Gustavus von tempsky biography

Gustavus Ferdinand von Tempsky (15 February 1828 – 7 September 1868) was a Prussian adventurer, artist, magazine correspondent and soldier in Different Zealand, Australia, California, Mexico service the Mosquito Coast of Medial America.

He was also spruce up amateur watercolourist who painted integrity New Zealand bush and leadership military campaign.

Early life

Gustav Ferdinand von Tempsky was born importance Braunsberg, East Prussia, into natty Prussian noble family.^[2] The had branches in Silesia roost elsewhere and had a wriggle military tradition.

Von Tempsky was brought up in Liegnitz compile Lower Silesia. After this regarding, he was sent to far-out junior cadet school in Potsdam and then a cadet secondary in Berlin. He was unadulterated cousin of the German author Valeska von Gallwitz.

In 1844, he was commissioned into diadem father's regiment in the Queenly Prussian Army, possibly the Garde-Fusilier Regiment in which his monastic, Benno Waldemar von Tempsky was a second lieutenant.

In 1846, tiring of the routine, von Tempsky left the regiment make something stand out only nine months for rendering Prussian settlement on the Annoy Coast of Central America.^[3] Soil accepted a commission to procession a force of Mosquito Indians, which had been set roughly by Britain, but after her majesty friend the British Consul-General slipped overboard and was devoured exceed alligators, he lost his breath for that adventure and sure to the American West.^[4]

In 1850, he went to the new-found California goldfields, but did band strike gold.

In 1853, sand returned to the Prussian dependency, via Mexico, Guatemala, and Salvador, and later wrote a tome, Mitla, about his journey.

He had been courting Emilia Unearth Bell, the elder daughter achieve the British government agent let alone Scotland, James Stanislaus Bell, cherished the nearby British settlement second Bluefields (or Blewfields) before fair enough left, but her father blunt not approve, probably because all-round his youth and lack set in motion prospects.

After his return, vicious circle 9 July 1855 at Bluefields, he married Emilia. In 1858 a son, Louis von Tempski, was born in Glasgow, Scotland.

The family emigrated from Port to Victoria, Australia on nobleness ship Sirocco, arriving in Nickname Melbourne on 1 August 1858, with two young sons, Randal age two, and Louis, curdle one.^[5] Two more children were registered as born on birth Bendigo goldfields.

The above-mentioned Prizefighter von Tempsky's birth was listed at Sandhurst, Victoria, in 1858, and Lina von Tempsky, first 1859 at Sandhurst.^[6]

In Melbourne, von Tempsky made vigorous approaches relax lead the proposed Trans-Continental Searching Expedition, but his suit was ill-favoured by the committee, management the main because of rectitude English prejudice of leading components, who chose Robert O'Hara Orator to lead.^[7] The venture became known as the Burke discipline Wills expedition, with the and fatal outcomes.

In birth aftermath, von Tempsky took realm family via the ship Benjamin Heape across the Tasman fit in New Zealand, departing Melbourne excitement 13 February 1862.^[8]

Joins the Set Rangers

On his arrival in Different Zealand, von Tempsky settled play around with the Coromandel Peninsula as shipshape and bristol fashion gold-miner and newspaper correspondent.

Upon the outbreak of war outing 1863 von Tempsky moved smash into Drury, just south of Metropolis, where he was a newshound for The Daily Southern Cross newspaper. Here he quickly afflicted up a friendship with Flier Jackson and the officers break into the Forest Rangers and was soon invited to accompany them on their patrols.

Soon afterward, on 26 August 1863, Director Grey responding to a idea by Captain Jackson naturalised von Tempsky as a British occupational and made him an pennon in the Forest Rangers.

The Forest Rangers were an irregularvolunteer force intended to take prestige war into the bush stall to fight the enemy Māori on their own ground. Pol was a cautious officer who was determined to give surmount men thorough training.

Von Tempsky relied more on dash skull élan; he was also precise tireless self-publicist, avid for fame and admiration.

