THE WAR IN AUCKLAND. THE AFFAIR AT MAUKU. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1958, 26 October 1863, Page 3

THE WAR IN AUCKLAND. THE AFFAIR AT MAUKU. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

I bode over to the Maulm from Drnry yoaterday, to visit tlio scone of tho recent ongngoment at the former place, aud to gloau what further particulars I could concerning it. The ride is about tho most uninteresting I have had in New Zealand. Fern hills are succeeded by fern flats, the land being of the worst quality. As ono nears tho Mauku settlement, something akin to cultivation is visible, and close to the Ijelt of bush by which the range of vision in front is bounded, tho eye is relieved to a certain ovtont by tho sight of several cottage residences of settlers. Thcso have boon entirely abandoned. Mr. Walter's Hotel at the entrance to the settlement, is occupied as a dcp6t for military aud commissariat stores. A blockhouse has been built on Major Speedj r 's ground and in front of his house, which is held by the troops ' and colonial force on tho spot. Skirling the bush on our right, wo managed to get to the neat church, ■tvliicli liaa been transformed into a military post, being partially defended by heavy palisading and an attempt at an earthwork. Its position lenders it secure, however. It is situated a considerable distance from tho bush, on the highest knoll intho vicinity.and commands a view of Kiwikiwi and Bald Hill. Several settlers' houses are in the immediate vicinity, and I can imagine that before tho war there was quiet contentment in the district. Tho gardens of all the settlers have now the appearance of long noglect, as have also their houses, and tho truth is the labour of years has been thrown away. Looking from the Mauku church m a south westerly direction, there is a narrow strip of cleared land with bush on each side, the Bald Hill closing the prospect. It is the highest point, and being clothed with verdure at this season, is not an unpleasing object. Nearer isMr. Wheeler's clearing on Kiwikiwi, whichis par tially laid down with grass. A portion of the land only owned by Mr. Wheeler is cleared of the logs which remained after burning ; and in the centre of over thirty acres of blackened trunks and huge branches which strew the ground, there is a belt of about three acres of felled bush which has not yet been burnt. The smaller branches have been piled up in heaps upon the felled stems for burning. The foreground is open forn land, partially broken, aud intersected by a fresh-water stream and one or two gullies of no fcreat depth. Tho drainage from the higher ground has formed two or three small swamps in tho hollows, but thoso present no real obstacles to the movements of infautry. This description will assist my readers to understand what happened between the Maoris and the colonial force last Friday. The scene of tho engagement lay in tho clearing of Mr. Wheeler, aud v Inch, from personal inspection, I can say is as convenient a piece of ground for a bush skirmish as any one could desiro. From careful inquiries which I made on the spot, and from information kindly supplied by several of thoso who were engaged, I believe tho facts are somewhat as follow :—: — At about ten o'clock on Friday morning last, the atcentiou of tho Mauku force was aroused by a very heavy volley in tho bush on Mr. Wheeler's farm. A party of about thirty men, under the command of Lieutenant Lusk, of tho Mauku Volunteers, advanced to the church from the stockade, and the Maoris wore then seen in large force about two miles on". Lieutenant Luslc at once sent a message to Lieutenant Perciyal of the Ist Waikato regiment, to leave a guard of 15 men in the stockade and advance w ithout delay to rcinforco the party at the church. With twelve men Lieutenant Perceval started from the Tedoubt, in obedience to the orders he had received, but only partially obeyed them. Instead of keeping the open between the belts of bush already described, and pushing on with all despatch to reinforce the main body at the church, which he could have done without molestation, he resolved on the bolder course of attacking the enemy in the rear, under the impression that Lieutenant Lusk would push on with his force to assist them in front. He therefore struck into the bush track to the right of tho stockade, unobserved by those at the church, who were ignorant of the fact, aud impatiently waiting their arrival. If the force in hand had been equal to tho emergency, this flank movement would have produced a salutary effect, as it was so far successful that Lieutenant Perceval's handful of men actually did effect their object of a flank attack, aud miraculously made good their escape. Meamyhile, the detachment at the church were waiting anxiously for the reinforcement from tho stockade, and the reinforcing party were carrj ing on an unequal running fight with tho natives for half-an-hour, until they were at last driven from tho cover of tho bush into the open, about a milo in advance of the church. This was the first intimation Lieut. Lusk had, I understand, of tho reinforcements having left the stockade to his support. There was no time to be lost when they came in view, if the gallant fellows wore not to be cut off to a man. The natives were pressing on them on each Bide and in front, and it was evident that speedy succour must begiven or they would be sacrificed to the fury of tho enemy. The orc|er to advance was promptly gncn, and as promptly obeyed by the men, who went at the double to the relief of their comrades. Tho Maoris saw the small party advancing from the church, and gave over tho pursuit of Liout. Perceval's party, who soon after joined the main body under Lieut. Lusk, without having sustained the slightest injury. The enemy halted on a littlo fern hill, about five hundred yards in advance of the strip of land on which the lellecj b^sh has been burned, the postyiqn qf whiph 3f have already described. The colonial force, numbering in all about sixty men, still continuing to advanco up the open, the enemy retired to the cover afforded by the stumps aud logs, and from which position they opened fire on our men. When our force had taken up the position so hastily abandoned by the natives, they were halted with tho view of tempting the enemy from their cover. But the natives were too wary. They opened fire on tho colonial force, and some excellent rifle practice was made by a few of their number at full 600 yards. There were several narrow escapes, but these are not worth speiiking of. As tho natives would not be to. advance, and no morp than abput seventy men had been seen', ft was decided to afford thorn tho opportunity they denied our men. Tho party was put in motion, and the men were led to the attack. A heavy fire was kept up on the advance from behind the logs and stumps, but no harm was done When the assailants went nearer, the Maoris took to their heels, and fled precipitately over the crest of the hill, pursued by our men. The pursuit wns kept up beyond tho land encumbered with the felled timber ; but when tho pursuers had topped tho hill on Mr. Wheeler's farm, and obtained a full view of tlie intervening ground between them and tho Bald Hill, tho natives could be seen scampering off in that direction, out of range. The men were halted here, in tlip open bpyond the felled bush, and on the slopo of the Jjill furthest from the Qlmrch. After a lapse of 1 abut ton minutes tho men were ordorcd to retire in skirmishing order, to prevent sxirpriso. But they had gone too far, and wore caught in the toils of the enemy. While they were pursuing and watching the movements of tho party of natives who showed themselves, two much more numerous parties had extended their skirmishers from tho bush on the left and right along the strip of land, covered by the unburnt bush. This movement Lad been' performed with celerity and in silence. As soon, therefore, as the colonial force attempted to retire, the signal of attack was given by two shots being fired from the bush at their' extreme right. The men who fired those shots. , djd np^ show. Being on clear ground, the rear were, as yet,, free from apsault by tho enemy, liufc thp ; front

