ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 970, 18 August 1868, Page 3

ANOTHER ACCOUNT.

JOUENAL OF PROCEEDINGS. (From a correspondent at the Front.) July 30, — Fraser arrived at camp. A court martial was held over three men, being the ringleaders of a party of Napier volunteers charged with mutinous conduct. The whole column then marched to a place called Te Hue.July 31. — : Moved on. Some mistake arose as to line of march. The Colonel, with the Napier and Poverty Bay volunteers, and about 20 Poverty Bay natives, took the enemy's trail. Major Eraser and remaining force went across to old Wairoa track. August 1. — Both parties moved on. Heavy snow fell during the night. Next morning, snow 12 inches deep about Colonel's camp. Rivers impassable. August 2. — Party with Eraser could not move. Remained in camp. August 3. — Sent out scouts to see if the rivers were fordable. Received despatches concerning Capt. Richardson's reverse ; pressed forward, crossing the river with difficulty. Camped at last crossing before coming to Waihau. August 4.— Reached Waihau at about noon. Killed a bullock, and arranged for a fair start next day. August 5. — About noon the who|j column joined — numbering about 130\Europeans and 160 natives. The rations were dealt out in the most economical manner, being just sufficient to supply the whole force to midday on the Bth. Capt. Biggs, however, started early in the day for Turanga, with instructions to bring food of all kinds, with pack horses or natives, as he might think best. To-day one of the scouts came in with news that one Paku Brown, a half caste who had been employed to carry the Colonel's despatches to Wairoa, to be thence sent on to Wellington, had been murdered by the ex-pri-soners, and his body treated in the most insulting manner known to native custom, viz., by shooting a dog and throwing its carcase on his remains. We then marched to Pukewhenau, the scene of this atrocity, and where the burial of the poor fellow was carried out by his next of kin. This melancholy spectacle, together with the sight of a few horses that had been killed by the enemy, served to complete a distaste for the work on the part of the Turanga volunteers and natives which had been before observable. The Colonel carefully sifted the grain from I from the chaff and passed all the Napier forces across the river to camp, remaining himself on the Turanga side. Soon after the Napier men were gone, the Captain commanding the Turanga volunteers was seenin close conversation with the Colonel, and it became known that he had intimated the desire of his men to go back. Our Colonel never would take men that did not like to go, but he certainly was rather soft in ordering them back without any allusion to their having asked permission to leave. However, the rest, even the guard of the depot, seized the same excuse, and all struck. Arrangements for next morning's early start on the trail had to be suspended, and, till twelve o'clock on the 6th, no advance was possible. By that time eight of the Turanga men had volunteered to supply the place of the guard ; orders were issued for the removal of the depot to Whenuakura ; and we got away without a single four footed beast except a dog belonging to the armed constabulary. By 3 p.m. we reached the fires that had been seen on the Ist, and we made & good march before night and camped in a gully out of sight, but with the enemy's camp plainly visible. No fires were allowed till dark and orders were

given to extinguish, all fires before daylight. August 6. — During this and the following day, the enemy's trail was closely followed, but without overtaking him. On the evening of the 7th we came suddenly in sight of fires and whares, with, apparently, some one as if on sentry. A few of the advance guard at once stripped off their baggage and went in at the double, but it was found that they had quitted the spot the night previous. By this time the forces were pretty well baked, and consequently it was agreed on to camp, and start next morning before day bi'eak. August 8. — At 5.45 a.m. the forces moved off. In about a quarter of an hour the advance guard passed back the word, " Fires about two miles off." But as the road led a great way round, and there were several halts — which, we made to give the advance time to scout — it took us till 11.45 a.m. before we reached the enemy's camp. .It was found empty, they having evidently left that morning. All rations, except those of the armed constabulary, having been out the night before, the forces felt faint as well as tired ; and there being no certainty of any provisions arriving the next day, and the country through which we were marching becoming more and more impracticable, it was agreed on to give up the pursuit. We were now marching up the Kuakituri river, which is bounded by steep and heavily wooded ranges, the course of the river forming a narrow defile. In the meantime, Capt. Carr offered, if say half-a-dozen men would join him, to follow up the enemy with the view of ascertaining whether they were still following up the river or were cutting their way through the wooded ranges. Ho was readily joined by Mr. Hamlin, six of the armed constabulary, and 4 natives. They had advanced only about one mile when they sighted fresh fires, and found the ponds of water still muddy. This was at once reported to Colonel Whitmore ; and the forces, although already homeward bound, retraced their steps and moved on towards the enemy. As we advanced, we found the gorge still narrower. The fires first seen were evidently lighted to draw us on, the enemy having taken up a position commanding the whole gorge. The river formed almost a semi-circle ; the side hill, being wooded, afforded them good cover, and was spotted with armed parties extending to our rear. The advance guard, comprising several of the armed constabulary, and led by Capt. Carr and Mr. Canning, advanced, to the front of the enemy's lines and wex'e on the eve of carrying the position, when the Hau Haus poured in a hot fire, which forced them to take cover. The action tlien commenced hot on both sides ; and in another attempt to charge the position, Mr. Canning and Capt. Carr lost their lives. Private P. Condon fell at the same time. The Napier Volunteers under Capt. Herrick, together with some of the Ahuriri natives, were then ordered across the river to throw in a cross fire. This was not effected without difficulty — the Hau Haus on the hill side throwing in a galling fire, in which one native was killed and two others had narrow escapes, both having bullets through their caps, slightly grazing their heads. One of the volunteers was at the same time wounded. At this time the Hau Haus attempted to cut off the detached party, but this they could not effect. Hotene Porourangi, together with some of the Napier natives, charged up the hill and drove them back. The action continued till about sunset, when the Colonel thought it advisable to retire — the force having to recross a nasty river, full of big boulders, rendering it very difficult to get the wounded off the field to a place-of" shelter. The men fancied now was the time, but they were mistaken. Fraser's men just then shewed themselves : and the Hau Haus were very glad to knock off the little game they were at. They never advanced ono step beyond their repulsed front position. Their certain loss was nine killed and several wounded, but they must have lost a few more in the latter 'part of the engagement, if we may judge from their making no attempt to molest us as we marched quietly down the river bed. Next morning their fires were seen much further up the river, where it becomes almost inaccessible. Our killed were Capt. Carr and Mr. Davis Canning — both highly respected gentlemen ; also Privates P. Condon and W. Coates. The wounded were, Capt. Tuke, on the arm, severe ; J. Lewis, buttock, slight; P. Burn, down small of back, dangerous; J. Beatty, wrist slight and thigh severe— all of the armed constabulary; G. McKay, Napier volunteer, and one native, slight on forehead. The conduct of the armed constabulary was worthy of all credit. They "fought with steadiness and precision, more particularly in retiring. The enemy were never more deceived, and the friendly natives more astonished. Although the latter, under command of Mr. Hamlin, fought far better than was expected of them, they' could not help owning that they had done nothing, and that the wholo fighting was in the hands of the pakeha. The small band of Napier Volunteers under Capt. Herrick, also did their share. As soon as ordered, they crossed the river under a heavy fire from off the hill, by which one was wounded. As soon as they got up to the position required, and opened fire, the Hau Haus were seen to skedaddle in all directions. The conduct of the Colonel and Major was a pattern to any soldier, both being seen wherever the hottest fire was, and cheering the nien— reminding them, when retiring, to be steady and return the fire with precision, which was answered readily.