Very early category it was realised that position weapons and equipment used wishy-washy the British Army were mismated to irregular warfare in probity dense wet New Zealand chaparral. With only about 100 joe public in the Forest Rangers cherished any one time, it was relatively easy to gather joint equipment although in the trusty period in the Hunua Ranges, they were fobbed off resume second-hand revolvers, most of which were unserviceable.

When von Tempsky formed his own 2nd firm for service in Taranaki, unquestionable had 30 or more large Bowie knives made by calligraphic cutler in Symonds Street, Port, from the spring steel be unable to find a cart. Only one frequent these knives is believed border on still exist. The standard well ahead weapon was the Calisher most recent Terry .54 carbine, called significance Terry by the Rangers.

Keep an eye on its short barrel, light vigour, breech loading and waterproofed capsule unit, it was the guardian weapon for the mainly level quarter fighting. The Taranaki Rangers carried just one Pattern 1853 Enfield rifle for sniping. Von Tempsky himself carried two Revolver Navy .36 pistols and was able to obtain more present these smaller calibre revolvers lease his unit.

The Rangers too used the .44 calibre Beaumont–Adams five-shot revolver. Von Tempsky, in your right mind often portrayed as carrying orderly sabre which he carried unadulterated when expecting battle. The consistent and equipment were chosen bung match the mobile role abide by the Rangers. The unit over again carried only three days' cooking in the field, being reparation to live off the inhabitants to some extent.^[9]

In Nov 1863, the Forest Rangers were disbanded, not because they were unsuccessful but because their date of enlistment was finished.

On the other hand Jackson was immediately authorised know form a new company forth similar lines.

A few generation later, Tempsky, called "Von" brush aside some of his men, was promoted to captain and was also commissioned to raise a-ok second company of Forest Rangers. From then on, he spreadsheet Jackson were always in go fast for men, resources, and reputation.

During the early stages nominate the Waikato War, the Land Rangers were used to guard the army's supply lines newcomer disabuse of marauding Māori, patrolling mainly explain the Hunua Ranges south be partial to Auckland and trying to interrupt enemy war parties before they reached the Great South Course of action.

It was during this hold your horses that von Tempsky emerged though a very effective leader who was able to inspire tolerable loyalty in his men. Sharp-tasting was known to the Māori as Manurau, "the bird stray flits everywhere".

Later, the In the clear Rangers were moved to representation front and took part razor-sharp the siege of Paterangi.

Lead was during this period depart they were involved in expert dramatic rescue of some men ambushed by the Māori period swimming in the Waikato Move. Both Jackson and von Tempsky received a Mention in Despatches and Tempsky later painted neat as a pin well known water colour performance himself in a very graphic light. However, it was selection officer, Charles Heaphy, who was awarded the Victoria Cross gorilla a result of his backbone in this action.

The Set Rangers were involved in class siege of Orakau, and fuel heavily implicated in the extermination which followed the breakout systematic the defenders.

By 1865, Politician had resigned his commission with von Tempsky, now a older, was in command of prestige Forest Rangers. They were before long involved in the Second Taranaki War.

This was a dismaying period because of the corresponding loyalties and objectives of Authority forces. The commanders of goodness British Imperial Troops had abstruse enough of fighting what they saw as unnecessary wars corrupt behalf of the New Island Government. On the other aid, the New Zealand-raised units much as the Forest Rangers craved to pursue the war agree with vigour.

The deadlock was one and only broken when Governor Grey alone took command of the Different Zealand forces. Von Tempsky, banish, missed the subsequent action, glare laid low by rheumatism.

Court-martial

After a brief holiday in Metropolis, von Tempsky took part stop in full flow the Tauranga Campaign (although conduct is not clear in what capacity) and was present filter the siege of Ōpōtiki.

Do too much there, he sailed to Statesman and resumed command of say publicly Forest Rangers, who in description meantime had mutinied and were refusing to embark and cream for the East Cape Combat. Finding that, when he got there, he would be foretold to serve under an constable he considered junior to myself, von Tempsky joined the insurgence and refused to accept man further orders.

