GENERAL CAMERON'S DESPATCHES

Press, Volume IV, Issue 488, 23 May 1864, Page 3

GENERAL CAMERON'S DESPATCHES

The following despatches were published in a General Government Gazette issued on the 9th instant :— Head Quartcrs.Taurangx, May 5, 183 i. Sm,—lt having been decided by your -xrellencv ancl inyseif, m consequence of inform-,tion received from Colonel Greer, commanding at Tauranga that reinforcements should be sent to that Station detachments were embarked without delay in H.M ships V *? d falcon, Placed at my disposal by Commodore Sir William Wiseman, and by the 20th April were all landed at the Mwsion Station of Taur.inVi to which place I hud transferred my Head-Quarters' on the 21st April. On the 27th I moved the 68th Regiment, under Colonel Greer, and a mixed detachment of 170 men under Major Ryan, 70th Regiment, towards the rebel entrenchment, of which I made a close reconnaissance. It was constructed on a neck of land about 500 yards wide, the slopes of which fell off into a swamp on either side. On the highest point of this neck they had constructed an oblong redoubt, well palisaded and surrounded by a post and rail fence—a formidable obstacle to an'assaulting column, and difficult to destroy with artillery. The intervals between the side faces of the redoubt and the swamps were defended by an entrenched line of rifle-pits. I encamped the 68th Regiment, and Major Ryan's detachment about 1,200 yards from the ene'my's position on the 27th, and on that and the following day the guns and mortars intended to breach the position were brought up to the camp, which was joined by a large force of seamen and marines, landed at my request from the ships ot the squadron by Commodore Sir William Wiseman. The composition and strength of the force assembled in front of the enemy's position on the evening of the 28th, are shown in the margin* Having received information that, by moving along the beach of one of the branches of Tauranga harbor at low water, it was possible for a body of troops to pass out aide the sW'imp on the enemy's right, and obtiin the rear of his position, I ordered Colonel Greer to make the attempt with the GSth regiment, after dark on the evening of the 28th, and in order to divert the attention of tho enemy from that side, I ordered a feigned attack to be made in his front. Colonel Greer's movement succeeded perfectly, and on the morning of the 29th he had taken up a position in rear of the enemy, which cut off his supply of water and made his retreat in daylight impossible, but was necessarily too extended to prevent his escape by night. I enclose Colonel Greer's report of his proceedings :—- During the same night the guns and mortars were placed iv position, and opened fire soon after daybreak on the morning of the 29th. I gave directions that their fire should be directed principally against the left angle of tho centre work, which, from the nature of the ground, I considered the most favorable part to attack. Their practice was excellent, particularly that of the howitzers, and reflects great credit on the officers in eoninland of batteries. About twelve o'clock, the swamp on the enemy's left having been reported by Captain Greaves, Deputy Assistant-Quarter-Master-General, practicable for the passage of a gun, a six-pounder Armstrong gun was taken across to the high ground on the opposite side, from which its fire completely enfiladed the left of the enemy's position, which he was thus compelled to abandon. The lire of tlie guns, howitzers, and mortars was continued with short intermissions until four p.m., when a large portion of the fence and palisading having been destroyed, and a practicable breach made in tho parapet, I ordered the assault. 180 seamen and marines, under Commander Hay, of H.M.S. Harrier, and an equal number of the 43rd Regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Booth, formed the assaulting column. Major Ryan's detachment was extended as close to the work as possible, to keep down the fire from the rifle-pits, with orders to follow the assaulting column into the wo'*k.

The remainder of tho soamen and marines, and of the 43rd Regiment, amounting together to 300 men, followed as a reserve.

