Battle of Drummond's Island
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| Battle of Drummond's Island | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the United States Exploring Expedition | |||||||
 Drummond Island warriors, drawn by Alfred Agate | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| United States Navy | Island natives | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Unknown | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| ~600 warriors | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 20 killed | ||||||
The Battle of Drummond's Island was a conflict between the United States Exploring Expedition and the village of Utiroa in April 1841 at Drummond's Island, Tabiteuea North, which is now part of Tabiteuea. [1] The cause of the conflict was the disappearance of the American seaman John Anderson, who was suspected, with no evidence, to have been murdered by the village natives. In retaliation, the members of the expedition killed twelve of the natives and burned the village of Utiroa to the ground. [2]
The twenty-two gun sloop-of-war USS Peacock was commanded by Lieutenant William L. Hudson, the second in command of the United States Exploring Expedition. Charles Wilkes had ordered Hudson to explore Drummond's Island, named after a member of the expedition. Lieutenant Hudson learned from a member of his crew that a merchant ship had wrecked on a reef off the island's northwest coast years before. Most of its crew were massacred, except for a "white woman" and a child, who was supposed to still be alive. On 3 April, the Peacock anchored off Utiroa on Drummond's Island. Hudson went ashore with a couple of Navy officers, a marine detachment, as well as the Scientific Corps.[3]
Initially, the natives were described as calm and peaceful, gathered in their huge maneaba, "far exceeding in size any they had before met with";[4] they led the Americans to their village centre. Tabiteuea means "chiefs are forbidden" in Gilbertese, and the natives themselves practiced egalitarianism, which meant the Americans had no tribal chief, or leader, to consult with.[5] [6]
Utiroa was said to be where the massacre had taken place. Other than studying the flora and fauna of the island, Hudson wanted to inquire about the shipwreck and the stranded woman and child. The natives spoke nothing of the incident but "parts of the vessel were found"[citation needed] inside the village's huts, though most of the buildings were deemed off-limits.[7]
The Americans returned to their ship after several hours but returned the next day, April 7. All was well until Lieutenant Hudson and his men were on their way back to the Peacock. They noticed that a member of the procession, seaman John Anderson, was missing.[citation needed] A search was undertaken which went unnoticed by the Gilbertese, who appeared to be arming themselves with swords, spears, and other weapons.[citation needed]
Eventually, the search was discontinued. As the Americans were boarding their gig and armed boats, the natives tried to surround the sailors and marines. The natives threw rocks and waved their weapons as the boats shoved off. No one was harmed; Lieutenant Hudson decided to wait for Anderson until April 9, by which time the USS Flying Fish had arrived.[7]
