THE LATE ACTIONS ON THE WEST COAST.

Press, Volume XIV, Issue 1852, 22 March 1869, Page 3

THE LATE ACTIONS ON THE WEST COAST.

COLONEL WHITMORfI's DESPATCHES. Head-Quarters, Patea, March 12, 1869. Sir, —In continuation of my last report, I have the honour to inform you that yesterday I marched from Norman's Flat with all the drays I could collect at Wairoa (3), and brought my force to the Whenuakura mouth, wnen, by means of the two boats, I had directed Lieut.-Colonel St. John to place there, I crossed the men and horses. Happening to find four drays on the beach I had these dragged through the stream, and with these completed the removal of my camp. The work was hard on the men, the last division not arriving till 10 or 11 o'clock at night. The transport drays, both those loaded with the ammunition and other stores, and those returning to bring up the hospital, &c, having gone round by the Waitotara Heads were, in consequence of the heavy floods, separated from mc altogether, and they had to be taken back to Wereroa to be dragged down the hill by the men, and all their contents packed up in the same way, and brought across by the barrel pont at Perehama. The new road at Wereroa, which is a very heavy work, is not yet completed for dray traffic, but as I have left a garrison of fifty men at the post with orders to finish it, I trust that communication may soon be established for wheel transport, available for all weather. Oα my arrival at this port, I received the reports of the attack on the escort of yesterday, and enclose Lieut. Hunter's report. The men appear to have behaved bravely, and Lieut. Hunter deserves every credit for bis soldierly conduct and arrangements. I conceive that, as the enemy allowed several persons to pass withiout molestation, and waited for the escort, that his design was to impede | i my actions by depriving mc of supplies. If this surmise is too civilised a motive for his movement, it is very difficult to J understand why he permitted so many individuals travelling almost alone, to pass the beach, and reserved his attack for the strongest party likely to pass. The only casualty suffered by the escort was the loss of one if not two horses. Of these one was the horse of the contract shepherd, and the enemy, on observing it fall, ran up and possessed himself of the saddle. No. 3 Division came up to-day, and j to-night I shall move at 9 p.m. in two columns, to attack the enemy, who has not, I think, as yet passed the Patea ] river, which is in flood. I am in great hopes that I may now come up with Titoko Waru's women j and baggage, which he will, doubtless, defend. It appears that having followed him steadily through the bush, and through the several new tracks j lie has opened, he has at last deter-

mined to relinquish his hold of the whole district be has possession of, and to fall back on his own country. 1 I trust and believe that 1 leave no enemy behind, and as I move in light order, I shall be able, with the garrison of Patea, to muster 600 effectives, inclusive of the native force, for operations, until I bave to establish posts of communication. To avoid lessening this, which is no more than sufficient, I have ordered the Veterans to take up the post at Nnkumaru, and shall briug forward the men thus liberated to form a garrison at a moro advanced post. Owing to sickness and other causes from which this forco has lost ; men, I would recommend the careful enrolment of any men who may offer to engage up to the number of 100 men. I have, &c, G. S. Whitmore.