lines of skirraishorfl were almost, immediately assailed by the enemy in front and botll flanks. TJxo fight began iv earnest then, our men taking cover as well as possible, and attempting to drive off their assailants in front. This they would, no doubt, have accomplished, but for the heavy fire on both flanks', the enemy now appearing in large force, and bent evidently on surrounding the troops. Their retreat through the open was cut off effectually, and it becamo necessary to force an entrance into the near projecting angle of the bush on the left. Fighting evory inch of the way tho bravo follows, whose numbers wore rapidly diminishing, effected their object, and dislodged tho enemy who were in that portion of tho bush. Several of them wore cut off from their comrades, and ran the gauntlet for their lives between lines of foomen within a few yards. These men escaped as if by a miracle. The enemy gave up tho pursuit, after penetrating in force into tho bush for about a chain. Close by the bush one of our men fell. Another was shot in the act of bayoneting a Maori ; and tho only wounded man who survives, Private Johnston, of the Maultu Volunteers, shot a native dead after ho received the gun-shot wound which places his life in jeopardy. Lieut. Perceval fell close to a pile of brushwood somewhat early in tho fight. A pool of blood marks the spot where he fell. Accompauiedby a party of gentlemen I yesterday rode into the bush, ut the point charged by the men when iv retreat, and a pool of coagulated blood was pointed out to mo where a Maori had beon seen to fall, and where a small portion of his clothes had been picked up. Many of the enemy were seen to fall. Their loss is estimated from twenty to thirty, computing from tho number of rude stretchers, which I was told had beon found by the party who' went out to search for the bodies. On Saturday morning a party of natives were observed on the Bald Hill, and firing was heard. Reinforcements from Drury having arrived on Friday night, tho entire of the available forco advanced in the direction of tho onemy, but thoy wore nowhere to bo found. Tho bodios of seven men were found laid out on the green sward on the crest of the hill, a polo on which a white haversack was fastened marking the spot. They were all frightfully tomahawked, and p irtially stripped. Lieutenant Perceval's romaibs were horribly mutilated. Oue poor fellow, son of Mr. "Worthington of Drury, cierk to the [Resident Magistrate s Court, appears to have died from wounds inflicted by the tomahawk, as no gunshot wound was discovered. The remains of this, young man were consigned to their last resting-place yesterday at Mauku, the Hey. John Morgan officiating. Tho body of one man had not been found by the enemy, and on discovery was free from savage mutilation. The seven remaining bodies were brought into Drury 33 r estorday, and will be buried to-day at one o'clock with military honors. I should add that Lieutenant Norman is said to ..have had £50 upon his person when killed. This money is of course gone. The ciucmy secured six rifles and but little ammuniljion. The officers were armed , with revolvers. . The Flying Column uudei* the command of Captain Eutherford, of tho 70th Itogimont, started at a very early hour on Saturday morning from tho Queen's ltodoubt, to cutoff the retreat of the enemy by Purnpura, They reconnoitrod Cameroutown, and found it solitary. The main body of the natives had crossed the Waikato before our men arrived at the landing i>]ace, but one native was shot when crossing with others in the last canoe. The Flying Column then traversed the bush to reinforce the Mauku detachment. At present there arc 000 men at Mauku. It is .said that the natives who fought on Friday are the Ngatiporo, from tho East Coast. They wero at least 400 strong. Considering tho time occupied during the struggle and its unequal character, I think the Colonial forces engaged have earned the greatest- ci'edit, Ths natives haye slaughtered flnd driven off a large number of cattle, pigs, and poultry belonging to Mr. Wheeler. I saw the remains of two carcasses lying on tho field. They have likewise taken his potatoes, and destroyed a valnablo lot of grass seed. In fact, everything they could not carry off was demolished.