The Sun.
London, England, 1844-10-15 00:00:00

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THE AFFAIR OF MAHAENA.
REPORT ON THE COMBAT OF MAHAENA (APRIL 17,
1844), ADDRESSED TO THE MINISTER OF MARINE BY
THE GOVERNOR OF THE FRENCH POSSESSIONS IN
OCEANIA.

Papaiti, April 22.
Monsieur le Ministre,—l had the honour of inform-
ing you, in my report of March 22, that the insur-
gents had taken refuge at Mahaena. Information
since brought by some agents showed me that their
number was augmenting considerably ; they were
reckoned even at 1,500 fighting men. This estima-
tion appeared to me exaggerated, yet the intrench-
ments which they were raising, on a width of 1,800
metres, proved that they were exceedingly numerous.
I neglected no means of preserving peace. Influ-
ential persons applied to the chiefs, and showed them
that such persons as were summoned to appear had
only to come and make their submission at Papaiti to
be amnestied. They at first appeared disposed to re-
turn to us : the chiefs of our party then sent them a
deputation, which was well received; but the female
chief, Teritous, who is always at the head of the op-
position, declared, in the name of all, that they would
not accept any arrangement, and that the multitude
would not disperse. The people of Taiarabou alone
appeared inclined to separate from the insurgents.
The English missionaries, with my authorisation,
made a final attempt, which completely failed. It
then appeared to me absolutely necessary to profit by
the presence of the Charte to strike a blow which
might prove to the natives that not only we had
nothing to fear from their attempts against our esta-
blishments, but that we could reach them in the po-
sitions which they had themselves chosen and forti-
fied. M. Mallet, captain of the Embuscade, received
orders from me to dispatch, by the Clementine, the
second section of the voltigeurs, in garrison at Tara-
vaoa, and twenty-five men of his crew. I took all
necessary measures to set out the moment I learnt
that the schooner, which was to carry this reinforce-
ment, had- reached Mahaena. This intelligence ar-
rived on the night of the 11th, and, on the evening of
the 13th, the Phaeton took the Uranie in tow, and,
profiting by the calm, I proceeded with these ves-
sels for Mahaena. Violent and contrary winds hav-
ing got up during the night, the Uranie and the
schooner the Clementine, which had reached us, con-
trived to crowd all sail to gain to windward. I took
with the Phaeton the anchorage of Matavai, thus plac-
ing myself between the insurgents and Papaiti. On
Sunday, the 14th, the wind having fallen, I set out in
the night, having taken as a reinforcement the sec-
tion of voltigeurs embarked on board the Clemen-
tine, and on the 15th I anchored at Mahaena.
The frigate came up on the 16th, and I took its an-
chorage at three hundred and fifty metres in front of
the little bay where I wanted to effect the landing.
On the 17th, at a quater past five in the morning,
all the troops and sailors were assembled on
board the Phaeton, and at day break the landing, di-
rected by Lieutenant Malmanche, the head of my
staff, commenced on a shore defended naturally by
the abrupt point of a mountain, the approaches t o
'which were commanded by the Uranie and Phaeto
A hundred men were set on shore. The section of
voltigeurs took possession of a height, and being at-
tacked, they beat off the enemy, which gave way
after some loss. The sea, which was already heavy,
became more so. The landing could only be effected
in whalers, and notwithstanding all the precaution
taken, two boats were thrown on the coast. One man
was drowned, and we had a quantity of cartridges
wetted ; but thanks to the devotedness of several men
of the Uranie and the Embuscade, who often ran the
risk of being crushed or drowned, and to the good
direction given by M. Malmanche, every one was
landed at ten o'clock, and the losses were repaired.
I found myself with two mountain howitzers, 45
artillery, 248 seamen sent from the Uranie, the
Charte, the Embuscade, the Meurthe, and the
Phaeton, and 148 infantry—in all 441 men. There
were thirteen men who could not land in time, the
Clementine having arrived in the harbour too iate.
From the intelligence which I had received, I
knew that the insurgents were to concentrate
their efforts in the intrenchments which they
had dug, and which they considered so much
the more impregnable, that a thousand men de-
fended them. These intrenchments consisted of
three dykes of six to seven feet in depth, dug parallel
to the sea, on a length of 1,800 metres, and defended
from the fire of the vessels by a glacis. They were
covered by a horizontal roof of bourahau (a wood of
the country), which hindered the defenders from being
seen, giving them an opportunity of taking aint at
their assailants, and hitting them almost hand to hand.
It is true that if the position were once turned, re-
treat became impossible. From this information I
drew out my plan of attack. M. Dollieul, with the
section of the Embuscade, was to defend our rear ;
M. Domezon was to seize on a hill that commanded
the height where the flag floated, which the section
of voltigeurs, commanded by M. Martin, were to
make themselves masters of. The other section was