The assaulting column, protected by the nature of the ground, gained the breach with little loss, and effected an entrance into tlie main body of the work, when a fierce conflict ensued, in which the natives fought with the greatest desperation. LieutenantColonel Booth aud Commander Hay, who led into the work, fell mortally wounded. Captain Hamilton was shot dead on the top of the parapet, while in the act of encouraging his men to advance, and in a few minutes almost every officer of the column was either killed or wounded. Up to this moment the men, so nobly led by their officers, fought gallantly, and appeared to have carried the position, when they suddenly gave way, and fell back from the work to the nearest cover. This repulse I am at a loss to explain, otherwise than by attributing it to the confusion croated among the men by the intricate nature of the interior defences, and the sudden fall of so many of their officers. On my arrival at the spot, I considered it unadvisable to renew the assault, and directed a line of entrenchment to be thrown up within one hundred yards of tho work, so as to be able to maintain our advanced position, intending to resume operations the following morning. Tlie natives, availing themselves of the extreme darkness of the night, abandoned the work, leaving some of their killed and wounded behind. On taking possession of the work in the morning, Lieutenant-Colonel Booth and some men were found stdl living, and to do credit to the natives, had not been maltreated : nor had any of tho bodies of the killed been mutilated. I enclose a list of our casualties. , , 1 deeply deplore the loss of the many brave and valuable officers who fell in the noble discharge of their duty on this occasion. The 43rd Regiment and the service liave sustained a serious loss in the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Booth, which took place on the night after the attack. I have already mentioned the brilliant example shown by this officer in the assault; and when I met him on the following morning, as he wa3 being carried out of the work, his first words were an expression of regret that he had found it impossible to carry out my orders. The heroism and devotion of Captain Hamilton and Commander Hay, reflect tho highest honor on the Naval Service. The loss of the enemy must have been very heavy, although not more than twenty bodies and six wounded -were found in and about their position. It is admitted by the prisoners that they carried off a large number of killed and wounded during the night, aud they also suffered in attempting to make their escape, as described in Colonel Greer's report. In my reports to his Royal Highness the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief and the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for War, I have brought to their favorable notice the names of the officers who * General Staff—4 field officers, 1 subaltern. Medical Staff—2 field officers, 1 subaltern. Naval Brigade —4 field ofliecu, 6 captains, 7 subalterns, 36 sergeants, 5 drummers, 371 rank and file. Royal Artillery—l field officer, 1 captain, 3 subalterns, 1 staff, 1 sergeant, 43 rank and file. Royal Engineers —2 rank and file. Moveable Column—l field officer, 2 captains, 3 subalterns, 1 staff, 6 sergeants, 4 drummers, 164 rank and file. 43rd Regiment—l field officar, o captains, 5 subalterns, 3 staff, 17 sergeants, 12 drummers, 250 rank and file. 98th Regiment—3 field officers, 6 captains, lv sub alterns, 3 staff, 34 sergeants, 21 drummers, 650 rank and file. . Total—l 6 field officers, 20 captains, 3o subalterns, 8 staff, 94 sergeants, 42 drummers, 14S0 rank and Hie. , , Detail of artillery employed—l 110-pounder Armstrong, 2 40-pounder Armstrongs, 2 6-pounder Armstrongs, 2 24-pownder howitzers, 2 8-inch mortars, 6 Cohorn mortars,

ptirticularlv distinguished themselves on this occasion. Commodore &>ir William Wiseman on this, as on every other occasion, co-operated with mc in the most cordial manner, and I am much indebted to him as well as to tlie whole of the officers and men of the Royal Navy and Murines who took part in these operations, for their valinble assistance. 1 have, kc, D. A. C-tt-sr.oN, Lieut. General. His Excellency Sir G. Grey, X.C.8., Camp Puke Wharar.gi, Ist May, 1564. Sir, —I have tbe honour to state fur the information of the Lieutenant-Genet—l Commanding, that in compliance with his instructions I marched out of camp with the 68th Light Infantry (strength as per margin), carrying one day's cooked rations, and a greatcoat each, on the 28th ultimo, at a quarter to seven oelock p.m., my object being to get in rear of the enemy's position by means of a flank march round their right. To accomplish this it was necessary to cross a mud flat, at tlie head of a bay, about three j quarters of a mile long, only passable at low water, j and then nearly knee deep, and within musketry range of the shore, in possession of the enemy —ro gh, high ground covered with ti-trec and. 2. At the point at which I got off the mud flat, there is a swamp about a hundred yards broad, covered with ti-trce about 5 feet high, on the opposite side of which the end of a spur —which runs dowu from the high ground in the rear of the pa—rose abruptly. This was also covered with heavy fern aud ti-tree. 3. It beingofthe Grst importance that tin's movement should be accomplished without attracting the attention of the enemy, my instructions were to gain the top of the spur alluded to, during the darkness, and remain there until there should be sufficient light to move on. 4. The regiment was all across, lying down in line along the crest of the ridge, with pickets posted around them, at ten o'clock which was two hours before the moon rose. I beg here to state that to tlie well-timed attack made by the Licuten-iut-Gcneral commanding, on the front of the enemies' pah, I consider myself indebted for having been enabled to accomplish this, the most difficult part of the march, without being attacked at great disadvantage, and exposing the movement to the enemy ; for when we reached the top of the ridge, the remains of their piequet fires were discovered, tho picqucts having no doubt retired to assist the defence of the pah.

5. About half-past one o'clock a.m. I advanced, and at three o'clock I reached a position about 1000 yards directly in rear of the pah. I w.i 3 guided in selecting this position by hearing the Maoris talking in their pah, and the sentries challenging in our Head-Quarters Camp. It was dark and raining at the time.

