The Battle of Orange Walk

November 9, 2022
by roshesgodfrey@gmail.com +

The Battle of Orange Walk is just one of the many interesting conflicts that occurred within the nation we now know as Belize; though the country was known as British Honduras at that point in history. On September 1st, 1872, a battalion of Icaiche Maya, numbering somewhere between 150 and 180 and led by Marcus Canul, attacked the settlement of Orange Walk. Canul’s reasoning for the attack came from prior conflicts with the British regarding infringement of Maya land, refusal to pay rent, and an intention to capture the district magistrate for ransoming.

Canul’s forces crossed into the Belizean border from Mexico on August 31st, 1872, and reached Orange Walk with complete stealth. Understandably, the British were completely caught by surprise when the Maya attacked yet this small detachment of the West India Regiment, no more than 39 men, led by Lieutenant Joseph Graham Smith and Assistant Surgeon John Dallas Edge, somehow managed to hold the barracks. During that time, the British killed somewhere between 30 and 50 Maya and fatally injured Canul. The surviving Icaiche Maya fled back to Mexico while the British saw to the treatment of 14 of their own men plus the burial of two others.

Background Details

Marcus Canul was the Icaiche chief. While friendly with the Mexican government, he had a great deal of ire towards British Honduras. Canul had fought the British in 1866, capturing and ransoming off several woodcutters affiliated with the British Honduras Company. Canul’s men routed British troops on December 21st, 1866, during the Battle of San Pedro Yalbac. A year later, the British launched a counter-offensive with Congreve rockets and burnt down Cerro, Chunbalche, Naranjal, San José, San Pedro, Santa Cruz, and Santa Teresa. A small Icaiche force advanced into British Honduras in 1868, demanding rent for their land but Canul was not uninvolved and disavowed these actions.

Orange Walk was located 10 miles from the Mexican border and began as a New River logging camp. At the time of the battle, Orange Walk was home to 1,200 people, mostly mixed-race Native Americans and European-Native American laborers with a small British garrison staffed by a portion of the West India Regiment.

The Battle In-Depth

Canul hoped he would see at least some of British Honduras returned to his people. The strike began around 8 a.m. and saw most of Canul’s men attacking the British garrison’s barracks. Because the Maya infiltrated the town without notice caused the British to believe that Maya sympathizers were responsible. Canul split his men into thirds:

One-third raided the town for whatever they could get.
The other two-thirds would converge upon the barracks.

Edge and Smith were bathing during the attack and rushed over 60 yards to reach the garrison. This left Edge completely naked and Smith with only his drawers.

The specifics of this battle were recorded in the West India Regimental History of 1885-it contains a report from the Spectator and some personal correspondence from Edge, with notable differences.

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The Spectator claims Smith was shot near his heart and spine during his bathtub sprint. It also states that both Smith and Edge believed the wound to be fatal. Smith was then incapacitated and Edge overtook command.
Regimental history records claim Smith and Sergeant Belizario sprinted back to their quarters while evading gunfire in an effort to get the key for the garrison magazine. Belizario retrieved the portable magazine from a neighboring room and passed it through the wall to the rest of the men. Smith then took a position within the barracks door and returned fire when he was shot. Edge’s account claims Smith ordered the defenders to reinforce the walls with mattresses to block gunfire.

The garrison maintained its defense for up to six hours as some of Canul’s men committed arson. At one point, two American settlers, Price and Brudrow, joined in from the Maya’s rear and suggested forcing a retreat over the river. Edge disagreed while giving them freedom to act as they wished; the two men stayed within the barracks, as did many civilian refugees from the town. The remaining European women and children fled to San Estevan by boat. Over 300 bullet holes decorated the barracks walls.

The Aftereffects of the Battle

This was the last Maya-related conflict within British Honduras, as well as the last serious attack against the colony. The Icaiche kept an uneasy peace with the British and the garrison was later reinforced with 50 men from the West India Regiment’s Jamaican detachment. Two years later, the British erected a fort upon the battle site.

Smith recovered from his injury and was promoted to commander. Edge was promoted to Staff Surgeon for his contributions and Belizario received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.