then to join us. Lieutenant Gout, of the navy, had
orders, with the company of the Uranie, to turn the
redoubts, by placing his men as sharpshooters; and
the bulk of the troops of the line, under Captain
de Brea, with two pieces of artillery, were,
in following the shore, to attack the intrench-
ments on the flank. These arrangements being
made, Captain Nicolai, who filled with great
distinction the functions of Captain of the Staff,
carried to M. de Brea, in command of the line, the
order to advance. At eleven o'clock the movement
commenced. It was then that a petty chief of the
island, who was in my suite, intrepidly carried off,
before the eyes of the insurgents, and from the midst
of their bullets, the flags which they had planted on
the hill. The fire commenced in the midst of cries
of " Vive le Roi 1" a thousand times repeated, both
by the troops and the vessels in the harbour. The
heights were crowned, and the flank movement com-
menced by Lieutenant Gout. The bulk of the
column marched on the first redoubt, keeping up
a very sharp fire of musketry. As soon as I
learned that the redoubt was turned, I ordered
it to be carried at the bayonet's point, which
was executed with a bravery and energy that do
great honour to our sailors and soldiers. The second
redoubt was carried a little after in the same manner.
Seventy-nine dead bodies found in the intrenchments
attest the determination with which the attack and
defence were carried on. I judged it right not to
leave any repose to the insurgents, and gave orders to
march at once on the third redoubt. The resistance
was less obstinate here, and after a fire of but little
duration the defenders took to flight, and easily es-
caped from our attack, by saving themselves in the
underwood which skirts the redoubt on the side of
the river. Here they were for a long time struck by
the balls from the frigate, which added to their loss.
The fire of the sharpshooters continued also sometime
in the same underwood, but the loss sustained by the
insurgents forced them to retire. At half-past four
the fire ceased along the whole line. One hundred
and two of the insurgents remained on the
field of battle. Their guns have been spiked ; their
flag, a half hundred muskets, and some ammunition,
have fallen into our power. The artillery of the
Uranie, commanded by M. Bonard, as I have had the
honour of informing your Excellency, prevented by
its good direction the insurgents from spreading them-
selves outside the intrenchments. The Clementine,
commanded by M. Boyer, joined her fire to that of
the frigate to annoy the fugitives in their retreat, and
cut off the passage of the river. The Phaeton, Cap-
tain Maissin, insured the safety of our ambulance sta-
tioned at the place of landing, and which was at one
period attacked. M. Vesco, surgeon of the Uranie, was
there struck with a spent ball. I have to inform
your Excellency that the zeal and solicitude of this
officer was worthy of all praise. I am bound also
to mention to your Excellency the conduct of M.
Gabrielli de Carpegna, Enseigne de Vaisseau, who
speaks the language, and who I had brought with me,
charged at first with the signals with the harbour,
and afterwards with the care of having the wounded
transported to the Ambulance, where their number
became considerable. M. de Carpegna acquitted him-
self of the task with zeal and devotedness. After
baying bivouacked that night in the place where we
landed, I, on the morning of the 18th, during the re-
embarkation, sent Captain Nicolai with the reserve,
commanded by M. de la Vaissiere, Enseigne de Vais-
seau, and which had landed too late to take part in
the affair. M. Nicolai visited the field of battle
in every direction. He had the ammunition and
arms picked up which the night before had
escaped observation. He destroyed a half-hundred
of canoes and three whalers which lay in a
pond near at hand, and which might prove of
great service to the insurgents. At five o'clock
the anchors were weighed, and the same night I
was back at Otaheite. This victory has not been
without lamentable loss on our side. We had fifteen
men killed, of whom two were officers—M. Nau-
sonty, of the navy, and M. Seignette, lieutenant of
artillery ; besides fifty-one wounded, of whom two,
Messrs. Colondre and Debry, were deves. Every
one did his duty well, but several made themselves
remarked in a striking manner. I have the honour,
Monsieur le Ministre, to transmit to you the report
of Chef de Bataillon Brea, in command of the troops,
which points out to me the most deserving. From
the manner in which this officer behaved, his name
ought to be placed at the head of the report. I ad-
join a list of names for promotion and decoration,
praying your Excellency to lay them before his
Majesty, as justly meriting recompense.
I have the honour, &c.,

BitUA,T,
Governor of the French Establishments in Oceania.

THE CORPORATION OF LONDON AND MR. DAVID
SALOMONS.—This day Mr. David Salomons will attend
the Court of Aldermen in order to be sworn in as Al-
derman of the ward of Portsoken. It is expected that
the court will be much crowded, the proceedings having
created a vast deal of interest in the metropolis. It is,
we believe, the intention of Mr. Salomons to address the
court himself.