Ruapekapeka is a pā 14 kilometres southeast[1] of Kawakawa in the Northland Region of New Zealand. It is one of the largest and most complex pā in New Zealand, that was designed specifically to counter the cannons of the British forces.[1] The earthworks can still be seen just south of Kawakawa.
Ruapekapeka was the site of the last battle in the Flagstaff War, between British troops and the Ngāpuhi, which was the first major armed conflict between British troops and the Māori.
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Te Ruki Kawiti designed the pā (fort) of Ruapekapeka (or the Bat's Nest) as a further development of what is now called the gunfighter pā[2] design that was used at the Battle of Ohaeawai. It was constructed during 1845, in an good defensive position, in area of no strategic value, well away from civilians, as a challenge to British rule. When the new British Governor Sir George Grey was unable to end the Flagstaff War by negotiation, he assembled a British force in the Bay of Islands to deal with Hone Heke and Te Ruki Kawiti. In early December 1845 the British force moved by sea, and began a two week advance over 20 km to bring artillery up to the pā. Bombardment and an incomplete siege commenced on 27 December, (the British lacking the manpower to completely surround the pā). Several weeks of siege punctuated by skirmishing followed.
Early on the morning of Sunday, 11 January 1846, a British foraging party noted the defenders were unusually quiet. The small group of British troops pushed over the palisade and entered the pā finding it almost empty. They were reinforced, while Māori tried to re-enter the pā from the back. After a four hour gun fight, the remaining Maori withdrew, abandoning the pā. Twelve British were killed and twenty nine injured.[3] Maori casualties are unknown, (Heke and Kawiti later said they had lost around 60 dead during the whole of the campaign). Lieutenant Colonel Despard claimed the outcome as a "brilliant success".[4] The casualties in the British forces were 3 soldiers killed and 11 wounded; 2 marines killed and 10 wounded; and 9 seamen killed and 12 wounded.[4]
Later examination of the pā showed that it had been very well designed and very strongly built. In different circumstances it could have been a long and costly siege.[5] Lieutenant Balneavis, who took part in the siege commented in his journal (dated 11 January):
The reason why the defenders abandoned but then re-entered the Pā is unknown. It has been suggested by liberal historians that most of the Māori had been at church, and had not expected the Christian British to attack on a Sunday. However essentially the same warriors had earlier fought on Sunday at the Battle of Ohaeawai. An alternative suggestion is that there was a plan to ambush the British which miscarried, presumably when the British did not pursue retreating Maori into the bush. However this does not explain why Kawiti remained behind, and was apparently caught unaware by the British assault. It is possible internal differences had overtaken the besieged.[7][8]
The battle marked the end of the Flagstaff War. Kawiti and Heke both sought peace. Grey faced new threats in the south, would have had logistical difficulties in a lengthy campaign himself, and may have underestimated the difficulties the essentially part time Maori force had in continuing a longer campiagn. Grey accepted Tāmati Wāka Nene's argument that clemency was the best way to ensure peace in the North. Heke and Kawiti were pardoned and no land was confiscated.[3]