page_title: Schäffer affair
section_title: Defeat and surrender
hierarchical_section_title: Schäffer affair / Defeat and surrender
caption_attribution_description: Russian Fort Elizabeth, Hawaii
context_page_description: The Schäffer affair was a controversial diplomatic incident caused by Georg Anton Schäffer, a German who attempted to seize the Kingdom of Hawaii for the Russian Empire. While on a trading expedition to the Kingdom, the Russian-American Company vessel Bering ran aground during a storm at Waimea on Kauai in January 1815. The chieftain of the island, Kaumualii, seized the company goods on board. Schäffer was sent later that year from Russian America to recover the lost property, where he would spend the following two years courting native allies to overthrow Kamehameha I.
  A simple mission led by an inexperienced but ambitious physician unfolded into a major blunder for the Company. Kaumualii, who sought outside help in his domestic rivalry with King Kamehameha, invited Schäffer to his island and manipulated him into believing that the RAC could easily take over and colonize Hawaii. Schäffer soon planned a full-blown naval assault on the Hawaiian islands. His actions were not sanctioned by RAC governor Alexander Andreyevich Baranov, who gave no instructions beyond either regaining the lost company items or compensation for them in sandalwood.
context_section_description: Breakup of Schäffer's "empire" began in September 1816 when he had to evacuate the colony in Oahu, yielding to the threat of violence. In December Schäffer received an unexpected "reinforcement": the Russian military brig Rurick captained by Otto von Kotzebue dropped anchor at Hawaii in the middle of a circumnavigation. Kamehameha, unaware of Kotzebue's true disposition, manned the coast with 400 soldiers and militia volunteers, ready to repel the expected landing. Kotzebue managed to persuade the king of his peaceful intentions, and made it clear that the Imperial government has nothing to do with Schäffer's delusions; he left without ever visiting his compatriots on Kauai.  
  The standoff between Kaumualii and Kamehameha continued, with the Americans allegedly promising five ships to be used against Kaumualii and his Russian allies. On September 12 [O.S. September 24] the American merchant vessel O'Cain landed on Kauai with the American merchants, Alexander Adams, Nathan Winship, and Richard Ebbets arriving with the intention to remove the Russian flag hoisted on the island. They were repelled by ten of Kaumualii's guards who had ten bayoneted rifles. June 29 [O.S. June 17] 1817, according to Schaffer's records, all his American employees excluding George Young, the skipper of Kadyak, changed sides and deserted him. Local Hawaiians "bundled Schäffer into a boat" and tried to force him out of Kauai. He returned and after attempting to make a stand at Fort Alexander was forced to board his ships. Schäffer dispatched George Young to sail seaworthy Ilmen to Sitka to bring news of his defeat. He sailed on the crippled, leaking Kadyak to Honolulu harbor in distress. Kamehameha's chiefs warned the Russians that they would immediately arrest Schäffer, but did not act on their claim. According to Schäffer's deputy Taranov, the change in attitude was influenced by the Americans seeking to salvage prized sandalwood from the holds of the sinking Kadyak.
  On July 19 [O.S. {{{3}}}] July 7 Schäffer forever left Hawaii for Guangzhou, courtesy of his former patient captain Isaiah Lewis. Between sixty and one hundred Russians and Aleuts from the Kadyak were left stranded on Oahu until the spring of 1818. Schäffer reached Macau where he received support from Anders Ljungstedt, a Swede who occasionally worked for the RAC. Ljungstedt arranged for Schäffer to travel to Rio de Janeiro, and from there he would embark to Europe. During his brief stay in Rio, Schäffer obtained an audience with princess Maria Leopoldina, and presented his unique collection of natural exhibits from the Hawaii. The princess, who soon became Empress of Brazil, remembered the gift and remained a supporter of Schäffer in his Brazilian ventures.
caption: Fort Elizabeth, 1817
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