THE WAIKATO WAR.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 299, 16 December 1911, Page 17

THE WAIKATO WAR.

18 6 3-4.

X 3? JOHN FBATON.

CHAPTER XVII.— (Continued.) Colour-Sergeant McKenna, in his official report of the engagement, gives the following graphic account of the severe struggle that took place:— Alexandra Redoubt, Tuakau, Bth September, 18S0. Sir, —I beg to state for the information of the Lieutenant-General commanding- that at 10 o'clock p.ni. on the 7th September, 1863. I proceeded under command of Captain Swift, with the force ai per margin, to attack a party of natives who had set fire to the friendly nati;. e pa erected on the township of Cameron for the purpose of trying to rescue Mr Armitage and a party of friendly natives who were known to have been down there; also a quantity of commissariat supplies brought up from Waiuku. Proceeding in skirmishing order, we arrived at about 2.30 p.m. at the skirt of the bush leading to the ranges on which the pa was situated, and after an hour's struggle through toe bosh we came to a clearing. Halting, our captain ordered our half ration of rum to be distributed, sending' on the advance guard immediately after. When, on having proceeded a few hundred yards, it became apparent that the advance guard had lost or struck off the track, but that we had grained it 1 then proposed to Captain Swift to advance and act as scout to the party, to which he immediately assented, cautioning me not to proceed more than thirty yards in front of the main body. After advancing in this order for about threeijuarters of a mile I observed tracks of natives, and in large numbers; this I pointed ont to the captain, and a little further on I heard the natives in loud debate, on which (expecting that they were returning on the track that they were pursuing) I again informed Captain Swift, who ordered the men to lie down in the bush, at the same tune ordering them not to fire until he gave the word of command. However, on finding that the natives were not advancing, I crept up to within twelve yards of them, when, from their conversation, I jndged they were under the influence of liquor. Captain Swift immeolaiely called to advance, ordering the men to fix bayonets and charge, we advanced to within six yards of them, when they opened a most terrific fire; Captain Swift and Lieutenant Butler were at the time leading on the men, and after receiving the enemy's fire, the men gave a cheer and returned it in grand style; Lieutenant Butler shooting down a native on his right, turned his revolver to the left as quick as thought. I saw him come on his knee, at the same time discharging the remainder of the barrels of his revolver, bringing another native do -vn at the same time that he fell himself. Seeing that he was wounded, I ordered Corporal Ryan and one of the men to take him to the rear; when he ordered me to lead the men to the front; on turning to my left I found Captain Smith mortally wounded, and after speaking a few words to him, he desired me to take his revolver and lead on the men, as at that time I was loading. With one loud hurrah, we charged, burning to avenge our officers. I now found myself in an open clearing of a few yards, the rebels flying to cover on our right and left, where they opened fire on my small party, who at this time numbered 2 sergeants, 1 bugler, and 35 men. Seeing that we were greatly outnumbered, I determined to hold on to our position if possible nil dark, trusting that the men in charge of Captain Swift and Lieutenant Butler had retired well to the rear, and been joined by our lost advance guard; if so, I knew they would be able to make well towards the redoubt before darkness set in, when probably I should be enabled to join them; but I found at about a quarter to 6 o'clock that the enemy had got round to our rear, thereby cutting off our retreat by the way we came. I immediately ordered a charge, but was met by a volley that killed 1 and wounded 3 men. On trying again, I found it hopeless to attempt it; I therefore determined to retreat down the hill which was covered with fern, and, sending on our wounded, I threw out a line of skirmishers, ordering the front rank to "fire and retire." In this order we retired down the hill in a steady and orderly manner, the natives coming out of the bush and raining down a complete shower of bullets on us, when, although we were not above 100 or 150 yards from them, not a man was hit At this time it was near dark, but we managed to scramble through the bush, until at last we lost the