THE LATE DISASTER AT THE FRONT.

Press, Volume XIII, Issue 1729, 22 September 1868, Page 3

THE LATE DISASTER AT THE FRONT.

COLONEL MoDONNELL'S ACCOUNT. The following ia Colonel MoDonneU'e despatch to the Government:— Camp, Waihi, 9th-September, 1868. Sir, —I have the honor to; state, for the information of the Hon. the Minister tfor Colonial Defence, that I left here at four. a.m. on the 7th inst. with the force, as per margin intending to reach Te> Bua-ariiru through the bush, attack the village, and return by Tβ Ngutuotemanu. On reaching Mawhitiwhitt, ■we Btruck inland on the main track to Te Ngutuotemanu, and to seaward of the track that ie supposed to exist, and marked out on the map to Te Rua-aruru. After proceeding some distance on a very old trail it ceased altogether; we then headed in the supposed direction of the piece named We got into a very rough country, intersected with gullies and streams and a perfect network of Bupplejaoks. About one p m we ascended a bush ridge, and, on the advice of Horn Papara, oar guide, struck for the sea. to try and hit a track. After struggling in the bitfu for another hour, we heard voices a-head, and I sent a native uj> a tree to reconnoitre. He could only see emoke. Pushing on in the direction of the voices, we came upon three 0P f our bark huts, which were rushed by the Kupapas, who fired into tiem-the lQffiat away, leaving two killed, and three children nho were taken. I then left the KuSm f' bring up the rear, and directed && J y on Tempsky to lead on with v' immediate command, sending Horn t> and a few friendly nativee in front \? aP " a got into a fair track, and after ««, n Iboufc 400 ot 600 yard., m Zw E^" 18 hut* and a teat to the right of a e^Si^|

afterwards, to our surprise, found it was Titokowaru's sleeping place. Of course, there there was no one inside, tho shots that had heen fired h:iving warned them. Following sharp on tbo track, we crossed a creek, and ou risino- the opposite ban!; wo received a ?hnrp fire, as ;.* possible. I g •'. the men ij; in-.-d up,'c» ' returned it. In a very fevr i.v.nutfs we'were fired upon fro in Oont, right trad re»r but except within the piiisadiug i:i t\,o clearing in our front we could see no enemy. In examining tho place mere closely, I found vre were at the rear of To Ngutuotemauu, and not at Rua-aruru, and that a new stockade had beon erected, and the old one rebuilt.

As I could see that it would be impossible to rush, and, even if successful to hold the place, as the enemy were not only occupying but round three sides of it and up in tho rata trees, some of which were hollow at the butt and loopholod, I determined to collect the wounded, now seven in number, and oadeaTor to push to my left, the only point that appeared open. There was no track, ami tho frir natives who were with us not knowing of ono, Idirected Inspector ITuntef to nccotnpany the wounded with Captain Newlund, instructing the latter to keep Honi Papara in view, who p-omised to strike a way out. I was obliged to trust to his knowledge of tho couutry, ho having lived there for some time. I then returned to Major Yon Temprky, and sent Kemp to collect as many of his men as lie could, and send them to join Captain Xewland in front. I then desired Major Yon Tempsky to collect the rest of tho men to form a rear guard, and come on with mc. During the whole of this time the enemy were firing heavily at us in every direction. Our way had to bo cut through supplejacks and undergrowth, which, with the eight stretchers we now had, was a work of toil and difficulty. Wo at length reached tho creek that runs through Timaru but still no track. Presently tho news wa3 brought to mc that Mnjor Yon Tempskey, Captain Buck, Captain McDonnell (N.C.), and Lieut. Hunter were ehot dead; but just then Captain McDonnell came up and stated that Mnjor Yon Tempskey, Captain Buck, and "Lieut. Hunter were killed, and that he had told Lieut. Hastings that the only cbanco was to carry out the order that had been given to. Mnjor You Teinpskey at once. His reply was 1 " G'uptain Buck is sonior," and that he would consult him. C.iptain McDonnell then went to see Captain Buck, but found he wis killed, and the enemy by this time in possession of the place where the bodies of him, Major Yon Tempsly, and two men lay. He returned then and pointed out to Mr Hastings the necessity of retiring. . The fire at this

