ARRIVAL OF THE OTAGO.
LATEST FROM THE seat oe war. REPULSE OF THE BRITISH TROOPS AT TAURANGA. 103 OFFICERS AND MEN KILLED AND WOUNDED. Lytlelton Times Office, 2 p.m. The Otago, which arrived in Lyttelton at noon to-day, brings us Auckland papers to the 3rd inst, and Wellington papers to the 7th. From various sources we collect the following. The New Zealand Herald of the 2nd says The intelligence of another dear bought victory reached town yesterday morning, in which our troops have lost as many men as at Bangiriri, and again the enemy have escaped under darkness of the night, and as far as is yet known, their loss has been inconsiderable when compared with our own. The pah against which the troops made an attack on the afternoon of the 29th ultimo is known as the Gate Pah, aad is considered by competent judges to . have been superior as a fortification even to that of Kangiriri. Like that stronghold, it seems that the real danger to the attacking party was not experienced until they were within the breach. Led on by their respective officers the storming party rushed the Maori entrenchment with a gallant cheer, and shewed great daring and spirit, but suddenly a panic seized upon them, and they fell back, leaving their officers to fight it out, as the long list of casualties among them too sadly shows. The 43rd regiment alone lost four captains, and the gallant Colonel Booth, who is severely wounded in the back and arm, and other wounded officers and men were left beside the dead, within the fortifications, when our men retreated. From Colonel Booth the natives took his watch and a few other things, but they did not ill-treat him, indeed, none of the wounded who were left in the pah, were ill-used by the Maoris. Colonel Booth was brought in next morning after the evacuation of the pah by the Maoris, alive but very badly hit. After the repulse, a cordon was drawn round the pah, to prevent, if possible, the retreat of the enemy during the night, the 68th regiment forming a semicircle about it, small parties being posted at intervals. During the latter part of the night, however, the enemy made good their retreat, losing in their escape it is supposed some 30 or 40 men by the fire of the 68th pickets. These, with some 40 dead bodies found in the pah, after our men took possession of it in the morning, constitute the whole Maori loss as at present known. It appears that the engineering talent of the Maoris is becoming still further developed, and that this pah in many points is even more strongly and scientifically constructed than those which have already excited the wonder and admiration of our best engineers. In the present case, instead of the ditch, which at Rangiriri, when once carried, afforded cover and shelter to our men, a palisading was used, and proved a far more deadly obstacle. The gallantry and bravery of the officers engaged who, when left by their men, refused to leave the ground, and £tood resolutely at bay, endeavouring to countei'act the panic which had seized upon the troops, is beyond all praise. One officer, Lieut. Glover, was wounded while carrying off the body of his brother. Captain Glover, who had been killed. We had hoped with the experience gained from the loss of life incurred in the rush made upon Rangiriri, and only lately at Orakaju, that these Maori positions, so strongly and scientifically built, would have been in future met, not by brute force, but by the application of superior science, and by all those means which the study of the art of war and the possession of every necessary material give us over such enemies as the Maoris. At Orakau the chief Joss occurred in the rush which was made upon the before a resort was had to the less dangerous use of the sap, and in this present engagement at the Gate pah, had not the Maoris evaouated it during the night, resort must have been had to the sap, 'or the risk of repulse and fearful loss have been [again incurred. : Col. Barstow with head quarters of I. Batt. of Artillery, and the rest of the Defence Force proceed to Tauranga this day, in the Alexandra, taking jrith them two 10-inch mortars, two 32-lb. howitzers, I! quantity of ammunition. A detachment yal Artillery, I. Battery, under the comeut. Toogood, arrived in town yesterday y, and also proceed/to Tauranga. et to say that very little hopes are enterhe recovery of Colonel Booth. Half-an-i the Alexandra left Tauranga paralysis and the principal wound, as our readers a spinal one. 1 OF KILLED AND WOUNDED. (From the Southern Cross.) swing list