The Battle of Malolo also called the Massacre of Malolo, was the second of two punitive expeditions that occurred during the 1840 Fiji expedition of the overall United States Exploring Expedition (a.k.a. the Wilkes Expedition or the Ex. Ex.) between the United States Navy and Marine Corps vs the aforementioned Fijian villages. The catalyst was the firing of a gun amidst negotiations for food between Lieutenant Joseph Underwood and the unnamed Fijian chief of Sualib village located on Malolo island. After the gun was fired Underwood and passed midshipman Wilkes Henry (the Nephew of the Ex. Ex.'s commander Lieutenant Charles Wilkes), were both killed along with ten natives in the opening skirmish for the two day battle. Wilkes had the men buried and the next day Wilkes launched a counter attack that saw the villages of Sualib and the associated village of Arro destroyed along with much of the hinterland and populace of the villages.
Background
Background of the 1st Fijian Expedition
The Ex. Ex. under the command of Lieutenant Charles Wilkes had just discovered that Antarctica was a continent, and finished surveying Wilkes Land. Now that the Antarctic discoveries were finished, Wilkes' fleet traveled to Sydney, Australia, then to the Bay of Islands, New Zealand, and finally they rendezvoused at Tongatapu, in Tonga, and prepared for their next mission in Fiji.
Fiji was of interest to the United States in that New England merchants and whalers frequented Fiji for its whale and sandalwood, and competed with the British and the French for the bêche-de-mer populations to sell in China. However, Fiji possessed many uncharted reefs, rocks, and currents, with a culture well known for its cannibalism and a noted penchant for dragging boats to shore and killing all on board. No dependable navigation charts existed, and in the 12 years prior to 1840 8 ships (5 of them being American) had been destroyed in the area. These condition made travel to and around these Islands so precarious, that the East India Marine Society of Salem, Massachusetts, had petitioned the federal government for local charts for sailors navigating these waters.
By the time of Wilkes arrival in Fiji on May 4, 1840, Wilkes had already had his four ships furnished at Sydney. His current fleet at the time of the Fiji expedition consisted of Wilkes' flagship the USS Vincennes (sloop-of-war, 780 tons, 18 guns), the USS Peacock (sloop-of-war, 650 tons, 22 guns), the USS Porpoise (brig, 230 tons, 10 guns), and the USS Flying Fish (schooner, 96 tons, 2 guns).
Wilkes' fleet set sail out of Nukuʻalofa on May 4 of that year. He dispatched the Porpoise under Lieutenant Cadwalader Ringgold to the Lau Group of the Fiji Islands, while the rest of the fleet went to the Koro Sea. The 3 ships headed for the Island of Ovalau, but by the morning of May 7, the Flying Fish under the command of Lieutenant George Sinclair went missing, after it got caught on a reef. Wilkes pressed on with the Peacock and the Vincennes and anchored by the village Levuka, and from their began their work of surveying the islands.
Background of the Battle of Malolo
Previously on July 12, Wilkes launched an attack and burned down the villages of Solevu and Tye in a retaliatory action after members of Solevu village had stolen one of the expeditions boats. Following the burning, the Ex. Ex. soon moved on from Solevu to the Mamanuca Islands to continue their survey mission, while the Vincennes and Peacock deployed to Muthuata Island. David Whippey a hired beachcomber and translator, informed Wilkes that this set of islands was particularly notorious for being perilous to westerners, as the residents of Malolo were noted for being pirates and the worst offenders of attacking foreigners. Wilkes acknowledged the danger and made sure his boats were grouped together and well escorted. He deployed 3 boats and the Porpoise and Flying Fish for this mission. The boats were led by Lieutenants James Alden Jr., George F. Emmons, and Joseph Underwood.
On July 22 the squadron reached Drawaqa Island at the southern most end of the Yasawa Islands. Wilkes divided his squadron. He sent 2 boats led by Alden and Underwood to the middle of the Mamanucas, the Porpoise took the Western side, and the Flying Fish and Emmons' cutter took the Western end. The goal was for all 3 groups to complete their surveying that day and then assemble together at Malolo Island the next day.
On July 24, Alden and Underwood finished their surveying without issue, and anchored on the east side of Malolo next to Malolo Lailai for the night. In the morning Underwood and Alden noticed the Flying Fish and Emmons boat anchored in the distant East along Malolo. An hour later, Emmons boat approached Underwood and Alden's. They inquired for food, but Emmons regrettably told them that the Flying Fish was entirely bereft of anymore supplies. This distressed the officers as only a few days ago Wilkes had cut the food rations by a third due to low provision levels, and currently Underwood and Alden's men only had a few yams with them. It was decided to try and trade with the local natives for food.
Underwood encountered a Fijian boy chief in the area, who was carrying war clubs which struck him as menacing, and so arrested him. Later, he found a group of local natives and through a Māori interpreter named John Sac, Underwood negotiated for food. Underwood was able to negotiate a tentative deal between himself and the natives. The village of Malolo was on the Southwest part of the island and the natives proposed making an exchange for a few hogs. However, in order to get them Underwood would have to accompany the natives and one of the boats would have to sail to the Southwestern part of the island to pick them up. It turned out that the local chief's son was the man that Underwood had captured. In light of this, Underwood agreed to travel with the natives to their village provided that the chiefs son stay with his boat as a captive and guarantee of Underwood's safety, and would be released when business was concluded.
