THE REVIEW.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 4, Issue 195, 15 June 1861, Page 2

THE REVIEW.

'/-'■^TE^seyer^'day.&ofunprecedentedly-wet ;vjw.ea^lifir-,.^it^sud^^y;H.cl€ared iv honor of K^M^jesty'a Birthday, arid Friday mornarid, pleasant a day j'fM||^^a^'h.i^", : during-^e^^^ v-. i;V^^6e*greatVeyent was, ofiCQurse, - the re-

■; i^W;^hieh <wis^;to be -held: aV.JEllersuV; i^f^i jatj ■■.aa eariy; Hour bugles bruins

were heard, and streams of Volunteers and others .; were r seen wending their way to Albert /Barracks, where the. Artillery, the 65th :Regimefnt, ; and the Auckland Bifles and Coast Guard paradad at 10 o'clock. They then r started for Eilerslie, whieh.^^r reached simultaneously with the force From Otahuhuyconsisting of the 14th, 40th, 70th, and the detachmenfcs of the 12th. - -fThe following was the number of all ranks under arms : —

Royal Artillery 158 Royal Engineers „23 IrYtlhH- f 12th Regiment 162 IBtiiatt.^ 14th & t{ , 31() 2nd Battalion, 65th 767 3rd " 70th 564 4th « 4.oth 490 *»rt» Tiotf f Rifles and "> QOC OCn Jo&tt: \ n t. n j i 395 (. Coast G-uard j „ Royal Cavalry Volunteers 60 Total 2920

* So large a force have never, we believe, been paraded before in any of the Australian Colonies.

Lie at. -General Cameron, attended by Major Whitmore, Military Secretary, Capt. McNiel, A.D.C., Lieut. Glancy, 14th Regiment, Acting Brigade Major ; his Excellency the Governor, and suite, escorted by a detachment of the Auckland Cavalry Guards, under Captain Beckham ; Colonel Mould R.E., and Colonel Sillery arrived on the ground shortly afterwards. The troops were then drawn up in line, deploying on the light company of the 12th and 14th, the Rifles to the^extreme left of the regulars. The Artillery, with six 12---pounder Armstrong guns, were on the right, and the Cavalry on the , left flank. The line extended more than three quarters ot a mile, and had a most imposing appearance. Exactly at noon the battery opened fire with seven guns, and a feu dejoie was fired in the usual manner by the troops, the Band playing between ,the rounds " God Save the Q,ueen," and the whole concluded with a cheer which resounded far and near.

The whole force then marched past the saluting flag in slow and in quick time, the Artillery leading, and the Cavalry bringing up the rear. The appearance of all arms was greatly admired. The artillery horses do credit to their breakers- in, and as for the Cavalry, the only criticism that we heard of was that they were too few in number. The Rifles, under Col. Balneavis, looked most soldierly, even amongst as fine a body of soldiers of; the line as one could easily bring together. Their band . gave great satisfaction.

The loyal business of the day having been got through, preparations were made for the great spectacle ; a desperate fitrht with an unknown enemy. The troops, having reformed column, took up ground to the left a^t the lower end of the paddock.. The enemy were supposed to be between them and Auckland, and we presume advancing to- the attack. - The action began with a : solitary gun. Then a line of skirmishers - was thrown out, and advanced with their supports across the • iieU, keeping up a" sharp fire on the enemy's tirailleurs, who/ kept themselves admirably concealed. Our. skirmishers, however, must have succeededin driving them iti, for they were soon manning a scoria wall at the bottom of the field, and holding it for some time against an overwhelming force. They were, however, repulsed at last, and retired skirmishing, the main body of the enemy, we eon.--elude, following them up. The first line however advanced, and a heavy fusillade ensued, -when the enemy being evidently much shaken the charge was sounded with the usual result. In a few minutes the Otahuhu Cavalry were amongst the broken ranks of the enemy, cutting and hewing, and doing good service. - •

The enemy's infantry being repulsed, a general advance of the reserves on our side took places. The splendid cavalry of the enemy now advanced to cover the retreat of their foot and threatened our infantry, who immediately formed squares of battalions extending en echellon across the field, and a murderous fire wasr opened on the hostile squadrons, which were finally repulsed with heavy loss. The British remained in possession of the field, the enemy retreating in the direction of June- , tion Hotel. It was impossible to follow, up the victory as the Governor's tevee,^^ to come off at 3 o'clock. l -. -.>,

Thus ended the best field day we eyei*; remember in Auckland, and we only regref that it was not considered advisable to have, the Auckland Militia represented on ±his occasion as they* were last year. Every man we. believe in their ranks would have rejoiced to assist in doing to Her Majesty's birth-day, and we must remember that though the absence of a uniform !

piay ■' gfr^them a motley appearance, not •agreejpre'-'i-p military eyes on field days, stills|i /will be found, if ever real -work is called for, that the bone and sinew of the country is to be found amongst them.