of killed and wounded was supby our special correspondent, and we ally compared it and corrected it by the of Dr. Mouatt, which was kindly supplied lere not described otherwise, the wounds it wounds:— H.M.S. CURACOA. KILLED. mt Hill, late of the Orpheus. larris, ordinary seaman. WOUNDED. Terrain, 0.5.. hip, very severely. Fox, 0.5., left jaw, severely. Ween, marine, lower jaw, severely. Watson, 0.5., left knee, very severely. mith, 0.5., groin, dangerously. H.M.S. MIRANDA. KILLED. ts, R.M.A. WOUNDED. ant Hammick, right shoulder, very severely, skes, boatswain's mate, left shoulder, very tn, A.8., left leg, severely. English, captain of maintop, left thigh, Rushven, A.8., left lung and fraetnre of very dangerously. Charmbold, left leg, severely. iane, left thigh, dangerously. Alton, R.M.A., left thigh, severely. rler McAlister, A.8., arm, severely. H.M.S. ESK. KILLED. i Hamilton, head. l Leigh, stoker. ) Dalton, O.M. WOUNDED. lant Duff, back, two places, very severely. 1 Martin, A.8., right hip and loins, very 8 Roberts, A.8., abdomen, dangerously. Bowden, A.8., right heel, severely. Lawrence, A.8., scalp wound, severely. Knight, captain forecastle, very severely, Ward, marine artillery, very severely, ii Tozer, bombadier, severely, left arm. ery, A.8., slightly, sprained leg. inelly, 0.5., slightly, sprained leg. lison, dangerously, chest and thigh. H.M.S. HARRIER. KILLED. Clark, boy. 5 Young, A.B. w Greenbow, stoker.
WOUNDED. Commander Hay, dangerously, abdomen, ball lodged. i Alfred Lockie, A.8., very severely, right jaw. I James Pullett, slightly, finger. Charles Barrett, 0.5., very slight, lift thigh. William Burchill, 0.5., very severely, right leg. H.M.S. ECLIPSE. KILLED. Sergeant Harding, R. M. A. 68TH REGIMENT. KILLED. Sergeant James Hahner, accidentally, chest. WOUNDED. Private John Moffatt, very severely, shell, right knee joint. Private William Sloane, severely, shell, right foot. Private Edward O'Neill, dangerously, left thigh. Private Daniel Sweeney, very severely, shell, right knee. Private John Logan, very severely, right thigh and hand. Private Patrick M'Donald, dangerously, chest and left arm. Private William Johnson, severely, mouth and neck. Private William Ashton, dangerously, right elbow. Private Henry Black, slightly, right elbow. Private John Piatt, very severely, left chest and neck. Private James Byenter, slightly, head. Private Hugh Toner, right fore-arm. Private John Baxter. Private William Watson, slightly, shell, right hand. 43RD REGIMENT. KILLED. Captain Robert C. Glover, head. Captain C. R. Muir, tomahawk, right axilla. Captain R. T. F. Hamilton, head. Captain Edwin Utterton, neck. Lieutenant C. J. Langlands, chest. Sergeant-Major John Vance, chest. Private Phillip Fitzgerald, head. Private Charles Lane, left side chest. Private S. Holbrash, chest. Private Henry Goff, left side chest. Private S. Hornby, left breast. Private John Bradhurst, abdomen. Private Frederick Travers, tomahawk, right head and shoulder. WOUNDED. Lieutenant-Colonel Booth, dangerously, spine and right arm (reported to be since dead). Lieutenant T. G. E. Glover, severely, abdomen, not penetrating. Ensign William Clark, severely, right arm. Ensign S. P. T. Nicholl, slightly, scalp. Sergeant Edwin Young, severely, left jaw. Sergeant John Hurley, very severely, right forearm and shoulder. Sergeant Thomas Collier, very severely, left arm. Sergeant John Cain, slightly, right fore-arm. Corporal William Everett, left shoulder. Private William Bridgman, very severely, both arms. Private John Bryant, very severely, right shoulder. Private John Node, severely, left shoulder. Private James Warburton, severely, right side of face. Private Robert Phelan, head. Private George Clark, severely, left shoulder. Private James Clarke, slightly. Private John Simmonds, severely, left arm above the elbow. Private John McFarlane, slightly, upper lip. Private John Livesay, very severely, right jaw and chin. - "Private Bernard Conroy, severely, left thigh. Private Michael Casey, dangerously, right temple. Private William Sargeant, very severely, right thigh. Private Martin Walsh, very severely, right shin. Private George Robins, very severely, scalp and right shoulder. Private Thomas Madden, very severely, chest. Private James Audley, very severely, tomahawk, head. 14th REGIMENT. WOUNDED. Sergeant William Armstrong, severely, right thigh. Private William Power, severely, both shoulders. Private John Ruth, slightly, left foot. Private Thomas Burdett, severely, right shoulder. 