Advance Camp, Patea,

March 11,1869. Sir, —I have the honor to inform you, for your information, that the convoy from Patea to Wairoa, on the 10th instant, of which I was in charge, was attacked by the rebel Maoris at the mouth of the Whenawakura Eiver. By keeping up a steady fire on the point of attack, and throwing out a few skirmishers to outflank the enemy, we were enabled to dislodge them from their position, which was occupied by our skirmishers, until I considered all danger had passed, in consequence of ther eady assistance I received in reinforcement from the Advance Camp, Patea. I have the honor to remain, Tour obedient servant, Jas. Hunter, Lieut. P.E.V. The Officer Commanding Camp, Patea. Head-quarters, Kakaramea, Patea, March 14, 1869. Sir, —I marched on the evening of the 12th inst., in two columns, respectively a little under 400 and 200 strong, by both banks of the Patea Eiver. I myself accompanied the larger column, which was more especially intended to attack the enemy, and reached the jungle side at daybreak without being discovered. Lieu-tenant.-Col. St. John commanded the left column, and also reached the bush early at Otoia (G-entle Annie) so that there was good reason for hoping that he had been unperceived. His object was to intercept the enemy's retreat. As we approached the enemy's camp, which we had discovered only by such indications as might be studied in the chase, but are seldom relied on in warfare, we threw off our packs and prepared to attack the position. It proved to be on high ground, commanding the whole open country from Putahi to Kakaramea, on the range above the Patea river. Otaia must have been some miles below the stream, as only the back of " Gentle Annie " was visible. The spot was not a hainga of former times, but simply a camp chosen for its suitability by Titokowaru. A heavy mist unfortunately covered the spot, rendering it impossible to distinguish objects at a few yards' distance. This circumstance, which favored our approach, embarrassed us very much during the attack, and prevented Titokowaru's defeat from being the total destruction of his force. I divided the force into two columns of attack with a reserve. The right column was commanded by Major Kemp, with his own troops and native militia. No. 1 A.C., under Sub-Inspector Gascoigne in support. The left by Captain G-undry consisted of No. 8 A.C. No. 2 A.C. supported him. I gave the word to advance at about six o'clock, and both columns moved forward briskly. Unluckily the sentry, while escaping, was fired upon by the left column, and their shots, which but for the mist would not have saved Titokowaru, did as it turned out give him a timely alarm. Unable to see the way, and almost immediately fired upon with great precision by the enemy's guard or picket, which turned out with great alacrity, the Arawa No. 8 and No. 2 A.C. moved forward under great disadvantage, and ultimately were compelled to halt, holding their ground till the mist cleared off, the right column also pressed to what proved to be within a few yards of the camp, but was also obliged to lie down or take cover from the same cause and with the same object. I regret to say that during this interval we had to sustain many losses, hit from points which we could not see, but which proved afterwards to have been prepared for the purpose. At first the men thought they had been shot from the rear. At length the mist happily lifted, and Major Kemp, whom I senfc round to the right, reported the enemy's camp close by. I ordered a general advance, and Major Kemp,.,followed by the whole of his men from our right flank, rushed into that side, while Nol descended directly on the front, and the Arawa and No. 2, against whom

the resistance was most protracted, afc length drove the enemy past his position and entered from the left. Major Kemp, allowing his men little time to plunder the camp, pushed on with his own men, the guides, and No. 8, driving the enemy before him. After about an hour I had the satisfaction of hearing Colonel St. John's men open on some of the fugitive®, and shortly afterwards I collected the force and bivouacked. At about noon Major Kemp returned with the party which had pressed furthest in pursuit, bringing with him two women prisoners, and having overtaken and killed several wounded fugitives, though the bush was so thick and country so precipitous that he had been unable to overtake the main body. Hβ had prevented them from crossing at the main ford, but the tribe of Ngatiruanui aro celebrated as the best buahmen in the island, except, perhaps, the Ngatiporou and Urewera, and are on their own land, so that Kemp's natives and the Arawas, only some of whom have a general knowledge of the country, oould not overtake men flying for their lives with such advantages in favor of their escape. The behaviour of our men has been excellent, both natives and Europeans striving to do their best, and showing the greatest desire and impatience to close with the enemy, who, on tho other hand, finding for how short a time he could prevent being grappled with by our troops, fled precipitately directly the partial lifting of the fog enabled our men to see where to charge him He has left seven or eight dead on the ground at no very great distance, but he has lost all his camp, bell tents, baggage, many arms, saddles, tools of every description, and even a very great many commonly used pipes, so great was the panic which must have taken him. A great quantity of food, fresh meat and potted meat, fruit, potatoes, clothes, blankets, almost everything down to the tomahawks and Maori spears, fell into the hands of our men. I learn from the prisoners that Titokowaru was himself present, and narrowly escaped, having had to swim the river, that his force consisted of four hundred " guns," and was therefor© fully equal to my own in point of number, that they only heard of my approach from the sentry, and that dissentions prevail in the camp since Titokowaru's failure to carry out his promises, and the retreat from Turangaika. The natives are out to-day searching the bush on the north bank of the river beyond Otoia, and I shall judge from Major Kemp's report what course to pursue. Betubn of Men Wounded in Action on the 13th Day of Maboh, 1869. No 1 Division, A. o.—Sergeant Richard Shepherd, gunshot wound in the face, very severe. Lance-Corporal Wm. Guthrie, gunshot wound in the face, very severe. Constable Thomas Kelly, gunshot wound in the foot, severe. Nonstable John Black, gunshot wound in the right side and left leg, dangerous. No. 2 Division, A. C.—Constable Charles Watt, gunshot wound in the left leg and thigh, severe. Constable James Langford, gunshot wound in both hands and neck, severe. Constable J. Kennedy, gunshot wound in right thigh, slight. Corps of Guides.—Thomas ileurs, gunshot wound in the left side, dangerous, I No. 8 Division, A. C. —Corporal Frederick G-undry, wounded in the intestines, fatal. Buonaparte, wounded in the left side, dangerous. Haihana Whakatea, and two others, slightly wounded, doing well. Kemp's Natives. —One man slightly wounded, doiug well. C. Hooper, Surgeon, Patea F. Forcee.