6. I immediately sent Major Shuttleworth forward with three companies to take a position on the left rear of the pah, and I placed pickets round the remainder of the rear, about 700 yards distant from it.

7. At daybreak I detached three companies to the right, under command of Major Kirby, and posted a chain of sentries, so that no one could come out of the pah without being seen. Up to this time tlie enemy did not appear to be aware that they were surrounded ; they were singing aud making speeches in their pah. Later in the morning, LieutenantColonel Gamble, C.8., Deputy-Quarter-Master-General, visited my post, having an escort with him of 30 men of the Naval Brigade, under Lieutenant Hotham, R.N., and seeing that I wanted reinforcement on my right, ho left his escort with mc, and I received valuable assistance from that excellent officer and his party. About the same time Major Shuttleworth moved more to his left, and closer to the pah. 8. Those positions were not altered during the bombardment, except temporarily, when the Maoris showed a disposition to come out at one or other flank, or when it was necessary to move a little from a position getting more than" its share of the splinters of •hell which kept falling about all day during the bombardment.

2. When the bombardment ceased, and the signal of a rocket let mc know that the assault was about bcin*' made, I moved up close round the rear of the pa in such a position that the Maoris could not como out without being met by a strong force. 10. About five o'clock p.m., the Maoris made a determined rush from the right rear of their pa. I met them with three companies, and, after a skirmish, drove tho main body back into the pa ; about twenty got past my right, but they rcceieed a flank fire from Lieut. Cox's party (68th, 60 men), and Lieutenant Hotham's (30 men) Naval Brigade, and sixteen of the Maoris were seen to fall; a number of men pursued the remainder. By the time I had collected tlie men again and posted them, it was very dark. My force available on tlie right was quite inadequate to cover the ground in such a manner as to prevent the Maoris from escaping during tho night; in fact, I consider that on such a wet dark night as that was, nothing but a close chain of sentries strongly supportcd°ronnd the whole rear and flanks, could have kept the Maoris iv, and to do that, a much stronger force than I had would have been necessary. 11. During the night the Maoris made their escape. I think that, taking advantage of the darkness, they crept away in small parties, for during the ni«ht every post either saw or heard some of them escaping, and fired volleys at them. The Maoris, careful °not to expose themselves, never returned a shot during the night but there were occasional shots fired from the pah, no doubt to deceive us as to their laving left it. 12. I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the 68th during the march on Thursday night: it was performed with the most complete stillness and regularity. I have also ihe greatest pleasure in being able to state that during the whole of their fatiguing duty they were always ready to obey cheerfully any order they received, 'and after dark it was most difficult to move about from the way in which tho ground in rear was swept by the musketry in front. 13. I am much indebted to the officers and noncommissioned officers for the active intelligence and zeal with which they performed their duty. I beg to mention particularly Major Snuttleworth, 68th Light Infantry, who, with the guide and six men, went feeling the way to tho front during the night march, and afterwards commanded on the left, repelling several attempts of the Maoris to get away in that direction. . Capt. Trent, 68th Light Infantry, who, with his company, formed the advanced guard during the ni»ht march, and performed that duty with much intelligence, and was afterwards engaged on the left, where°he enfiladed a ritle-pit, and in the front covering a working party. . Lieutenant Cox, 68th, who occupied with judgment and good effect an important position on my ri"ht where he enfiladed a rifle pit, and quite shut up what appeared the principal point of egress from ' lieutenant Hotham, Tvoyal Navy, who was with a party of the Naval Brigade, at tbe same post with Lieutenant Cox. _ . , To 'Lieutenant and Adjutant Covey, 68th Light Infantry, Field Adjutant, I am on this occasion, as on every other where duty is concerned, much indebted for the zeal and intelligence with which he has assisted mc in seeing my orders carried out. During the whole time, he was constantly on the alert, and active wherever he was required. To all I owe my best 14. I wish to bring to particular notice the admirable manner in which the regiment was guided by Mr Purvis, who volunteered to act as guide on the occasion. lie went to tlie front with Major Shuttleworth and six men, and without hesitating or making a mistake, brought mc straight to the position I wished to occupy. , . 15. The whole of the 6Sth Regiment was back m camp by four p.m. yesterday. The casualties were as follows : — Killed—l Sergeant 6Sxh Light Infantry. Wounded—l 6 Privates. I am, kc,

H. 11. Geeee, Col. and Lieut-Col 63th L.I. Conidg. Field Force, Camp Puke Wharangi.