65TH REGIMENT. WOUNDED. Private Halliwell, severely, left nates.' 12th REGIMENT. WOUNDED. Private Andrew Mitchell, severely, right arm. Private Patrick Monaghan, severely, right thigh. (From ihe Herald Correspondent.) Tauranga, April 28. We have been busy all day getting the big guns and mortars into position. The rebels gave us an occasional shot from the pah, but we don't open fire on them till to-morrow morning, and if they will only be so obliging as not to run away before then (which is the general impression they will do), they will have it hot and strong. The ordnance that will open fire in the morning consists of 1 110-pounder Armstrong gun, manned by the royal navy, 2 40-pounder Armstrong guns : and they say that two more 40-pounders are to be landed to-night. The guns manned by the artillery will consist of 2 24-pound howitzers, 2 8-inch mortars, 3 6-pounder Armstrong guns, 4 sj-inch. mortars, and 2 4§-inch mortars. Every one is anxious for the morning to see whether the rebels intend making a stand or not. Two men of the 68th regiment were wounded yesterday; these are the only casualties that have occurred up to the present time—6 p.m. •The whole of the navy and marines are ashore under the command of the commodore. Our whole force in front of the rebel position does not come up to 1000, although very near that number. The Star of the South arrived this morning with transport bullocks and draysj- they just arrived in the nick of time, as large quantities of shell and ammunition were being conveyed to the advanced camp in wheelbarrows or any other conveyance that could be found. The distance from the landing place to the advanced camp is about four miles, and the distance from the camp to the rebels' position is about 700 yards. The whole of the force in the advance have got their tents pitched; although the greater part of the force are an outlying picket round the rebels' position, they have a clear road to escape if they like to do so, as the nature of the ground prevents the General from getting between their works and the ranges. From the vast preparations they have seen going forward all day, and which will be continued all night, it is not at all consistent with Maori tactics that they should remain in their earthworks to be shelled by about 20 pieces of ordnance. They can see everything that arrives or leaves our camp, and are as well aware as we are ourselves of our strength in men and guns, and if they are to be found to-morrow morning occupying this earthwork, I will certainly give the East Coast natives less credit for possessing common sense than our friends in Waikato. The 43rd regiment has been ordered forward, which will increase the attacking force considerably, as they muster something like 400 in camp. If the rebels leave their present position it is probable they will retire to another about seven miles in rear of the one they now occupy. April 30, 8 a.m. We opened fire on the rebel position at daylight yesterday with the ordnance detailed in my other communication; the shelling was kept up till very near dusk, the rebels replying occasionally by a single shot. A little before dusk the Blue Jackets, Marines, and about 250 of the 43rd regiment were told off to storm the position, Capt. Hamilton (Esk), and Captain Jenkins (Miranda) leading the navy, Lieut. Gardiner, Marine Artillery, the Marines; the 43rd were headed by their Colonel (Booth); the 68th regiment formed a complete semi-circle round the rebel position. Owing to the large extent of ground occupied by the 68tli in surrounding the position, they were very much scattered, and several hundred yards intervened between parties, which allowed the rebels to eifect their escape through the night, although not without getting a parting volley or two
from the 68tli, which must have caused them severe loss. The movable column, under the command of Major Ryan, also formed part ot' the storming party. A practicable breach at an angle of the upper pah had been made by tlio guns through which the storming party entered. The fire from the enemy was very feeble until the men commenced to enter the breach, when they opened in all directions ; t(ie cross fires were most severe: they had the fire froin their front, right, left, and rear. After a desperajte struggle for about ten minutes to gain possession bf the pah, our men were obliged to retire, leaving tie dead and wounded lying where they fell; some pf the wounded were brought away, but all that fsl inside were left. Our men retired abaut 200 yarpl into a hollow, where