ENGAGEMENT AT WAIPA.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 73, 31 August 1865, Page 9

ENGAGEMENT AT WAIPA.

(From the 'Hawke's Bay Herald.') The. information obtained by the reconnaisance of Monday was very speedily turned to account* On Tuesday, the Ist, the weather was so very boisterous as to preclude operations, but a plan of attack was arranged for the following morning. That plan was as follows : — Captain Fraser, with Mr. Deighton, Mr. G-ascoigne, and thirty men of the military settlers, accompanied by the Chief Morgan, %as to ' leave Morgan's pah (Te Hatepe) at 4.30 a.m., and follow Up the river Maraehara to the back of Sentry Hill;; to take the hill by surprise, and to open fire from the height across the hill upon the enemy's pah beneath, so soon as day broke'. Lieutenant Biggs, ; Mr. Tuke, Mr. Hamlin (interpreter), and 30 volunteers, with the Chief Aropeta and another party of natives, to proceed from camp just before daylight, cross the river, and aAvait on the other side of. the pah the fire of the party under Captain Fraser — the men to keep concealed meanwhile. ' ; This plan was admirably carried out. Fraser ancLJiis men occupied, the hill, wliile Biggs took up a position to the left of the pah. After fire had been opened Fraser's men got within 60 yards of the pah, when both parties charged. They did so under a heavy fire, during which five of their number were wounded, but fortunately none killed. Captain Fraser was first inside, and is said to have had a narrow escape of being knocked on the head. The attack was so sudden and spirited that the rebels were panic stricken, and although they shewed fight at first and a short hand-to-hand conflict ensued, the butt end of the rifle and the bayonet, the latter especially, very soon settled the affair. Twenty-two of the enemy's dead were found in the pah, and three more bodies were found next day, making in all twenty-five kilted, besides wounded, several of whom were seen to crawl away into the scrub, where they were lost. Seven women were taken prisoners The enemy's position was surrounded, by an outer fance, about *70 yards from the entrenchment. The latter consisted of a ditch outside, with a parapet about three feet in height, at the top of which was a manuka fence, and in the inside rifle pits, which extended all round the pah. Immediately on its being taken the Hauhau flagstaff was cut down, the whares burned, and the fences levelled. An immense quantity of kumeras, potatoes and wheat, with several head of cattle and horses, as well as a large' number of cattle and sheep, previotisty taken from the chief Mokena, were found in or near the pah, and taken possession of. During the advance and attack, a party of natives under Morgan kept the hill and poured in a heavy fire, covering the advance ; and, as soon as the, pah was taken, came down and followed the fugitives-. Whilst the attack was going on, a small party of volunteers who had' been left behind as a reserve, co-operating with Aropeta and some ;riendly natives, attacked a settlement at Rangitukia, killing one of the people, and driving the remainder away. As to the charge it was certainly slendid. We were all close to the pah, when, finding the firing rather too hot, Friser gave the word 'Load tip boys, and fix baynonets.'- At the same time we all roared out to Biggs to do the same. 'Charge,' and away we went, 'devil take the hindmost.' — Fraser leading the way, and may be he didn't stretch" his legs; and away we went, some for the middle, others for each end of the pah. Fraser got his cap knocked off by a shot which, fortunately, missed hia head, and was seen tugging away at the revolver, which would nok go- off when wanted ; he killed his man, however, but whether with -rifle or-' revolver I don't know. Another Hau-hau, just as Fraser entered the pah, was in the act of giving -him his quietus, with a tomahawk,' when a military settler by the name of ' Wellfitt, interposed Hvith the 4 cowld steel 'at the nick of time. Biggs might be seen, on the right, running, as he never ran; b fore, after the enemy who 'were escaping, or trying to do so. U6 quarter was asked or given. ' Remember Volkner,' was the cry, and down with; the Hau-haus. A little way off might, bo seen' a long man" with a long rifle, thrusting right and' left, and smashing everything and everybody he came near, in a most determiped manner ; nothing could withstand his length of limb and might of arm." This sort of thing could not and did" not last long The ground was soon strewed/ with the dying and the dead-j-our gallant" fellows M. S. anclH. B. V. fighting as if the ; strengvh of ten men were in each. Down the Hau haus went like bullocks under the pole-axe ; arid; th on three, cheers were given which might4iave been lieard for miles. Our native friends, under, old Mokena, then came up and finished off what stragglers they could find, which, 1 by the by, were not mariy r astne baj'onet is an ugly weapon at close quarters. Old Pororangi, the head man of the Hau-hau% andj undetermined

enemy of the Europeans, was numbered with the dead — his double barrelled gun remaining in the hands of our gallant Wairoa R.M., who in this as -in every other fight, proved . himself an ugly oastomer. It was really wonderful to see a lot of untried wen fight in the way they did. No flinching; but genuine steady, determined hard fighting Of course there were; some old soldiers among (he number who behaved gallantly, and showed that they only wanted to be properly led: Taking it altogether; a better planned or executed little affair could hardly have been. A few more such, and^ good-bye to the Pai : Marire3~ Our native friends are delighted ; ia fact, I could hardly tell you 'the state of excitement: they were ia after the affair was over. Old 1 Mokenaj on the strength of it,, had. a smallwar party on his,' own account.. He wasaway a week, and came back laden, with loot in the shape of guns, horses, flags, mats, &c. One more brush with the vagabonds,, and 1 think they will be. effectually, smashed — 'chawed up' in fact; : .-.:;:.- ■. On the 3rd instant^ Morgan took tw& men and fourteen women prisoners,.