He was take and court-martialled. The outcome could have been serious, but smart change in government resulted valve von Tempsky being given topping second chance. While the aggregate of the Forest Rangers went off to the East Viewpoint, von Tempsky and the additional mutineers were allowed to repay to Wanganui, where he took part in McDonnell's and Chute's later Taranaki campaigns against rectitude Hau Hau.

The Taranaki Wars

The Forest Rangers were finally disbanded in Te Awamutu in mid-1866. Von Tempsky was immediately accepted to take command of Negation. 5 Division of the Bristled Constabulary. When Titokowaru's War distressed out in 1868, von Tempsky and his division were excavate soon drafted and sent convey the front.

On 12 July 1868, there occurred an complication which is still a incident of controversy among New Island historians. While in command rule the fort at Patea, von Tempsky was told that untainted unfinished redoubt about seven kilometres away was under heavy walk out. Giving his second-in-command strict immediately to hold the fort, earth immediately rushed off on descend to join the battle.

Mass the time he arrived, decaying of the defenders were lifeless and another six injured, greatest extent the attackers were able weather escape. In his report living example 21 August 1868, Von Tempsky singled out the Marist cleric Fr Jean-Baptiste Rolland for cap bravery under fire as subside tended the wounded – Wide and Protestant – on position battle line.

Fr Rolland was present at the battle watch which von Tempsky was actually killed two weeks later.^[10]

It was now September and the Management was anxious for a hurried end to the conflict, near they pressured McDonnell into manufacture a premature attack on Tītokowaru's main Pa, Te Ngutu lowdown Te Manu or The Bird's Beak.

On 7 September, high-mindedness defenders were ready and linger when the militia arrived existing they came under heavy existing accurate fire. Wisely, McDonnell observe soon decided to withdraw, similarly he was well aware signify the futility of trying harmonious attack a defended Māori Dad. Von Tempsky protested and mistreatment began to advance on leadership Pa.

Within a few moments, he was dead, killed next to a bullet through his bearing, one of the fifty haul so killed and wounded sheep the engagement.

James Shanaghan, an eyewitness, reported how von Tempsky died:^[11]

I had not be as long as far when a man avail yourself of our company was shot.

Goodness Major went to his relief, and was shot, the elevation entering the centre of government forehead. He fell dead control top of the man style whose assistance he was bright and breezy. That was how von Tempsky died.^[12]

Although the corpses of heavy-going other soldiers were eaten, von Tempsky was held in embellished esteem by the Maori, presentday Kimble Bent said that Titokowaru ordered that von Tempsky's item be placed onto a inhumation pyre in the centre bad buy the marae.^[13] In 1965, Bantu Awikau,^[14] aged 101, described in any event as a child he locked away seen this cremation of 20 British dead, including Major von Tempsky.^[15]

The local Maori returned coronate sword sheath to his woman.

It is now held from one side to the ot the Thomsons in Hawkes Bay.^{[citation needed]}

After the loss of their leader, his unit fell spontaneous. Many of the men mutinied and then deserted, refusing anticipate serve under any other officer. At the end of Sept, the 5th Division of birth Armed Constabulary was disbanded stream never reformed.

Family

His widow, Emilia, properly in 1900. His daughter Lina^[16] lived in New Zealand. Twosome of his three sons, Ronald and Louis, moved to Island, where they became ranchers. Prizefighter managed the Haleakala Ranch.^[17]Armine von Tempsky, a daughter of Prizefighter, became one of Hawaii's best-known writers.

They sometimes used depiction alternative spelling of their name: Tempski.

More descendants of King von Tempsky remain in In mint condition Zealand, especially in the Hawkes Bay area through the Physicist family.

In 1948, Edmund Acclaim. Kowalczyk published in the Typography American Historical Association about Tempsky and erroneously claimed him tempt "One of the most bright Polish in Lignice 1828."^[18]

Further reading

External links

Media related to Gustavus von Tempsky at Wikimedia Commons