Hutt Valley Campaign - Valley Floor

Valley Floor

Tension had been high around Wellington since 1842, particularly concerning the fertile bottom land of the Hutt Valley. The occupants, Nga Rangatahi, were determined to retain possession. They assembled a force of about 200 warriors led by Te Rangihaeata,the cousin of Te Rauparaha and the person who had killed the unarmed captives in the Wairau Affray. The British began moving men into the area and by February had assembled nearly a thousand men together with some Māori allies from the Te Atiawa hapu.

The Hutt Valley settlers wisely decided early in 1845 to build a stockaded fort. This was constructed on the east bank of the Hutt River, just below the present Ewen Bridge. Fort Richmond was a square work 95 across, with flanking bastions at two diagonally opposite angles, commanding the bridge and the river on both sides. The stockade was loopholed on each side. The stockade was completed in April 1845, and the militia company of the Hutt occupied it until a detachment of the 58th Regiment, arrived on 24 April.

By early 1846, the British had assembled nearly 800 troops in Wellington but only 300 of these were considered fit for fighting a mobile enemy with local knowledge .In January 1846 15 chiefs of the area,including Te Rauparaha, sent a combined letter to Grey pledging their loyalty to the crown. At this time Maori were just coming to appreciate what a professionalBritish soldier was and this had a bearing on their attitude and actions.Te Rauparaha then sent his own letter to Grey acknowledging the natives had been at fault. 300 Maori who had been on the disputed land then left.

The British struck first when on 27 February they burnt the Māori Pa at Maraenuku which had been built on land owned by the settlers in The Hutt Valley. The destruction of the village appears to have been rather hasty, for Kapara te Hau, the principal chief, had agreed to the terms, and promised to leave the following day.

Maori retaliated on 1 and 3 March by raiding settlers’ farms, destroying furniture, smashing windows, killing pigs, and threatening the settlers with death if they gave the alarm and murdering an old man and a boy. 13 families of settlers moved into Wellington for safety.

Governor Grey proclaimed martial law on 3 March. That same day a party of Maori fired on troops at Boulcott's Farm, two miles above Fort Richmond. Several volleys were fired into the camp. The fire was returned effectively, and the Maoris were obliged to retreat. When the news of the fighting reached the Governor in Wellington, he ordered HMS Driver to take reinforcements to Petone.

On 2 April 1846, two settlers were murdered, possibly by men answering to Te Rangihaeata. A police party set out for Porirua, as the result of a message from Te Rauparaha, who gave a hint that the slayers might be found in his district. It was discovered that a stockaded and entrenched stronghold had been constructed at the head of the Pauatahanui inlet. The Governor decided that a military station at Porirua would keep communications open, and would also directly menace Rangihaeata and his insurgents, and strike at the rear of any force attacking the Hutt. A body of 250 men of the 58th and 99th Regiments, under Major Last were embarked in the warships “Driver” and “Calliope” and the barque “Slains Castle”; and landed at Porirua on 9 April. The force camped at present-day Plimmerton and eventually built a stone barracks there.

At the same time the Governor took measures for the construction of a good road from Wellington to Porirua by the military. An armed police force of fifty men was also organised, with small detachments stationed at outposts at the Hutt, Porirua, and Ohariu. At the end of April HMS Calliope was sent to Porirua, and began boat patrols of the shallow inner waters, which the warship could not enter.