- Up till then we New Zealanders had managed to kill, enslave and eat each other perfectly well with hand tools made from wood and 'greenstone' (jade - pounamu).
Mere (or patu) Pounamu (greenstone): more than a 'club'
- used for jabbing and striking.
Once the pakeha (- white foreigners) joined in the commerce, and 'energetic politics' of New Zealand with cannon, swords, and muskets - it didn't take long for the wiley warriors to appreciate the forward steps made possible by powder and steel.
For treachery, slavery, torture, killing of prisoners and burning of villages the maori were the equal of the British invaders, and often better tacticians - but cannibalism was rather more developed within the tribes than with the seamen - who depended more on weevely hardtack biscuits as a staple food - which might explain their constipation, pasty complexions, and overall poor physical condition.
The first recorded use of muskets in inter-tribal warfare was 1807 when Ngapuhi armed with muskets were defeated by Ngati Whatua who ambushed them - using traditional weapons - and no doubt plundered their muskets, powder and balls before enjoying the "Sunday Roast" from their 'Hangi' earth-ovens.
Smooth Bore Flintlock 'British Land Pattern Musket
- Known as a "BROWN BESS"
Hongi Hika leader of Ngapui worked it all out very quickly and travelled to England with missionaries in 1820 where he met and did a 'guns for land' deal with Baron de Thierry at Cambridge. Returning to New Zealand Hongi Hika used his new and powerful musket-equipped army to enslave thousands of enemy tribesmen - putting them to field work producing cash-crops that he traded to passing ships for more guns. History suggests that he may have killed approx. 20,000 of his enemies before they got their 'equalisers'. It is also suggested that these 'Maori Wars'(1807-1845) might equally be called 'Potato Wars' as it was the value of these new cash crops that paid for the weaponry advances.
Hongi Hikas personal firearm was a silver mounted flintlock fowling piece (later converted to percussion cap) given to Hongi by George IV in 1820. -King George also gave a suite of armour to Hongi, but sadly he was not wearing it when shot and wounded in 1827 - he died the following year.
1827 Painting of The wounded Hongi Hika by Augustus Earle.
The LAND WARS or NEW ZEALAND WARS (1845-1872) were a long series of battles between Maori and the invading land-hungry Europeans. - Some were British Military, some were New Zealand Forces, Local Militia, and some were just bands of aggressive greedy settlers (Rifle Volunteer Groups) - but all were seeking ownership and control of lands that Maori rightly considered to be theirs. At the peak - some 4,000 Maori warriors were giving 18,000 pakeha troops a difficult time by using carefully located fortified villages (pas) and anti-artillery bunkers, trenches, palisades, and guerrilla tactics in dense bush.
In 1868 the Royal Irish Regiment landed in New Zealand armed with the Snider-Enfield .577"
SNIDER-ENFIELD RIFLE
The Callisher and Terry breech-loading bolt-action Carbines used a paper cartridge and came into use in New Zealand in 1863 with the NZ Forest Rangers.
Callisher and Terry - Breech Open.
Callisher and Terry Carbine.Regarding handguns, an unknown number of London made Adams- Beamont cap and ball revolvers were used during these extended conflicts. The Revolver was patented in 1856 and was built in London for military use in 54 Bore - .442" Calibre.
Adams-Beaumont (or 'Beaumont-Adams') .442" Percussion Revolver.
These were very good quality revolvers and strongly competed with the products from the Colt factory in England - forcing it to close. These, with Tranters and Colts are highly prized today.
This 1851 Model Colt Navy s/a was one of fifteen given as prizes in Taranaki in 1865.
Only known Von Tempsky Original 'Bowie' Knife from Waikato Museum.
This knife was originally two inches longer in the blade and has a horn handle attached with brass rivets and a steel guard.- Current blade length 222mm (8.75 inches). These large knives were used for 'bush-bashing' as well as fighting.
von Tempsky gave this last known remaining example to his batman Private John Higginson shortly before the battle at Te Ngutu o te Manu where von Tempsky was killed by a shot to the forehead.
Painting "Von Tempskys Death at Te Ngutu o te Manu"(1868) by Kennett Watkins
Von Tempsky was much respected by the maori and was not eaten - rather his body was placed on a funeral pyre in the centre of the marae for burning.
If you have the time and the interest - there is plenty of recorded history from the 'New Zealand Wars" and indeed the earlier 'Maori Wars'. - A good starting point is as usual 'Wikipedia'.
Marty K
After researching & writing 1,036 blogs I've got something NEW to try .. I've signed-up to Patreon. - In over five years I've not made one cent from this .. NOW you can send me a wee support $ - starting from $1. to get all this stuff from New Zealand - over a year that's nearly the price of one Shooting magazine. - Am I worth it?
https://www.patreon.com/user?u=16618870
No comments:
Post a Comment