1845-72 New Zealand Colonial (Maori) Wars
The Maori called their wars with the British Te Riri Pakeha (The White
Man's Anger), rather more poetic than the names that European history has passed
down (New Zealand Wars or the Maori Wars). These wars are unusual for the Colonial period, as small native forces were
facing vastly superior European forces. Even with technological and
numerical disadvantages, the Maori managed to beat their British opponents time
and again.
The New Zealand Colonial Wars had several phases.
| Year | War or Operation | |
| 1845-46 | Hone Heke's War, The First Maori War, The Northern War |  |
| 1846 | Conflict in the Hutt | |
| 1847 | Conflict in Wanganui | |
| 1860-61 | 1st Taranaki War |  |
| 1863 | Waikato War | |
| 1864-66 | Hauhau Wars - Bay of Plenty & 2nd Taranaki War | |
| 1867-69 | Titokowaru's War / 3rd Taranaki War / South Taranaki Campaign |  |
| 1867-72 | Tauranga Bush Campaign |
Aside from the admittedly draft chronology I can also offer some thoughts on the challenges to wargaming the NZ wars, a brief analysis of the aims and objectives of the major players in Hone Heke's War, an analysis of various rules sets and two rule sets of my own (DBA variant and Crossfire Variant), wargaming scenarios for the significant actions (Taipa, Kororareka, Puketutu Pa, Pukenui, Kapotai Pa, Ohaeawai Pa, and Ruapekapeka) using my DBA variant, a painting guide, and a bibliography.
Chronology of NZ Colonial Wars
Hone Heke's War (1845)
The first of the NZ Colonial Wars has several alternative names, including The First Maori War, The Northern War, and Hone Heke's War. I prefer the last, as it was Hone Heke that started the war and gave it real flavour. Hone Heke is one of my two favorite characters of the NZ wars (the other is Titokawaru - more on him later).
22 Jan 1840 Organised Settlement begins
The New Zealand Company lands its first immigrants in Wellington.
6 Feb 1840 Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi is signed at the Bay of Islands. 46 northern Maori chiefs are signatories, including Hone Heke.
3 May 1841
NZ becomes a Crown Colony, severing links with NSW.
20 Nov 1841
A young chief, Maketu son of Ruhe, murders six people of the Robertson family, at Mou Aphia. One of victims is a grandchild of the chief Rewa.
16 Dec 1841
A meeting of the Ngapuhi chiefs uphold the Treaty by giving up Maketu, mainly because of Rewa’s grandchild. Hone Keke speaks against this, advocating open revolt. Maketu subsequently hanged.
Apr 1843
Hone Heke forces another chief to publicly resign land at Taipa. Henceforth Heke looked upon as the leader of the Nga-Puhi, with a self-imposed duty to impose law in Ngapuhi territory.
17 Jun 1843 Skirmish at Tua Maruia
Te Rauparaha’s men kill 22 Europeans (including Captain Wakefield) following a dispute over land.
5 Jul 1844
The wife of a European butcher of Kororareka, insults Heke Hone by comparing him to a dead pig. The Police Magistrate is powerless to stop the subsequence disturbances of Heke’s men.
8 Jul 1844 Hone Heke 1, flagstaff 0
Hone Heke’s men cut down the flagstaff at Kororareka. British view this seriously - “That it was a defeat I must acknowledge, as I consider losing the flagstaff in the same light as losing a ship” (Lieutenant Phillpotts, Royal Navy).
Aug 1844
Lieutenant-Colonel Hulme arrives at Kororareka with 250 men in several detachments. Mainly from the 96th.
2 Sept 1844
Governor FitzRoy, Bishop Selwyn and Lieutenant-Colonel Hulme meet friendly chiefs at Waimate. Chiefs guarantee Hone Heke’s good behaviour. Troops are returned to Auckland and Sydney.
Late 1844
Kawiti’s followers started acting aggressively to assert their rights. Kohu, sister of Hori Kingi Tahua, son of Whareumu, and grandchild Kawiti is slightly injured by four police looking for a European at Kawakawa. Hori Kingi, backed by armed men, forces the Magistrate at Kororareka to pay compensation. Kawakawa tribesmen start causing trouble in the district, stealing horses and the like. Three Kawakawa chiefs (Pareoro, Mate, Kokou) plunder some cottages at Matakana, 25 miles north of Auckland. Four Europeans are left destitute of clothing and bedding. £150 was offered for their arrest. Initially, Kawiti had little sympathy for these agressive activities of his followers, and strongly advised caution. When he realised that “their blood was up”, he decided to support them against the government.
Hone Heke protected the settlers, and disapproved of the Kawakawa depredations ... “No. Let us fight with the flagstaff alone”.
