The Native Rebellion.

BATTLE OF RAIsGAIIIRT

[from our own correspondent.] November 22nd. I toi.p you in iny last letter, from " The Queen's Redoubt," that we were to move the next day ; aud I take up my narrative where I left it oil'on Thursday night. At daybreak on Friday morning we prepared for shifting our quarters, and after hastily breakfasting on any scraps that could be collected in a hurry, we struck our tents and set oil'with the few things we required strapped about us, to catch a boat from the Sailors' Camp on the edge of the Maungatawhiri Creek, about three miles off, to be embarked there for the ' Pioneer,' that lay at the Bluff." On the 'Pioneer' we found ourselves in company with 100 of the 10th Regiment, and a naval brigade, and at the head of the latter Captain Mayne, of the ' Eclipse,' with Capt. Sidlivan, of the 'Harrier,' and Lieut. .Dbwne.s, of the

1 Miranda,' in command of companies from their j ships, and Commodore Wiseman in command of ! the whole. In tow we took four iron-plated i gunboats. A land force started at the same time, under General Cameron himself, consisting i altogether, with the force that joined at. Mere- | mere, of'l.lSl men aiul oliieers, and three guns, i with a small naval brigade. Our destination ; was Kangariri, and all forces were timed to meet there at 2 o'clock, to make a combined attack upon that place. Mauv were the speculations as to whether the Maoris would stand, or whether they would run on the more approach of danger, as at. Meremere, and the general feeling was one anticipation of disappointment at the waste of so much force. ! So we steamed up the Waikato with more or I less success, the steamer -evincing a perverse j tendency to run ashore, and a decided refusal to go iu the right direction, thereby causing a good deal of vexatious delay, and many evidences of excitement on the part of naval oliieers interested, besides sundry expressions of discontent more forcible than elegant on the part of Jack. Gradually and steadily as fate we passed along with our black banner of smoke lloating astern, j and the slow clank of the engine beating a inarch j time past Meremere, and past another native j redoubt on a high hill, where a rebel Hag hung ! out. and signals were being made to some other rebel post, of which we took no notice—past | the celebrated Waikato lands and native villages | —where, doubtless, many Maori eyes were watching us —till we came abreast of Rangariri; here there was another redoubt visible on a hill of moderate height, and the rebel flag flying, while numerous natives could be seen, running up and down and signalling to others. Here orders were given to the gun-boats concerning their firing at the right moment, and we lay watching for the appearance of the troops over the hills, and all was breathless expectation and excitement, though even yet we fully believed the natives would run on the advance being made. After a little while we could .see the line j of the soldiers marching along the hills, and the gun-boats took up their position at about- 800 yards, waiting till thoj- should commence their attack. When the troops had arrived within range of the Armstrong guns they halted, and gnus opened fire upon the earth works, when the gun-boats presently joined in and we on board tho 'Pioneer' could see theshells repeatedly striking and bursting over the Maoris redoubt, and trundling up their roadway, easting the earth high in the air, and tearing their way with a horridly fatal look. We all cheered and clapped them as we would a. grand plav, and Jack could he heard expressing his opinion that " that was into his ivories, by .jingo !" or, " that's a stinker for you, my adjective niggers!" Presently we saw the skirmishers thrown out for the assault, the natives all tho while keeping up a hot fire, and the guns thundering away shot and shell over the heads of the troops. The storming party consisted of 300 of the (55th, about 160 14th, and 100 12th. Captain Gresson and Lt. Talbot led the skirmishers, tinder the guidance of Captain Brooke, of the Engineers, who. with Lieutenant Toker, of the ()sth, led the ladder party, consisting of 48 men of the 05th and 10 engineers, 24 men following under Lieutenant Chevalier, carrying planks, advancing to within 300 yards of the first work, consisting of a ditch thirteen feet wide and eighteen feet deep from the top of the parapet, and rifle pits connected by coveredwwarsj r s in the rear of that, the whole filled by Maoris tiring rapidly and steadily. They rushed at the place, tlie planks and ladders being so skilfully placed that the troops crossed without any d'ifliculty, charged in, turned to the left, cleared. tho rifle pits, and pushed on for the centre of tho works, vrhere they came to a redoubt; Captain Gresson and Lieutenant Talbot bravely leading on tlie men here fell severely wounded, and tlie command for a time devolved on Ensign Spillcr; Lieutenant Toker, with his party, following tlie Maories into the inner defence, and so planting his men that they could not escape. Colonel Wyatt and Lieutenant Pennefather with the last portion, of tho storming party forming support-, swept round in rear of the troops engaged, and moved on to some earth works on a hill ill rear of the action going on. In the meantime the. -10th lauded from the steamer, under Colonel Leslie, and advanced same time as 65tli on other side of tho hill, when a strong force of natives in the rear lino of rifle pits, finding themselves outilanked, prepared to run, and took to a swamp adjoining Lake Kangariri, where, (hey wore caught, on all sides by the 40th and 65th, the gaiis at the same tibio opening on them, nud it is supposed that hero from 6t) to 70 were killod in the water, one shell alone striking a canoo and smashing it with ten occupants. The 40th and 65th nowmoved back and joined main attack. Now, when we in the boats thought that the work was

