TE PAKANGA O PUKEHINAHINA
http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~Sxmitch/Battle.html<link to battle of gate pa
Te Pakanga o Pukehinahina or know as The Battle of Gate Pa was a historic battle between Maori and Pakeha on April 29,1864
From 1860-1872 there were land wars through out New Zealand and Gate Pa was one of them.These wars were fought between the natives which were Maori and British.Gate Pa was the first victory for Maoris at that time.
On March 28,1864 there were rules that were written between both nations which can be found in Romans Chapter 12 v20
Rawiri Puhirake and Henare Taratoa wrote a Declaration of war to General Sir Duncan Alexander Cameron and he accepted.
28 of April,The British set up for the siege of Gate Pa.They came through the harbour with big gun ships and artillery like the 110 pounder the most modern weapon out.The Maori set up trenches,pekerangi(light fence)and under ground chambers to keep cannon balls and muskets from hitting them,around and in the Pa.With the Pa half finished the Maori still fought for the families and the land.(the Maori also put the flag at the back of the Pa because they knew that they would bomb the flag first.)
At the night of the 28 of April General Cameron and the other Commanders had a feast at the Te Papa Missionary place,With Alfred Brown and his wife Christina Brown.
At the night of the 28 of April General Cameron and the other Commanders had a feast at the Te Papa Missionary place,With Alfred Brown and his wife Christina Brown.
On the 29 of April the bombing started at dusk with the first shots going through a Koraua (Grandpa) who was leading a karakia (Prayer) and splitting him in half.Then another lead the karakia and his head was blown off,So Rawiri Puhirake the leader at that time ordered the men and woman of the Pa to hide in the trenches and underground bunkers.Rawiri was running up and down the Pa shouting "Be strong Stay strong and stand your ground!!!!!" There were around 230 Maoris with simple muskets and traditional weapons,against 2000+ British soldiers with up to date weapons.
When the Pa was being bombed by the British artillery Rawiri put his head up and shouted to General Cameron "My trenches will be filled with your men!!!" then he put his head back in the trench.They bombed the Pa from dusk to 12:00 then they had a 30 minute break then started again.
As they were bombing the Pa again one of the walls of the Pa came down (which Maoris planned) General Cameron saw this as an advantage and gathered 150 troops from the 43rd Regiment (under Cornel Booth) and 150 from the Naval Brigade (Under Commander Hay) which formed a assault force of 300.General Cameron ordered that assault force to storm into the Pa,but the Maoris were waiting for them hiding in the trenches.Before the assault force could enter the Pa,the Maoris that were hiding in the trenches and then they all got up and fired at the same time killing majority of the force leaving some wounded at some withdrawing.(the British also withdrew because some Maoris that tried to escape ran back into the Pa,so they thought there were more reinforcements coming.)
General Cameron saw this while drinking his wine and threw it on the ground and stormed back into his tent.He started to cry seen he lost this battle.He ordered his troops to withdraw and come back to camp to rest.
While the British were resting at night the Maori left the Pa and went to a valley.Unnoticed the British woke up the next day finding that the Pa was empty and no Maori were to be sighted.General Cameron saw this as a major defeat for British and was mocked for losing the battle at Gate pa.
When the Pa was being bombed by the British artillery Rawiri put his head up and shouted to General Cameron "My trenches will be filled with your men!!!" then he put his head back in the trench.They bombed the Pa from dusk to 12:00 then they had a 30 minute break then started again.
As they were bombing the Pa again one of the walls of the Pa came down (which Maoris planned) General Cameron saw this as an advantage and gathered 150 troops from the 43rd Regiment (under Cornel Booth) and 150 from the Naval Brigade (Under Commander Hay) which formed a assault force of 300.General Cameron ordered that assault force to storm into the Pa,but the Maoris were waiting for them hiding in the trenches.Before the assault force could enter the Pa,the Maoris that were hiding in the trenches and then they all got up and fired at the same time killing majority of the force leaving some wounded at some withdrawing.(the British also withdrew because some Maoris that tried to escape ran back into the Pa,so they thought there were more reinforcements coming.)
General Cameron saw this while drinking his wine and threw it on the ground and stormed back into his tent.He started to cry seen he lost this battle.He ordered his troops to withdraw and come back to camp to rest.
While the British were resting at night the Maori left the Pa and went to a valley.Unnoticed the British woke up the next day finding that the Pa was empty and no Maori were to be sighted.General Cameron saw this as a major defeat for British and was mocked for losing the battle at Gate pa.
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