10 Jan 1845 Hone Heki 2; flagstaff 0
Hone Heke cuts down the flagstaff at Kororareka. Government offers a £100 reward for Heke. Heke offers similar reward for Governor FitzRoy.
17 Jan 1845 (Thu)
30 rank and file of the 96th arrive in Kororareka from Auckland. These men and some of Waka Nene’s men alternate guarding the new flagpole.
19 Jan 1845 (Sat) Hone Heke 3; flagstaff 0
Hone Heke cuts down the flagstaff at Kororareka watched by the guards (Waka Nene’s men).
12 Feb 1845
H.M.S. Hazard (Acting-Commander Robertson) arrives Kororareka. Seven of 18 cannon were jettisoned due to rough trip between Wellington and Auckland. Fortifications are built. Hone Heke prepares at Kaikohe.
Late Feb 1845
Hone Heke arrives at Waimate with 150 men. Pro-government chiefs and missionaries try to dissuade him from further action.
Early Mar 1845
Hone Heke and Kawiti agree to combine forces. Form a combined camp at Te Uruti, near Kororareka. Skirmishers appear near Kororareka, and loot what they can.
3 Mar 1845
An armed pinnace under Acting-Lieutenant Morgan of the H.M.S. Hazard, attempted to disperse the Maori skirmishers. The Maori fired on the boat, the first act of war upon Her Majesty’s forces.
4 Mar 1845
Lieutenant Phillpotts and Mr Parrot of the Hazard, rode out towards Matauhi Bay to reconnoitre a party of Heke’s men. They rode straight into a band of Kawiti’s scouts who unhorsed them and made them prisoners. Kawiti disarmed and sent them back to the ship with an injunction to exercise greater care in the future.
10 Mar 1845
Gilbert Mair, a gentleman of high standing in the community and some knowledge of the Maori, reports Hone Heke’s plans to the authorities in Kororareka. The locals scoff at the suggestion. Robertson lands a small cannon from the Hazard and mobile force of 45 sailors and marines.
11 Mar 1845 Sack of Kororareka: Hone Heke 4; flagstaff still 0
Hone Heke defeats British garrison of Kororareka. He cuts down the flagstaff a fourth time. Kororareka is abandoned, then bombarded by the British. The Maori sack the town.
12 Mar 1845
Looting continues. Maori who hadn’t been involved in the attack join the looters, as do several Europeans. Rev. Henry Williams and others recover the bodies of the dead, plus some goods. Lieutenant Phillpotts orders the town to be bombarded again, on both friend and foe. In the evening the town was set alight by a chief called Te Aho.
13 Mar 1845
British survivors sail to Auckland. Kawiti retires inland to Waiomio, and Heke to his pa at Ahuahu.
16 Mar 1845
Survivors arrive in Auckland.
19 Mar 1845
Tamati Nene Waka arrives in Waimate to aid the Europeans. He brings 250 Ngapuhi from Hokianga and 40 Ngati-Pou.
24 Mar 1845
280 men of the 58th regiment arrive at Auckland under Captain Grant, along with heavy baggage, stores, and ordnance (2 field pieces?).
25 Mar 1845
Tamati Nene Waka moves his force to Okaihau to build a pa. This is used as a base to skirmish with Heke’s men.
Early Apr 1845
Hone Heke abandons Ahuahu and starts a battle pa at Puketutu near Lake Omapere.
22 Apr 1845
215 men of the 58th regiment arrive at Auckland under Major Cyprian Bridge.
Late Apr 1845
Expedition under Lieutenant-Colonel Hulme sails to the Bay of Islands
30 Apr 1845
Hulme’s force burns Otuihu Pa, and arrests the local chief Pomare.
3 May 1845
Hulme’s expedition lands at Onewhero Bay. Immediately start the march of 15 miles to Lake Omapere, seeking Hone Heke.
7 May 1845
British arrive at Puketutu Pa on Lake Omapere. Kawiti arrives by forced march to join Hone Heke.
8 May 1845 Puketutu Pa
British repulsed from Puketutu pa.
15 May 1845 Kapotai Pa
The British, under Major Cyprian Bridge, attack Kapotai Pa on Waikare Island.
12 Jun 1845 Pukenui
Pro-European Maori under Tamati Waka Nene defeat Hone Heke at Pukenui.
1 Jul 1845 Ohaeawai Pa
British forces under Colonel Despard repulsed from Ohaeawai Pa.
11 Jan 1846 Ruapekapeka Pa
British occupy Ruapekapeka pa.
Hone Heke, Kawiti and Tamati Waka Nene agree on Peace.
War Parties in the Hutt (1846)
3 Mar 1846
Te Rangihaeta’s warriors begin to harass settlers in the Hutt Valley. At Taita, 14 miles from Wellington, Captian Eyeton's company of the 96th Regiment drive off a Maori force.
