Battle of Ruapekapeka

Battle of Ruapekapeka
	Part of Flagstaff War
	; The bombardment of Ruapekapeka, January 1846. Artist: Cyprian Bridge, Major, 58th Regiment
Location	20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Kawakawa35°27′23″S 174°08′37″E / 35.4563°S 174.1436°E
Belligerents
United Kingdom: Colony of New Zealand	Māori
Commanders and leaders
Henry Despard; Tāmati Wāka Nene	Te Ruki Kawiti; Hōne Heke
Units involved
Royal Navy HMS Castor; HMS North Star; HMS Racehorse; HMS Calliope; Royal Marines; East India Co. HEICS Elphinstone; HEIC Artillery (Bombay Horse Artillerymen serving as marines); British Army 58th Regiment; 99th Regiment; Ordnance Royal Engineers; Royal Artillery; HM Treasury Commissariat; Auckland Militia Volunteer Pioneers; Maori Allies Tāmati Wāka Nene; Eruera Maihi Patuone; Nōpera Panakareao; Repa; Mohi Tāwhai;	Te Ruki Kawiti; Hōne Heke
Strength
Military; 68 officers + 1,110 men; Maori Allies; 450 warriors	Ruapekapeka; ~500 warriors
Casualties and losses
Military; 13 killed; 30 wounded; Maori Allies; 8–10 killed; 15–20 wounded	Unknown

The Battle of Ruapekapeka took place from late December 1845 to mid-January 1846 between British forces, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Despard, and Māori warriors of the Ngāpuhi iwi (tribe), led by Hōne Heke and Te Ruki Kawiti, during the Flagstaff War in the Bay of Islands, New Zealand.

The battle site was a pā located 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Kawakawa, which was one of the largest and most complex fortifications of its kind in New Zealand; designed specifically to resist British cannon fire. Its earthworks can still be seen.