time was very heavy from the front, rear, and right, and from the tops of the rata trees, lie then followed on my trail, with eight natives and ten Europeans, and reported ,as above. I had "now with mc about cjghty men, including natives—hardly sufficient to carry our wounded now incre.ised in number, and to keep down the fire from our right. Knowing that a large proportion of the force was in rear with several good officers, I moved oh, feeling sure they wero Covering our retreat ; but I presently found the enemy had got between us, and it appears from what SubInspector Roberts tell-" mc that soon after Captain McDonnell - had left, the Hau-haus succeeded in completely surrounding the rear guard," and it was only with the greatest difficulty they cut their way through them. The Hauhaus then left him (as he struck to the left further into the bush) and came.after Tl3, overtaking us just before wo struck the main track leading into Te Ngutuotemanu ■ (a? in < map) • Captain McDonnell meanwhile had taken up a position at Tβ Muru to keep our front open ; our wounded had by this time increased to twelve, who had to be carried, besides several slightly hit, but could walk. The men with our party worked hard, but were so done up as to require every persuasion and advice I and my officers could think of to keep the majority from abandoning the wounded ;" one man. ikilled dead I had, to leave, and Dr Beet was badly hit in going to ascertain; hia state. The doctor had to be carried off on rifles, having no more stretchers with my party. The natives now swarmed in our rear, and kept up a heavy fire which I was obliged to return only occasionally, as my ammunition was very ehort. Captain Gumming and myself loading and firing now and then, and I was afraid the enemy might have got round to the crossing of the Waingongoro river before I could reach it.

Wβ attained the opening at Abi Pai just at dusk, and here received a parting volley from the enemy, they followed on yelling and commenced a war dance in the open ground oat of the bush. I caused my men to cheer, and gave them a vclley, which I should think took effect as their. dance ended rather ■ and they did not molest us any more. I may state that for some time I had not heard any distant firing, and therefore concluded the ] remainder of the force had got; in advance of mc. I pushed across on to the river and found a few of the friendly: natives holding the crossing. . We got the men and wounded safely across, and reached the camp about.ten p.m. A mixed party of natives and Europeans,: the latter .numbering about eighty, had arrived before mc, and, reported that all the officers were killed or wounded and loft behind, myself included. On roll being called I found that Sub Inspector Roberts, Captain Palmer, Lieut. Hastings and Ensign Hertzell; with about eighty men and four natives were still absent. I caused three; rockets to be. fired v and sent a; party to the .heights; above the river, and they sounded bugles,- but no response was heard ; being satisfied that I could do nothing nntil- daylight, the officers and men exhausted—even dismissed —I had engaged to start the natives to hunt up the missing men in tho morning, and just as they were-about to start: a party; xraa seen approaching. the camp, which proved to be Sub-Inspector Ensigu Hertzell, and men, with fotir natives who reported Captain Palmer and Lieut. Hastings as having been killed. I enclose the statement of Sub-Inspector Roberts ■of what took place from the time when be became senior officer of the rear-guard.

Colonel McDonneir pay's the highest compliments to the courage and daring of the officers,"and etate* Ms-confidence that if Major Yon Tempsky had lived a few minutea longer, much fewer menwoqld have'been lost. It appears, however, according to McDonnell's statement, that .most, of the men became dispirited when they found the enemy in, such, force on all sides of them. The conduct of the Eupapas was' excellent. " The despatch, concludes: — '' : '

I beg to. enclose 1 a list of my casnalMes, which, I deeply deeply deplore ere very heavy, but I am satined that of tfoq enemyiamuobJieavier.. The Supapas killed fifteen, and the known killed by the Europeans was thirteen, making a total of twenty-eight This 1 does not include the loss they must have-suffe&d' when" we were fighting our way out. —I have, &0., Thos. Lieut.-Cplpnel. U.B. —I omitted to mention that Father, Roland again accompanied the force, arid shared the same dangers. He also assisted to carry the wounded with my party, and bisesample was a. great incentive to my men to persevere. For fear there might ba any mistake, I regret to"state that the dead had all. to be left behind. MoDosNEix., Lieut.-ColoneL