16 May 1846
Summary: 200 Wanganui Maori under Topine te Mamaku attack the most advanced British outpost at Boulcott’s Farm, 12 miles up the Hutt Valley from Wellington. Although surprised, the 50 British defenders drive off the Maori after a lengthy fire fight.
Boulcott's Farm is the most advanced British post in the Hutt valley, being 12 miles from Wellington. The farm is defended by 50 men of the 58th Regiment under Lt Page. The farm occupies a clearing, with three sides fronting heavy bush, and the forth facing the Hutt river; further bush is found on the far side of the river. The farm consists of the farm house, several huts and tents, and a barn. The barn is the mainstay of the defence and is surrounded by a loopholed stockade. Lt Page and his two soldier servants occupy the house, while half the men are in the barn, and the remainder are housed in the huts and tents.
200 Wanganui Maori under Topine te Mamaku attack at dawn, camuflaging themselves with pieces of brush. The sentry notices that some of the brush is moving, fires at it, and then runs for the picket tent, while reloading his musket. The sentry is overtaken by Maori and cut down by a tomahawk.
The Maori surround the picket tent and riddle it with musket balls. The only surviving occupant, drummer boy Willam Allen, emerges and sounds the alarm on his bugle. A Maori warrior hacks at him with his tomahawk, almost removing the boy's bugle arm. Allen, takes the instrument in his remaining hand and attempts to sound the alarm again. He is hacked down.
The Maori now surround the farm house, where upon Lt. Page and his two soldier servants emerge and start fighting their way to the stockade. They are joined by other soldiers, and reach the relative safety of the fortified barn.
Lt Page organises a sortie. The British form a skirmish line outside the stockade and advance toward the Maori, driving them back. After a lengthy fire fight, a mounted patrol of the Hutt Militia approaches and the Maori withdraw into the bush across the river. The Maori continue to show their defiance by performing haka.
The entire episode lasts 1.5 hours.
23 Jul 1846
Te Rauparaha is captured at Plimmerton and taken to Auckland in H.M.S. Calliope.
29 Jul 1846
Te Rangihaeata evacuates Pauatahanui Pa after British attack.
6 Aug 1846
British attack Horokiwi pa (Te Rangihaeata).
13 Aug 1846
Te Rangihaeata abandons Horokiwi pa.
The First Taranaki War (1860)
The battle of Puketakauere
In early June the Atiawa and Ngati Maniapoto allies began building a pa at Puketakauere, a mile from the British field base at Camp Waitara and in full sight of it. This posed certain problems for the British. It restricted their movement, and endangered their supply lines and the security of the camp.
The military were under orders to suspend hostilities against the Atiawa. Orders which annoyed the officers and men. On 23 June Major Thomas Nelson sent a reconnaissance party towards the pa, as bait. Shots were fired and this provided the provocation necessary for the resumption of offensive operations.
At 5 a.m. on 27 June, Nelson marched out with 350 men and two howitzers to ‘teach the troublesome Natives a lesson they will not easily forget.’
The Maori defence
200 (or less) Maori under Hapurona
· Atiawa under Hapurona.
· Some of of the Ngati Maniapoto taua from Waikato, under Epiha Tokohihi.
The Maori position lay between two swampy gullies forming a V-shape pointing north toward the Waitara River. Two hills dominated the position, Puketakauere and Onukukaitara. Onukukaitara hill was actually the site of the newly built stockade, although the fortification took its name from the other hill.
The British attack
British forces under Major Nelson (350-365 men)
· Naval Brigade under Captain Seymour R.N.; 50 men.
· 40th Regiment (250 men)
· Light and Grenadier companies; about 160 men.
· Battalion companies; about 90 men.
· Royal artillery: Two 24 pdr howitzers (smooth bore muzzle loader); 18 men
The British were divided into three divisions. These were the main body and two divisions which were positioned to cut off likely routes of Maori retreat or reinforcement.
1. Main body under Major Nelson and Captain Seymour; nearly 180 men and both howitzers. The main body was intended to breach the stockade on Onukukaitara and attack across the open ground in front.
2. Flanking body under Captain Messenger. The Grenadiers and part of the Light company; 125 men. Messenger was to get possession of Puketakauere hill as the main body attacked. This involved a difficult night march across partly bush covered ground.
3. Reserve under Captain Boydler. 50-60 men. Boydler took up position between the pa and Camp Waitara.
At 7 a.m. the howitzers opened fire on the Onukukaitara stockade. A small breach was formed and Nelson ordered the main body forward. Messenger also advanced on hearing the musketry of the main body. Although these two attacks were aimed at the same objective, they ended up in entirely different combats.
...
British lost 34 killed and 34 wounded. The ratio of killed to wounded was high because many wounded were abandoned and subsequently killed. The Maori lost five dead.