Nuku Hiva Campaign

Nuku Hiva Campaign
Part of the War of 1812

The American fleet off Nuku Hiva in 1813
DateOctober 1813 - May 1814
Location
Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands
Result

American Tactical victory

  • Tai Pis and Happahs defeated

American Strategic Defeat

  • Fort Madison destroyed and Nuku Hiva abandoned by May 1814
Belligerents
 United States
Te I'i (1813-May 1814)
Happah (November 1813)		 Tai Pi
Happah (October 1813)
Te I'i (May 1814)
Commanders and leaders
David Porter
John Downes
United States John M. Gamble
Gattanewa		 unknown
Strength
Land:
~5,000 warriors
~250 sailors
~40+ marines
5 artillery pieces
1 fort
Sea:
1 frigate
10 recaptured or captured whalers
~200 war-canoes		 ~4,000 warriors
2 forts
Casualties and losses
American:
5 killed
~12 wounded
1 corvette captured
[1][2]		 Estimated in the hundreds[citation needed]

The Nuku Hiva Campaign was an armed conflict between the United States and the Polynesian inhabitants of Nuku Hiva during the War of 1812. It occurred in 1813, following Captain David Porter's decision to sail his fleet to the island for repairs before continuing his raid against British shipping. Upon arrival, the Americans became involved in a tribal war and allied themselves with the Te I'i people against the Happah and Tai Pi clans.[3]

  1. ^ "Casualties: U. S. Navy and Marine Corps". United States Navy. February 22, 2010. Retrieved June 25, 2011.
  2. ^ Boot, pg. 31-37
  3. ^ "War of 1812: Commodore David Porter and the Essex in the South Pacific". Military History Magazine. History Net/Weider History Network. June 1994.