track, when I ordered the men around me, and told them that I should stay there till morning, ordering not a word to be spoken, or a pipe to be lighted. I now found that four men were missing, and knowing that it would be completely uselss to attempt at that time to find them, I determined to wait until morning, hoping in the meantime to hear them about in the bush. At 4.45 o'clock a.m. on the morning of the Bth, we commenced to try and gain a track out of the bush, and r.t about 8 o'clock a.m. we succeeded, and were met about half-way from the redoubt by Colonel Murray and his party, and then learned that our esteemed captain was dead. After detailing a man to return as guide to Colonel Murray, I continued my march to the camp, which we reached at about n o'clock a.m. completely exhausted. I am sorry to report our casualties were very great, but taking into consideration the number to which we were opposed—being near seven to one—we have every reason to be thankful that it was not greater. I hope it may not appear presumptuous on my part to bear testimony to the cool and gallant behaviour displayed by the late Captain Swift and Lieutenant Butler in this desperate affair; the Captain issuing his commands as if on parade, and even when wounded, refusing to take one man from the force to take him to the rear, until he was told that I would not be able to keep my position much longer; and Lieutenant Butler, even when brought on his knee, in the coolest manner possible, deliberately fired the shots from his revolver into a crowd of Maoris. I need scarcely add that the men behaved most gallantly; In fact, it would be impossible to recapitulate the many acts of individual courage where each man emulated the other in acts of heroic bravery. I, however, beg to bring to your favourable consideration the valuable assistance I received from Sergeant Bracegirdle, who supported me throughout in a most intrepid manner; as also Lance-Corporal Ryan, Privates William Buliord, John Talbot, John Cole, and Benjamin Thomas, for the devotion they manifested to their officers, by staying with them until half-past seven p-m. on the night of the 7th insL Captain Swift died at that time, after which thty hid his body in the bush and waited until morning, and then, carrying Lieutenant Butler in their arms, they returned, meeting Colonel Murray and force. Corporal Ryan returned with Colonel Murray and pointed out the spot in which Captain Swift's body was hidden. I should estimate the loss of the enemy to be between 20 or 30 killed and wounded, 7 of whom I myself distinctly saw shot dead and dragged into the bush by the rebels.—l have, etc., E. McKENNA, Colour-Sergeant 65th Regt. ,W. Hutchinson, Lieut-Colonel, Assistant Military Secretary. The 65th lost one officer and two privates killed and one officer and three privates wounded and one private named Bryan missing. It afterwards transpired that the unfortunate man, becoming separated from his comrades, wandered about the bush in a demented state for two days, when he was discovered by a party of natives and killed. Two other men who had lost their way afterwards returned to the redoubt at Tuakau. The enemy lost "ipwards of thirty men. The body of Captain Swift was conveyed to Auckland and buried with military honours in the Church of England cemetery. Lieutenant Talbot, although severely wounded, soon recovered and rejoined his company in the field. For his services at Cameron, Colour-Sergeant McKenna afterwards received a commission and the Victoria Cross. Corporal Ryan, who remained with Private Bulford in charge of Captain Swift until he expired, also was awarded the Victoria Cross, but, unfortunately, never lived to wear it, being a short time after the engagement at Camerontown drowned whilst trying to save a drunken comrade who had fallen into the water. Private Bulford, and Privates Talbot, Cole, and Thomas, who attended to and remained with Lieutenant Butler, each received a medal for distinguished conduct in the field. At Tuakau the 65th put up a memorial of their visit, formed of three blocks of sandstone raised on the stumo of a tree by the river-side, which bore the Allowing inscription : ai s INDIA. J ARABIA. ta S3 a a S TTJAKAC. At the top of the Bluff, near the redoubt, the body of Private Stephen Grace, 65th, killed in the action at Cameron, was buried. A wooden slab was erected over the grave in memoriam, and contained the following verse:— No strand, no harmony, no Joy, Can art or mnslc frame; Uo thoughts con reach, no words can say Xhe sweet of thy blest name, i