they extended in skirmishing order, and opened fire on the rebels, who commenced to show themselves on the top of the work. A trench was commenced and a 24-lb. howitzer, and sonie Cohorn mortars brought forward, when they opened fire on the pah, for the purpose of keeping the rebel* under ground. Early in the night they crept out of their works and made away down a ravine leading towards the bay, where those who were able made their escape. They were observed by the 68th Regt;, but as they were so much scattered it was impossible for them to stop or prevent them from getting away. Several Maoris have been picked up this: morning in the direction in which they went. One fellow was caught by the 68th making his way for the friendly natives place,. and it is very doubtful if; many were not engaged in the "pah." Our losr has been severe —Captain Hamilton, of the Esk," Lieutenant Hill, of the (killed); Commander of the Harrier dangerously wounded; a Lieutenan| of the Miranda wounded, and some other Naval officers whose names I cannot learn. The names or four Captains of the 43rd killed —Glover, Hamilton| Duff, and the other name I don't know. Th# Colonel of the 43rd, and five others of the regiment, dangerously wounded. Our casualties over 100 killed and wounded. Wehave found aboufl forty Maori bodies in all, and no doubt many artf buried about the pah, as the place is fearfully, knocked about by the shell; there must be numbers, of them buried, as some of the pits where they werej buried in were blown up by shell falling inside and| thesn bursting. Some of the dead Maoris are fear*/ fully mutilated with the shell; of one man, all that| could be found was his head, neck, and one attached, the remaining part of the body could notj be found. £ Many of our poor fellows are badly wounded, and| will not recover. Two bodies I -saw had been? tomahawked, the gunner of the Miranda was one of 5 them, the poor fellow's head was nearly off. I saw several of our rifles lying abQut belonging to; the men who had been killed, which shows that the rebels had enough to do to mind their own personal safety. More reinforcements are coming down here. This position is quite as strong as Rangiriri was, and constructed more to the advantage of the Maoris than Rangiriri, as around the latter there was a ditch which afforded cover to the men when they got up to the work, here they had a palisading and no ditch, the consequence was that we had either to gain entire possession of the place or leave it. Tlie rebels are certainly improving in the construction of their earthworks, and I am inclined to think that the sap will become the rule of General Cameron's future operations against the rebels. THE OFFICERS WHcTFELL AT TE PAPA. Following our usual practice, we give a few particulars of the services of the officers who were killed at the engagement at Te Papa, on the 29th ultimo. John Fane Charles Hamilton is son, we believe (says Byrne's "Naval Biography" - ), of Colonel Hamilton anffdiarlotte, daughter of John Fane, Esq., of Wormsley, LL.D., an eminent agriculturist; and many years M.P. for Oxford. His uncle, RearAdmiral Francis William Fane, died 28th March, 1844. This officer entered the navy 28th August, 1835, and in 1841-2, while attached to the Blonde, 42, Captain Thomas Bourchier, was present, either in the boats or on shore, at the taking of Amoy, the storming of Chinghae, the attack on the Chinese entrenched camp on the heights of Segoan, the capture of Chapoo, and the engagement with the enemy's batteries at Woosung. He also, on the 10th of March, 1842, served in the boats, under Captain George Goldsmith, at the destruction of ten fire vessels with which the Chinese had attempted to annihilate the British shipping and transports at their anchorage oft Chinghae. Having passed his examination 10th November, 1841, and been further employed as mate in the Warspite, 50, Captain Provo William Parry Wallis, and St. Vincent, 120, flag ship of Sir Charles Rowley, on the Lisbon and Portsmouth stations, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant, Bth March, 1844, and subsequently appointed, 24th May and Ist August, 1844, to the America, 50, and Racer, 16, Captains Hon. John Gordon and Archibald Reed, both on the South American station. He left the latter vessel in the summer of 1846. He afterwards became senior lieutenant of the Leander, and was further promoted for his services while on the Naval Brigade at the siege of Sebastopol. On the 26th February, 1858, he received his post rank. Captain