MAORI WAR REMINISCENCES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 68, 19 March 1908, Page 7

MAORI WAR REMINISCENCES.

EECALLED BY SERGEANT SAGE. Serjeant Je? ; e Sage, who '.s in his eishty-nfth year, is now a resident of Wisangarei. He i 5 still hale and hearty, however, and has a. clear recollection of the early Northern engagements between the Jlaori and the pakeha. Sergeant Sage was present at Ohaeawai. at Okaihaa and at the famed Ruapekapeka fights It was on -June 15. IS4. r >. that the company, of which the sergeant a member marched from Waimate North, with the object of rapturing , the Ruapekapeka pah. The troops bombarded the place for 21 days, but could not effect b breach. A party 200 strong, in which the Sergeant was included, was then told off to take the pah by storm, 30 of them carrying scaling ladders. As they approached a heavy volley from the defenders greeted them. This was too much for tiie untrained settlers. The sealing ladders •rceie incontinently dropped, and a retreating rash was made for cover. Only oue of the besiecers stood his sTound in

iace of fie fire. This was an oid man-o"----■mifsjnan, who marched forward " on his own," and planted his Udder against the pah. Taking heart by this brave example, the attacking party returned to the fray in a forward rush, removing the stigma of cowardice. It was a fatally indiscreet movement, however its daring might be applauded, for within , five minutes 127 of them were hors de combat, either killed or wounded, and the remainder irere' compelled to retreat, leaving the dead lying where they had fallen. Three flays afterwards the enemy granted an Bimistiee while the dead were buried.

Learning caution from the disastrous consequences of a frontal attack, the beaegers formulated their next advance in skirmishing order. The crafty defenders immediately reckoned up the position, and fay clever counter deploying the old chief. Kawhiti worked his men in between the skirmishers and the main body. The only resource left the skirmishers was to close up. fix bayonets, and charge their Tray through to the lines, and this they succeeded in doing with little Joss, the Maoris havinsi a wholesome dread of cold steel. During a later skirmish Sergeant Sage ■>ras placed in a perilous position, from which he escaped un-eathed by coolness and pluck. When at a considerable distance from the other skirmishers, the Sergeant found him.-elf suddenly confronted by two of the enemy, one of them tearing a musket, and the other flourishing a long-han lied tomahawk. In a second the Sergeant's gun had conveyed a fatal message to the Maori with the musket, who fell like a log. With bayonet fised the Sergeant then rushed the 'other Dative, who fumed and (led. It was for this exploit that the Sergeant received «s present rank, being promoted from tne position of a corporal on the spot. The above articles appeared in part of yesterday's edition.