquired for the monument, which was to be based on the Wallace Monument
The National Wallace Monument (generally known as the Wallace Monument) is a tower on the shoulder of the Abbey Craig, a hilltop overlooking Stirling in Scotland. It commemorates Sir William Wallace, a 13th- and 14th-century Scottish hero.
...
in Scotland. The monument, which stands at the intersection of Mangere and Great South roads, was completed and formally unveiled in 1868. Several compromises had been made in its design and construction; it was now much simpler in appearance and stone from Hobart
Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
, in Tasmania, was used instead of being sourced from Oamaru
Oamaru (; ) is the largest town in North Otago, in the South Island of New Zealand, it is the main town in the Waitaki District. It is south of Timaru and north of Dunedin on the Pacific Ocean, Pacific coast; State Highway 1 (New Zealand), Sta ...
, as originally intended. It was suggested that some of the funds raised for the monument go towards the care of his sisters. The following year, the New Zealand Government granted the sisters an annual pension of £150.
On Anzac Day in 1968, Nixon's remains were moved from Symonds Street Cemetery and re-interred to the base of the monument. In recent years, there have been controversial calls for the removal of the monument.
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Nixon, Marmaduke
1810s births
1864 deaths
Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Crown Colony of Malta people
People of the New Zealand Wars
Military leaders of the New Zealand Wars
New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates
39th Regiment of Foot officers
19th-century New Zealand politicians
Burials at Symonds Street Cemetery