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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 Fiji expedition | 9/13 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1840_Fiji_expedition | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T13:25:29.163462+00:00 | kb-cron |
=== Prelude to the main battle === That night (July 24) Wilkes set up boat patrols commanded by Alden, Emmons, and Eld around Malolo to ensure no native escaped. It became evident that the natives also expected a counterattack. Fijians in full war paint and equipped with muskets were scattered around the shoreline and would fire pot shots at the boat crews. The crews would occasionally fire back, but the natives would take cover and drop prone before a musket ball could hit them. In the morning of July 25. Wilkes sent a force of about 70 men and a Fijian scout in 3 divisions. The force was commanded by Lieutenant Ringgold, they landed in Southern Malolo. Wilkes gave orders to kill all men and burn the village, but "spare only the women and the children.". From there the men began marching to the fortified village of Sualib just outside of where Underwood and Henry were killed. The Flying Fish and Porpoise waited on the coast with their cannons fixed on the shore. The Flying Fish was originally going to lead the boats into battle, but it grounded on a sandbar. In the meantime Wilkes organized a small fleet of boats commanded by Alden, Emmons, and Clark whose mission was to search and destroy all hostile escaping canoes. There other objective was to approach the smaller Arro (sometimes called Yaro) village and neutralize it while Ringgold's force would destroy Sualib and link up with Wilkes flotilla in Arro.
=== Beginning of the main battle ===
As the landing party was disembarking, three canoes appeared and were headed to Malolo Lailai. Emmons and Alden took two boats and pursued them. Once they were close enough an interpreter asked the natives where they were from. A native responded that they were from Malolo. Emmons fired the forward mounted blunderbuss and killed six natives. The rest of the natives jumped in the water. Alden ordered that the rest be taken as prisoners, but his men had bloodlust and shouted "Kill" repeatedly. One man grabbed a Fijian woman by the hair and was about to slash her with his sword when Alden aimed his pistol at him. Alden was able to reign in his men and together with Emmons, and they captured several men, women, and children, including a chief from Arro village. The men were handcuffed and kept captive, but the women and children were released on the beach.
=== The destruction of Arro village === While Emmons and Alden were occupied capturing the natives during their engagement, Wilkes proceeded with his boats to Arro. He found the village deserted, and put it to the flame. The men had gone ahead to join the defense of Sualib and the women and children had fled to the mountains. Wilkes continued on and hoped to reinforce Ringgold at Sualib, but found it destroyed. He doubled back and later met Ringgold at Arro.