Puketutu and Te Ahuahu - Northern War

In response to Governor Robert Fitzroy's January plea, Lieutenant-Colonel William Hulme arrived at the Bay of Islands at the end of April 1845 with 460 soldiers, marines and volunteers. In May the British destroyed Otuihu, the coastal pa of the neutral chief Pomare. He was suspected of secretly supporting Hone Heke. Hulme and his force then moved inland to confront Heke at his new pa, Te Mawhe at Puketutu.

Skirmishing between Maori forces delayed the completion of this pa. Strong defences consisting of double or triple palisading were in place on three sides but the rear of the pa was vulnerable.

Battle for Puketutu Pa

A British assault party of approximately 216 men began its assault on Te Mawhe on 8 May. They were surprised by a party of 140 warriors led by Te Ruki Kawiti who had been hiding in the bush. Turning to deal with Kawiti, the British appeared to be gaining the upper hand when Heke led a group from the pa. Fierce fighting ensued. Heke’s party returned to the pa with the British in hot pursuit. Kawiti’s men regrouped and attacked again. After forcing Kawiti back a second time, Hulme called off the attack, perhaps unaware of his position given the confusion of the battle. Lacking artillery backup, he may have felt that retreat was the safer option.

Te Mawhe had been built away from civilians and crops. It had no long-term strategic value for Heke and after the battle it was simply abandoned. FitzRoy reacted to Hulme’s occupation of an empty pa by reporting to his superiors that the rebels had been ‘beaten and dispersed’. Maori casualties were higher than the British – 28 killed compared with 15 – but some official reports inflated the numbers, reporting that up to 200 Maori had been killed.

Maori learnt an important lesson at Puketutu – the British were a formidable foe in open battle. This would influence the tactics used in future clashes.

Te Ahuahu

Hone Heke, Kawiti and Hariata Rongo

The knock-out blow against Heke that most settlers and British military personnel desired very nearly came in a battle in which no British forces were involved. At Te Ahuahu on 12 June 1845 Heke suffered his most serious setback of the Northern War.

The ‘war within a war’ continued in the aftermath of Puketutu. Skirmishing between Nene’s and Heke’s forces culminated in a substantial battle near Heke’s home pa of Te Ahuahu. The pa was captured when Heke left to gather food. He tried in vain to recapture the pa, receiving a serious wound when he was shot in the thigh. At least 30 of his men were killed or wounded, including one of his lieutenants.

While recovering in Kaikohe Heke was visited by the missionaries Henry Williams and Robert Burrows, who hoped to persuade him to end the fighting. Heke was unmoved. Some of the British military saw this as further evidence that the missionaries were somehow colluding with a rebel.