Battle of Puketutu
Puketutu, near Lake Ōmāpere, Northland, New Zealand
What happened
British troops under Lieutenant Colonel William Hulme, with the Ngāpuhi ally Tāmati Wāka Nene, attacked the pā of Hōne Heke and Te Ruki Kawiti. It was the first British attack on an inland pā, a fortified Māori village. Rockets fired at the pā mostly missed, and Kawiti's warriors surprised the attackers. After more than four hours Hulme ordered a retreat, and Nene's warriors covered it.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The fight showed that neither side could easily win in the open. Afterward Māori leaders relied on strong pā and bush warfare.
What came next
Heke held the ground, then left the pā the next day. He was badly wounded at Te Ahuahu in June, and the war ended in 1846 with pardons for Heke and Kawiti.
Did you know?
Because most rockets missed, a historian suggested Heke's men believed their protective rituals had worked.
Timeline
- 11 March 1845Heke's warriors attack Kororāreka.
- 8 May 1845Battle of Puketutu.
- 12 June 1845Heke is defeated and wounded at Te Ahuahu.
- May 1848Heke and Governor Grey are reconciled.