Thread: Tahiti Guard
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Old 16th June 2014, 03:14 AM   #5
Jim McDougall
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It seems that Russian naval expeditions were travelling through the Polynesian archipelagos c1816-24 mostly on scientific ventures toward Antarctica as well as collecting data on flora and fauna in these islands. There had been of course considerable presence already with the British in the previous century, but there was far more to be done.

I found an entry in "Russian Naval Enterprise Among the Tuamotus 1816-1826", G.R.Barratt , 'Journal de a Societe des Oceanistes", 1999, Issue 108, on p.42, from the ship 'Mirnyi (Capt. Lazarev) ...in contacts with the natives in July, 1820 it is noted that the chief was wearing (a gift) the "bright red uniform" of a Russian guardsman.

This seems to have been a singular incident and I did not find other notes in the text where any uniforms or weapons were given to natives notably. It does not seem anything other than somewhat strained interaction was taking place with these various Russian ships over years on various expeditions, mostly with natives wielding spears and clubs, but most curious on the European firearms.

It is most unclear to me why there would be Russian 'guards' aboard these vessels as these were military cuirassier, hussar and infantry units known as 'Life Guards' (so the classification is vague). The only one I could find with red uniform was indeed a hussar unit post Napoleonic .

The reference "Russian Military Swords 1801-1917" Eugene Mollo, 1969, gives good images of the 'Guard' swords for cuirassiers (pallashes) and the light cavalry sabres for hussars....however it would be futile to estimate which type we are looking for without more detail.

Since the French took over Tahiti and most of these islands in the 1830s and the fact that there does not seem to have been any meaningful diplomatic contacts with Russian vessels, it seems unlikely any type of Russian weapon presence carried forward in these regions, at least in notable consequence.
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