done, and the place taken, our troubles were at their beginning, for in this inner defence, consisting apparently of a nest work of rifle-pits, connected by covered ways and crowned by a small redoubt, the whole being circled by a ditch,a a large number of Maoris had taken refuge, and were kept employed by Lieut. Toker as I have related. Presently, to oivr great surprise, we saw that there was a check in front, the Maoris keeping up as hot a fira as over, and down came an orderly in fiery haste, with word that the General wanted the Bluejackets up at the front, and every man was mustered that could be spared, and laying aside their rifles, went up with their revolvers and cutlasses, to carry the place at a rush, Capt. Mayne leading, Lieut. Downes, of the 'Miranda,' Lieut. Hotham, of the ' Curagoa,' all our best naval officers being with_ them ; and this time wo thought surely nothing can stand up against the charge, but again we saw a recoil, and still the Maori fire continued as hot and steady as ever ; and presently wounded men, pale and bleeding, lying hunting on stretchers, or staggering blindly in the arms ot their comrades, began to drop in frightfully fast. Capt. Mayne, Lieut. Downes, Capt. Mercer, apparently dying, Col. Austin — all the best and bravest of our officers wounded, and Lieut. Murphy, of the 12th, aud Mr. AYatkii'.s, of the ' Curaooa," killed on the ground— and the Maoris holding their ground as firmly and coolly as the finest troops iu ihe world. Still it went, on till the ship was full of wounded men, and turned into a complete hospital lore aud aft, aud some poor dead fellows lyiug calm and still on the deck, and still this one corner remained untaken.

It was now dark, and nothing moi'e could be done to-night, and word came that the General was sapping up to the place in order to biow a breach in the works before storming it again. Lieut. Toker having gallantly planked up the fatal passage to the rifle-pits, where all the slaughter had taken place, so enabling the wounded men to be brought away, the place before having been so completely swept by the guns of the Maoris that that was impossible. Midst rain, cold, and misery the night past sleeplessly away —all night the natives howling ceaselessly, and at daybreak everyone was watching for the last desperate assault that was to take the place at uo matter what loss, when a white llag was seen, and immediately after the troops rushing about and cheering tremendously, told us that the Maoris had given in, and that tlie place was ours.

IMS. —Post, going directly ; more to-morrow. Total killed, 113 ; wounck'd, 82. [Our correspondent having unaccountably omitted to append the list of killed and wounded to the foregoing graphic mul interesting narrative, we lmve been indebted to the Daily Southern Crox.t for tho subjoined.] CASUALTIES. AuTiLLF.ny. KILLED. Officers, none : Bombiuliers and Gunners, Bombadier Martin; Gunner Culvenvell, Gunner Kevau. VGCNDED. Officers, Cnpt. Mercer, Sergt.-Major 11.I 1 . Hamilton, Gunner J. Bold. Total Casualties: —Killed, 3 privates. Wounded, 1 officer, 1 sergeant, I gunner. 12tii REGIMENT. K iT.i.En. Lieut. Murphy. Privates Xeedham, Osborne, Savers, Shea, G. Smith, and Wood.

WOUNDED. Corporals > T orgrove, and Savage ; privates Baxter, 80/ en, Cain, Dornan, Doward, Gainge?, McCamon, Mcßeynold.s, Molloy, Malonev, Meade, Yates, Boucher. Total Killed —1 officer, 5 privates. Wounded— 15 rank and file. lira REGIMENT. KILLED. Lunec-Coporal Burrell ; privates T. Bellow, R. JlcCrory, Nowland, 11. Russell. WOUXDEI). Lieut.-Col. Austin, Capt. Phelps, Sergt. Mansbridge, privates Shinton, Lewis, Swaine, Murray, Carroll, Hunnigan. Total Killed—s privates. Wounded—2 officers and 7 rank and file. •10ru REGIMENT. KILLED. Privates Loughlin, Barber, Ilowiie, Goldsborougli, Usher, Daley, McNally, Johus. WOUNDED. Ensign Ducrow ; Crpls. Ilohiberg and Mann ; pri-_ vales Brown. Bell, Ilealy, Brotherton, Ginnes, Roberts, Dortui, Scales, Jones. Total Killed—7 privates. Wounded, 1 officer and 12 rank and file. Gsnr REGIMENT. ICILLHD. Privates Bell, Blackburn, Cavanagli, "Clarke, Hepburne, Johnson, King, Manlev, M'Letland, Moouey, Neat, Roberts, and M'Causland. WOUNDED. Capt. Gresson, Lieuts. Chevalier, Talbot, and Lieut, and Adjutant Lewis ; Serjeants Hughes, Siangan, and Howson ; Drummer Crinman; and privates Barllett, Brown, Brimsby, Cain, Cairns, Cobbrook, Conway, Cothani, Ellentree, Gorman, Griffin, Halpiu, Hop wood, Home, Law, Lockerby, McAdam, Mcßarney, McConuell, McLean, Mullin, Mirrell, J. Norris, Bi. Norris, Russell, Shean, Smith, Swift, Waring, Welsh. Tofat killed, 13 privates. Wounded, 4 officers, 3 sergeants, 1 drummer, and 30 rank and fde.