THE VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 75, 7 April 1885, Page 4

THE VOLUNTEER ENCAMPMENT.

FRIDAY'S SHAM FIGHT

[dy piokon rosT.]

The Camp, Monday, 12.30. The following appeared in our late edition last night:—

At 6 o'clock p.m., Captain Isaacs and Lieutenant Dacre relieved Captain Dignan and Lieutenant Bennett as officers of the day, and the usual routine picket and guard duties were performed. The camp adjutant had some trouble) during the night investigating a grosa piece of larrikinism. Some of the volunteeru amused themselves cutting the ropes of the canteen tent, greatly to the indignation of the Hebrew gentleman who presides over the martial Temple of Bacchus. Captain Mahon mndo a searching inquiry, but failed to discover the offenders. This morning the reveille sounded at 6.30, and tho whole camp was early astir, pipeclaying of belts and polishing of buttons, and many of tho men took a dip into tho cold water of the Manurewa. The flume of an old llax mill made a capital showor, and was largely patronised. After breakfaßt the buglers sounded the "assembly " and preparation fir the piece dv. resistance of the day's proceedings — tho uhh.m fight. Tho general plan of the mimic battle was an attack on Mount Mahon, defended by the Te Awamutu Cavalry, A Battery, the Auckland Naval Artillery, and the Hobson and Wairoa Rifles. The latter paraded as ono company, under Captain Dignan. The defending column was commanded by Captain Le Roy, senior captain. After company inspection the column moved off to their position on Mount Mahon. Shortly afterwards the attacking column under the command of Major Shepherd fell in. It consisted of the Waiuku Cavalry, Devonport Naval Artillery, Victoria Riflea, and City Guaris, On the staff were Drs. Daweon and Tcnnent, Col. Lyon, to whom Gunner Montroee acted as orderly, was present as inspeotlng officer; Before proceeding to describe the battle it may be as well to give the parade states of the several companies, and there were considerable accessions to the ranks since Saturday :—Waiuku Cavalry, 1 captain, 33 rank and file; Te Awamutu Cavalry, 1 major, 1 captain, 2 lieutentants, and 36 rank and file; A Battery, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 40 rank and file j : A. N. Artillery, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, . and 30 rank and file ; Devonport , N. Artillery, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 30 1 rank find file; Victoria Rifles, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 34 rank and file j City Guards, 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 32 rank and file t Hobwn Rifles, 1 Captain, 1 lieutenant, 32 rank and file ; Wairoa Rifles, 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, and 13 rank and file; Garrison Band, one bandmaster and 19 musicians. The defending party having reached Mount Mahon, cavalry vedetta were posted outside the wall of paddock, lying between camp and mountain, a lino of pickets being extended to the base of the hill, the main body of defenders being posted by Captain Leßoy at the rear of tho hill to await the commencement of the assault. The attacking party left the camp under Major Shepherd's cdmmand by the long avenue leading from the main entrance to Mr McLaughlin's farm to that gentleman's homestead. It is over a mile long, and the trees being well grown, it is one of the finest avenues in the province! A march of two miles brought them to the point where it was decided to make the first assault on the defenders position. Here 20 scouts from the Te Awamutu Cavalry were thrown out, and they encountering the enemy's vedettes, a skirmish took place, resulting in the vedettes bsing driven ■ back on the pickets. The defenders being reinforced by tho pickets, opened a brisk fire on the scouts, who retired, and a detached com pany, under Captain Mahon (the Victorias), was sent forward to attack the enemy's position on the left. This was thought by the attacking party to be a weak point in the defenders' lino. Mahon's mon advanced steady, but tho enemy, observing the inten tion of the attacking party, reinforced the weak point, and upon the Victorias reaching within 300 yards of the Una of defence a tremendous fire was opened on them by the Arf illory. The attacking party at once retired into cover, the Cavalry pursuing them so close that rallying squares had to bo formed. Mahon managed to draw off liis men without any serious trouble, and tho majn body of the attackers was extended in skirmishing order, and advanced to make a general assault. The defenders mado a stubborn resistance, and the assault failed, and this finished the bloodless battlo of Mount Mahon. Fatigue parties had been told off to bury the dead, but their services wore unnecessary. At the sound of the bugle both defenders and attackers formed column of companies and marched back to camp. Here several battalion movements were performed, 1 the promptness and accuracy of the movements being an evidence of the value of the training tho men had undergone. They then wheeled into line, took opon order, and were inspected by Colonel Lyon. Aftor inspection companies broke into column, and marched past. Quarter-distance oolumn .vas subsequently formed, and the companies opening to wheeling distance off. Yesterday Afternoon and Last Night. After the review, Colonel Lyon said a few words to the men, expressing the pleasure he felt at becoming intimately connected with the Auckland Volunteers, and noticed the improvement that had taken place since he last inspected them. He spoke strongly about the conduct of those men who had cut the ropes of the canteen tent, saying he only wished he had their names. The men were then dismissed, and aftor dinner amused themselves with running, jumping, and other athletic sports. A tug-of-war between 25 men from the Cavalry and 25 men from the two Naval Artillery corps resulted in an easy victory for the Cavalry. In a tug-of-war between tho Victorias and the City Guards, the former were victorious. A painful feeling was caused through the receipt of the news of the death of Mrs Barriball, senr., mother of two of the lieutenants in the Waiuku troop. After tea the camp was struck, and the men marched to the train. A rapid railway journey, enlivened with song and merry jest, brought the Auckland men to the Auckland station by 9 p.m. Column was reformed, and they were marched to the Drill-shed and dis^ missed.