CHAPTER XVIH. Whilst Colour-Sergeant McKenaa and his small band of heroes were yet struggling through the bush on their way to the redoubt.at Tuakau on the morning of the Bth, a mixed force of Volunteers, consisting of 20 of the Maokn Rifle Volunteers, nnder Lieutenant Lusk, and the Forest Rangers, under Lieutenant Jackson, in all some sixty men, started from the Manku stockade to reconnoitre the country in the direction of Pattnnahoe. After passing through some bush, the party came upon the deserted house of Mr Lusk, which was found to have been pillaged by the natives—thence some clearings were traversed and the bush once more entered Signs of fresh Maori trails put the force on the alert, and in a short time a shot was heard some distance in their rear, then a volley. The order was given to right-about and return in the direction of the firing. After marching some distance, the halt was given, and the sound of Maori voices could be plainly heard. One party, under Lieutenant Jackson and Lieutenant Lusk, with the Mauku Rifles, proceeded towards the direction in which the shots were fired, and the Forest Rangers, under Ensign Hay, with Mr Hill as guide, went through the bush in an opposite direction, to cut off any natives between Lieutenant Jackson's party and the clearing where the firing was supposed to have been. The Mauku Rifles advanced through the bush, and came out into the clearing of Messrs Lusk and HilL Here they found a bullock lying on its side that had evidently just been shot, the*blood still oozing from a bulletwound. No natives being visible, the party commenced skinning the beastWhile thus engaged, a shot was suddenly fired from the bush, followed directly afterwards by another. The men were instantly on their feet, and made a dash towards the smoke which was still hanging about the trees. The bush was here very dense, and cumbered with fallen trees and supplejack vines, and the men with Lieutenants Jackson and Lusk had some difficulty in getting through. Forcing their way in, they suddenly confronted the enemy, who opened fire at a distance of a few yards, the white smoke from the fire covering Lieutenant Jackson's party like a cloud. The bush was so dense that the natives could not be seen, although only a short distance off. Directly after they had fired, the Maoris commenced shouting to the white skins to come on. Lieutenant Jackson's party answered this challenge by pouring a volley into the thicket. Some of the enemy were hit, for they directly commenced howling and opened firing again, which was replied to with vigour by the Mauku Rifles, who extended themselves in skirmishing order, remaining all the time well under cover. After keeping up the duel for half-an-hour, Lieut Jackson gave the order to "Charge," which, with a loud cheer, was instantly done; but the natives finding at this juncture that Ensign Hay with the Forest Rangers was cutting off their retreat, fled precipitately. Lieutenant Jackson's party had no casualties, although several privates of the Mauku Rifles had narrow escapes. John Wheeler received a shot through his coat; Alfred Speedy one through his cap, and Worthington one through his trousers. After following the enemy through the bush for some distance, the party returned to the Mauku stockade. On the same day as the above skirmish occurred a party of natives took up a position on some high gronnd overlooking the Razorback Redoubt on the Pokeno range. After exchanging shots with the defenders for about an hour, they retired. A few days afterwards the Maoris again put in an appearance in the vicinity of Cameron, and moving towards Tuakau under cover of a belt of bush adjoining the redoubt, opened a heavy fire on the position, which was returned by the 65th with interest. After wasting a food deal of ammunition the natives withdrew, not daring to make any attempt to storm the redoubt, but taking care to keep all the time well under cover. The natives being again in force, roaming through the bush, the orderly duty between the Queen's Redoubt and Drury was attended with great risk. This duty was entrusted to troopers of the Mounted Artillery, who carried the despatches and mail. The orderlies, generally three in number—never less than two—used to start from the Queen's Redoubt in the evening after dark, and spurred their horses into a hard gallop the whole of the road over the Pokeno ranges to Drury. Strange to say, they were not molested by the enemy; probably on account of their travelling at night, the natives having a great antipathy to be abroad after sunset, being superstitious and afraid of the evil spirit Taipo. From Drury, if necessary, communication could be obtained with Auckland by telegraph, the wires at this time having been laid as far as Drury. (To be continued weekly.)