IMPORTANT FROM THE FRONT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 969, 15 August 1868, Page 3

IMPORTANT FROM THE FRONT.

SEVERE ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN . tfQBOEJi UNDER, COL; WHITMORE VNi^O^ALTLES ON OUlt Stttffc bAPtf? CARR 'AND MR. DAVIS CANNING. AMONG THE KILLED. \JSo.q fojlawing appeared in a Hawke's Bat Herald yf-f/Extrapuolished on Thursday last J HP-K ■yhP-.-'.iiiii-".:'" i-;." ".i -iNew* jhas arrived from the front,' to the effect that Colonel Whitmore and forces underhls command, having, in the most detetmined'ymanner- — undaunted by deep snqw,y jtf fearfully rugge J country, want of provisions, and disadvantages of every kind -rrfollowed the ex-prisoners into the interior, they succeeded in overtaking them at 3 p.m. on the Bth inst., at the Ruaki Ture. A severe engagement ensued, which lasted till sunset, and which resulted in nine casualties on Our side, and numbers killed on the part K^f^tbeVenemy. ' We deeply- regret to add that among the killed were, Capt. Carr Of J^e^tie and Mn Davis Canning, two eaf^effletf: settlers: of this province* tfrho accdiipftnie^ i dolohei'Whittiiore ad gehtlettiefi '.Wij^^^a'tiii^iho fell while leading the men against the enemy. ,infbllowi!ig* ; up the enemy, the colonial forcel,"wK6 c numbered 130 all told, had to ! sleep some nights in a foot of snow, without tents Y and frequently had to melt the snow J in. the morning to procure water. In passing through high fern and scrub," their ' clothes we're- cut to pieces and their persons ! scratched and,. torn. > They had to cut a : track, for their pack-horses as they followed on^ the' enemy's trail. . „On Wednesday the Srd the fires of the latter were visible at a great distance. On crossed the Hangaroa, after ! which they had to follow the trail without horses, carrying' three days' rations. On the Bth, the enemy not being far ahead, a gfeatreftbrt.was made to overtake him. At 3 p.m. he was overtaken and found strongly ! posted in difficult gorges on the bed and banks of ; the Ruaki Ture river. The men were then hungry and footsore, but they, begged .. to be allowed to proceed.. At,. 3 ;p.m. the attack commenced, ' but the' forces under Colonel Whitmore 1 were^npt strong enoiigh to carry the posi- ' l ush'vo succeeded, however, w driving; then? put of their first position. i After an engagement which lasted two ! hours,, and Jn,. which many of the enemy J were seen to fall, having been shot in front ' at close quarters, and in which our loss was ' nme,yCoi6nei Whitmore was obliged to draw; off before sunset. Amongst the ' killed were, as above-mentioned, Captain ] Cart," 1 R.A., and Mr. Davis Canning. The names of no others are known. < The enemy did not. dare to follow. They broke up in haste after the action, and, by ' daylight, had retreated far up the gorges. Colonel Whitmore would have followed and ' attacked them next day, but he was utterly out of supplies, and with no means of get- ; ting any. -.-..,..- The constabulary foree — mostly recruited from Napier—- are said to have hehaved • 'splendidly. The Napier natives also fought well and faithfully. The enemy is now on his way to the entrance, ofthe TareWera gOrge, being unable ] to carry out his original intention of cross- . ing the ranges. This will bring him on the , boundary of the Hawke's Bay province, and Colonel^ Whitmore is now believed to be oil his way back to Napier, having left Major Fraser halfway between Turanga and Wairoa, to be. available for the defence of either, if necessary. a '.The ex-prisoners are now known to consistybf;l62 1 men, well armed, and it is strongly suspected that their numbers have been recruited since they landed, Considerihg that .the force opposed to them was only 130 all told, and the fearful nature of ' the; 'country, the conduct of Colonel Whit-more-and the men under him cannot be too highly extolled, They did all that men could do. It is, however, deeply to be • lamented that two respected and most estimable gentlemen' should have lost their lives in this most gallant affair. [Up to a late hour last evening no later intelligence had been received.]