MAJOR VON TEMPSKY.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 70, 10 August 1865, Page 5

MAJOR VON TEMPSKY.

From the ' New Zealand Advertiser.' A brief resume of the life of this distinguished officer will, perhaps, not be unacceptable to such of our readers as take an interest in our colonial warfare. The Major is the second son of Lieut.-Colonel Von Tempsky, of the Prussian service, and was educated at the Military College at Berlin, and eventually obtained his commission in the 3rd Regiment of Fusiliers, in 1844 ; but, being of a roving disposition, with an intense abhorrence for routine and red tape, and also strongly imbued with a love of adventure, he made up his mind to give up his profession, and accordingly started with some of his countrymen for the Mosquito shore, on the eastern coast of Central America, intending to found a new colony. The British Government, at that time, had established a sort of protectorate there, and had appointed R. Walker, Esq., as Consul-Ge-neral and Diplomatic Agent to represent British interests on that coast. The emigration scheme, turned out a failure, but Von Tempsky was made Captain, to ibrm an irregular force of the Mosquito Indians, who did good service against the Spaniards, and in leading and guiding the British officers and crews of H.M.S. Alarm>steamer Vixen, and brig Daring, against the Spanish stockades of Castilia ; Viojo ; Sarapequi,

and San Carlos, which were taken. Here our Consul-General met with a -fearful death, having- slipped overboard from one of the boats, and was immediately devoured by alligators (with which these rivers are swarming-) before any assistance could be rendered. Von Tenapsky, having* lost his most intimate friend in this horrible way, now seems to "have become partially disgusted, and, the Californian diggings breaking out about this time, our friend essayed to try his luck. He seems to have remained here some time, when he started back, and landing- at Mazatlan, on the west coast of Mexico, in the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains, he, with a friend, determined to pass through Central America, which they did, till they arrived at Blewfields, on the Mosquito shore. This journey forms the subject of that very excellent work, well known in the literary world, called " Mitta " or travels in Mexico and Central America, of which, our gallant friend is the author. After staying a short time, he married the daughter of the commandant of the station, and then set sail for England with his wife and father-in-law. There he remained one year, going through Scotland and vicinity with his new-made relations, when his, father-in-law died. Once again he left Europe, this time bound for Victoria, where his wife had a married sister. He now seems to have turned his attention to agricultural .pursuits; but some time after, the Government having planned an expedition to explore the interior, candidates to take command of the party were enquired for. Von Tempsky then came forward, but, as is well known, Burke was the successful man. A sort of feeling of national pride, that the interior of the colony should be explored by an Englishman, seems to have prevailed, and our friend's nationality in this instance seems to have been a bar to his success. He was, however, immediately offered the second in command, which he refused. About this time rumours of the Coromandel goldfields reached Victoria, and, as great depression existed at this time in Australia, Von Tempsky at once decided to try his luck, and sailed for New Zealand, proceeding at once to Coromandel, where his knowledge as a practical miner aided the Government considerably in developing the resources of that goldfield. On the war breaking out in July, 1863, he offered his services to the Government, and was appointed an Ensign in the Forest Rangers on the 26th August, 1863. From this time to November we find him attached to the Flying Column, scouring the Hunua Ranges, in whose fastnesses the natives had congregated. We next hear of him in company with Captain Thomas M'Donnell, then a Sub-Inspector in the Defence Force, he stole at night to Paparata, where the natives were assembled in great force. However, they managed to hide themselves in a flax swamp, and observe the movements of the enemy all that day. The next night they reached their camp at Whangamarino, and for the service rendered the Lieutenant- General commanding was pleased to express his entire satisfaction at the gallantry displayed by Sub-Inspector McDonnell and Ensign Von Tempsky, and also thanking 1 them for the information conveyed; Probably this was the most hazardous service performed during the war, as at the time there were at least 500 natives in the vicinity. For these services the Colonial Government promoted both officers to the rank of captain. Von Tempsky's next action took place on the 11th February, at Mangipiko, on the Waipa, where, to use his own quaint words in his despatch to the LieutenantGeneral, he says : — "My men with promptitude surrounded the thicket, and entering the same, revolvers in hand, extracted in a short time seven natives." For this duty he was mentioned by -the Lieu tenantGeneral in his despatches to his Excellency the Governor, amongst other officers conspicuous for their bravery on that occasion. On the 22nd February we again find him in action at Rangiawahia, which lasted for two days. After this fight the return of the Forest Rangers is thus ludicrously described by an eye witness — "They were loaded from top to toe; pigs, potatoes, spears, tomahawks, cooking utensils, and everything they could lay their hands on." On the memorable 2nd April, 1864, -we again find him engaged at the siege of Orakoa, behaving with his usual pluck, and for which he was promoted to. the rank of major. After this date^tsyo]! be remembered there was a lull, beingconquered j and it is only lately, that Major

Von Tempsky has had an opportunity ,of once again unsheathing his sword and exhibiting that spirit for daring energy that has so eminently distinguished him in his career in New Zealand. In the last action at Wanganui,we are quite aware that, as far as the actual number killed, it was not much, although the natives themselves acknowledge to a loss of fifteen, but the effect, morally speaking, has been enormous. It will prove to the natives that our troops can reach them any where^ however apparently inaccessible ; it will prove to them that they are never secure in their wildest fastnesses, and that they must sub- , mit in the end, and thus, we earnestly hope, tends towards an earlier termination of the ruinous war we are engaged in, and so in the end be far more humane than a weary prolongation of hostilities. Long may we be spared the services of this gallant officer.