Third battle of Vailele
Part of the Second Samoan Civil War

"Samoan rebels during the third battle of Vailele"1899.
DateApril ,1899
Location
Result Stalemate
Belligerents
Allies:
Samoa
 United Kingdom
 United States
Mataafans
Supported by:
 Germany
Commanders and leaders
United States Albert Kautz
United Kingdom Leslie Stuart
Mata'afa Iosefo
Strength

Land:
3,400 American marines 2,600 British marines 1,000 British sailors 700 American sailors

7,000 malietoa warriors
Sea:
3 cruisers
1 corvette
Estimated 10,000-25,000 Mata'afan warriors
Casualties and losses

Estimated 6,000-8,000 killed


wounded unknown
Estimated 10,000-15,000 killed wounded Unknown

On April 13, the British frontline was extended just south of Vailele, and that day the Matafaans attacked with 3,000 warriors, but were repulsed by colt machine guns. On that day the 3,000 warriors lost 1,700 while the American and British lost 1,200 and the loyalist Samoans suffered over 2,000 deaths. An expedition which was much larger than the first was made up of 1,900 American and British marines 2,500 Loyalist Samoans and 600 sailors fought again within Vailele, the Anglo-American marines and sailors and the loyalist Samoan warriors launched a full-scale assault and clashed against the Samoan rebel warriors which ended in another victory for the Samoan rebels and another defeated for the expedition force. The rebels' victory at the two forts led to a withdraw of American, British, and loyalist troops back to Apia. The expedition lost 1,500 loyalist Samoan warriors, half of which were wiped out quickly by the Samoan rebels first few volleys of bullets, while there was also an additional 400 British and 700 American marines killed as well as another 400 American sailors, and an additional 300-400 British and American wounded, while the rebels lost 3,000 warriors. The battles continued with failures from both sides to break through each other's lines with many unreported deaths from the days after the first engagements . The engagements occurred near the battlefield where Samoan rebels had defeated German troops in 1889 during the first civil war on the island. A statue of Ensign Monaghan was erected in Spokane, Washington to commemorate the young officer's bravery.