Underwood used his own boat (the Leopard) as it was smaller than Alden and Emmons cutters and could more easily go over the shallows without getting trapped. He left all but 3 of his muskets with the Porpoise in order to further reduce weight and increase the ease of travel. This was actually against the standing orders that Wilkes had laid out for safety, but Underwood did not believe that the Fijians were as dangerous as was commonly supposed. Underwood brought Sac with him to translate, along with 6 other men. The rest of the men stayed with the Leopard (commanded by Alden) and their hostage on the beach.
Underwood met a group of natives near the village by a tree. The tree had many throwing and maiming clubs tied to the branches, and two thin hogs next to it. Underwood tried to barter for the swine, but he was informed that no transaction could be made without the chiefs approval. After half an hour the chief appeared after returning from a fishing trip. The Chief demanded a musket with ammo and powder in exchange for the hogs.
Meanwhile, Alden and his men had waited in their boat a short distance from the shore, however their men were becoming agitated. The tide was coming in and Alden didn't trust the natives as much as Underwood did. A messenger soon came from Underwood giving him an update of the situation. Alden sent a message to Underwood to stop negotiating and return to the ship. He sent Wilkes' Nephew Midshipman Wilkes Henry (who was named after his Uncle), to deliver the message. Soon after, a Canoe came up alongside the Leopard and began talking to the chief's son. The Fijian attempted to get out of the boat, but Aden pulled him down. Another half an hour passed, and negotiations seemed to be progressing. Another messenger from Underwood informed Alden that the chief wanted a hatchet and then the hogs would go to the sailors. Alden gave the man the hatchet and he ran to give it to Underwood.
Not long after Emmons arrived in one of the cutters. He and his crew had been looking for an area to eat the pigs at the nearby Malolo Lailai island, and began discussing it with Alden. Alden was sharing with Emmons his anxieties over the negotiations and the chief's son's attempted escape, when the native leaped out of the boat and made for the opposite direction from the village. Alden ordered one of his men to shoot over the chief's head to entice him to return.
Battle
The Killing of Lieutenant Underwood and Midshipman Wilkes Henry
Accounts differ as to what happened next, however when the shot went off. Alden and Emmons claimed that the chief's son's escape attempt was a signal for the natives to attack. While those who were negotiating with the chief claimed that the attack began after the shot was fired. Either way, the chief shouted that he thought that the sailors on the beach had killed his son, and ordered an assault. 2 Fijians grabbed the musket of one of Underwood's men, named Joseph Clark. Clark gripped the musket and then brandished a knife. He stabbed one native and then bashed another with the muskets' shoulder stock. Then, several natives began spilling out of the mangrove bushes. Underwood's men began to fire their muskets as they retreated to the two boats.
About 100 natives began to give chase to the men retreating on the beach and threw spears and throwing clubs at their enemy. Wilkes Henry and Underwood covered the retreat. Henry was hit by a club and then shot the man who threw it at him. Then another native hit him in the back of the head. Henry collapsed to the ground with his face in the water, was surrounded by natives, and then stripped. Joseph Clark was hit by a glancing blow in the mouth and the spear landed in Underwood's left arm. Clark shot the man who threw the spear in the head and then another native knocked Clark out with a club. He fell into the water, but the pain from the salt water on his bloody face soon woke him. Clark stood up and witnessed Underwood being clubbed in the back of the head. Clark attempted to drag Underwood to safety with one arm, and hit away other natives with his other. Then Clark was hit twice more and fell down. He got back up when he noticed another native was about to club the unconscious Underwood and stabbed him repeatedly. Clark grabbed Underwood again who briefly came to and told him to tell his wife he loved her. Then Underwood had his head clubbed in and died. Clark was left in a state of shock and delirium. He got up and limped to the rest of the escaping sailors. Clark's face was covered in blood and dangling flesh and in his absent minded state, he laughed and sang at the natives. The natives were perplexed by Clark's actions and stayed clear of him for the rest of the engagement.Besides Clark, all the men who retreated back to the beach that survived suffered injuries.
When Aldan and Emmons saw the fighting on the beach their crews began to row for the shore. Once the other retreating men had assembled at the boats with Alden and Emmons, Alden a handful of men went back to look for Underwood and Henry. They encountered Clark in his delusional state and sent him back to the boats. The natives had retreated back to their village. Then Alden and his men found the bodies of both of Underwood and Henry almost completely naked. Underwood's face was smashed beyond recognition. As for Henry, aside from the bruising and his nudity, Henry looked unharmed, but his mourners soon realized that Henry had drowned while unconscious.
On the beach, there lay the bodies of ten Fijians from the attack. One of them stirred and was still alive, and in a fit of fury and vengeance the men, shot and stabbed him several times, before cutting off his head. A number of the men wanted to pursue the natives back to their village. But, there were less than two dozen men, and the natives could return at any moment and overwhelm them. Alden commanded the men make a swift retreat back to the rest of the expedition. The bodies of Henry and Underwood were gingerly placed in the cutter and covered in jackets to uphold their dignity, and the 2 boats sailed back to the Flying Fish.
Once the bodies were brought on board they were placed in the ships port side and covered with a tarp. Wilkes wept bitterly for his nephew. He knelt and kissed him. He called Underwood a "poor fellow". The cadavers were stitched into hammocks, draped in flags, buried on a nearby small island, and hidden out of fear that the natives would dig up and cannibalize the bodies. Wilkes named the Island Henry Island after his Nephew (not to be confused with Henry Island (Washington), which he also named after his Nephew later in the expedition).