GENERAL SIB JOHN MONEILL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1825, 14 April 1885, Page 2

GENERAL SIB JOHN MONEILL

(tek-ehal Sin Jonx McNiell. 1C.C.8, K.C.M.G., V.C., who commanded the British troops in the engagement at Hasheen, and who has heen blamed for the heavy loss of officers and men which occurred on that occasion through tho enemy effecting a surprise, is well known iv this quarter of the globe. When General Sir Duncan Cameron was despatched in 18(51, wi.;h an army numbering eventually 10,000 meu of all arms, to suppress the Maori rebellion in New Zoa'and, Major McNiell (as he then was) came with him as aide-de-camp, and served with him, until Sir Fred. Weld's "selfreliant policy" brought about the withdrawal of tho British troops four years later. Tho relations of tho Imperial officers with the colonial Government and public were decidedly what diplomatists called "strained," and not "a few of the staff appeared to deem it theu* duty to make themselves as unpleasant as possible by their (/rands airs militaires. Sir John McNiell, however, was hy kinship a colonist, for he had a brother settled iv Southlaud as a sheep-farmer and sitting in the House of Representatives, and throughout the whole of those wretched misunderstandings which ended iv the abrupt removal of the Governor, Sir George Grey, through War Office intrigues, he contrived to be popular and respected amongst all classes of tho community. Ilia services in the field were not less brilliant than his social success. In half-a-dozen different engagements and "affairs " he displayed conspicuous bravery, and at the bloody battles of Rangiriri and the Gate Pah he so distinguished himself as to gain hoth glory and promotion. On the 30th March, 18G4, he earned the Victoria Cross hy one of those cool acts of daring which come naturally to men of his temperament, hut which are utterly impossible to men of a different sort. Riding on staff duty to headquarters at Te Awamutu, he saw his escort, Privates Vosper and Gibson, of the New Zealand Pefence Force, suddenly attaked hy an ambuscade of fifty natives. Gibson gained safety hy fight, hut Vosper was unhorsed, and in a few seconds must have beeu in the enemy's hands. Thereupon Sir John McNiell, who was out of danger himself, deliberately returned, caught Vosper 's horse, assisted him to mount, and brought him away in safety hy sheer hard galloping, amid a shower of bullets. The natives admitted that they ought to have killed hoth officer and man, but thoy were so dumbfounded by the intrepid courage of the proceeding that they first lost time, and then fired wildly. A similar act, under far less trying circumstances, would have saved the life of the Prince Imperial in Zululand. After leaving New Zealand Sir John McNeill served with ever-increasing distinction in Ireland, at the Red River, and in Ashantee, where he was second in command under General Wolseley. He was wounded all but mortally in the attack on Essaman, during the advance to Coomassie, aud retired from active service, with abundance of honors and the hest home appoinments that happened to be available. He has been AJD.C. to the Commander-in-Chief and Equerry to the Queen for more than .10 years ; and it was with surprise and pleasure that his friends heard recently of his having accepted active employment in the Soudan.