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 Hō ...

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. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

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 Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...

warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have been p ...

Background

Although he had been the first to sign the

Treaty of Waitangi The Treaty of Waitangi ( mi, Te Tiriti o Waitangi) is a document of central importance to the history, to the political constitution of the state, and to the national mythos of New Zealand. It has played a major role in the treatment of the M ...

in February 1840, Nga Puhi chief

Hōne Heke Hōne Wiremu Heke Pōkai ( 1807/1808 – 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 Ngāpuhi (or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland region of New Zealand and centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2018 New Zealand census, the estimated population of Ngāpuhi is 165, ...

. In July 1844, Heke and a group of warriors entered the town, and the

Pakaraka Pakaraka is a settlement in Northland, New Zealand, at the junction of State Highway 1 and 10, in the district the Ngāpuhi tribe called Tai-a-mai. Demographics Pakaraka statistical area covers and had an estimated population of as of wit ...

chief Te Haratua cut down the flagstaff.''"...Te Haratua, Heke's second in command, led his men to cut down the flagstaff..."''
Te Ara 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 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 was built around the base, 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 Te Ruki Kawiti (1770s – 5 May 1854) was a prominent Māori rangatira (chief). He and Hōne Heke successfully fought the British in the Flagstaff War in 1845–46. Belich, James. ''The New Zealand Wars''. (Penguin Books, 1986) He traced descent ...

and his followers together 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 American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

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. 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 Hone Heke.

Auckland War Memorial Museum The Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira (or simply the Auckland Museum) is one of New Zealand's most important museums and war memorials. Its collections concentrate on New Zealand history (and especially the history of the Aucklan ...

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). Two of her opening lines, "The boy stood on the burning deck" and "The stately homes of England", have acquired classic statu ...

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, known as Kororāreka in the early 19th century, was the first permanent European settlement and seaport in New Zealand. It is situated in the Bay of Islands, in the far north of the North Island. History and culture Māori settle ...

Flagstaff War 1845 in New Zealand March 1845 events

Background

Battle

Memorial

See also

References