Hamilton wore several mementoes of his gallantry, and the last and fatal act which distinguishes him as a gallant officer cannot be better described than in the words of our special correspondent—" The General who was in the advanced trench of his position, ordered up the support almost immediately after the storming party rushed the breach ; and the second division of bluejackets and the gallant 43rd, led by Captain Hamilton, of the Esk, advanced with a ringing cheer to the support of the forlorn hope. They arrived at a critical moment; the storming party exposed to a murderous fire on all sides, and from hidden assailants beneath, and without an officer left to lead them, were wavering ; part were outside the pah. Captain Hamilton sprung upon the parapet, and shouting " follow me, men!' dashed into the fight. That moment was his last. He fell dead, pierced through the brain by a bullet, and many of his officers shared the same fate." Lieutenant Charles Hill, of H.M. s.s. Curagoa, was made a lieutenant on May 15, 1858, and it will be recollected was one of the few survivors from the wreck of H.M. s.s. Orpheus. He returned to England, and was appointed to H.M. s.s. Curagoa. He was one of the officers in command of the Naval Brigade at the storming of Te Papa, and he was one of those who were found lying dead inside the pah— a good proof that they fell at the post of duty. His end is the more melancholy from his connection with the ill-fated Orpheus. Captain Robert Coke Glover entered the army as an ensign in the 43rd Regiment, on the 18th January, 1850. He became lieutenant on the sth December, 1851, and he received his captaincy on the 30th January, 1857. He served with the 51st Regiment, throughout the Burmese war in 1852, for which he received a medal, and he was on board the East India Steam Company's steam frigate, Ferooz, during the naval action and destruction of the enemy's stockades on the Rangoon River ; and he was piesent during the three succeeding days' operations in the vicinity and at the storming and capture of Rangoon. Captain Glover was one of the officers of the 43rd who led the storming party up to the breach in the pah, and there met his death like a soldier. He was killed by a wound in the head. Captain Charles Reginald Mure entered the 43rd Regiment as an ensign on the 16th August, 1850 ; he obtained his lieutenancy on the 29th'July, 1853, and his captaincy on the Bth January, 1856. He served with the 43rd Light Infantry in the Kaffir war of 1851 and 1853, for which he received a medal. He served also in the Crimea from the 29th July to the 29th September, 1855, as Aide-de-Camp to Major-General Markham. He received a medal and clasp for Sebastopol, sth class of the Medjidie, and Turkish Medal. Captain Robert Thomas Fr&ncis Hamilton entered the army on the 23rd January, 1852, when he became ensign in the 43rd Regiment. He was a lieutenant on the 13th April, 1855; and captain on the 31st July, 1860. He served with the 97th Regiment in Bengal, in suppressing the mutiny in 1857 and 1858, and was present in the actions of Nusrutpore (as orderly officer to Colonel Ingram, and mentioned in dispatches), Chanda, Ummeerpore, and Sultanpore; Biege and capture of Lucknow and storming of the Kaisa Bagh; Qperations in Bundlecund in 1859, including the pursuit to, night attack
and surprise of the rebels ou the Kalee Nuddee, for which he received a medal and clasp. Captain Edwin Utterton entered the 23rd Regiment on the 30th April, 1855. He became lieutenant on the 10th September in the same year, and eaptain on the Bth October, 1861. He served at the siege of Sebastopol in 1855, including the assault of the Redan, on the Bth September; for which he received a medal and clasp and Turkish medal. He served also in the Indian campaign of 1857-58, including the relief of Lucknow by Lord Clyde, defeat of the Gwalior Contingent at Cawnpore, affair of the Ramgunga, siege and capture of Lucknow (mentioned in dispatches), and Trans-Gogra operations when the rebels were driven from Oude into Nepaul; and for which he received a medal and two clasps. Lieutenant Charles John Langlands became an ensign in the 43rd Regiment on the 19th May, 1861; and had, therefore, been hardly three years in the army. He was one of the officers who were found, lying dead inside the pah, and he met his death like the other gallant men whose names are recorded as having fallen in this truly unfortunate engagement. THE -WOUNDED. Commander Edward Hay has only recently arrived from England to supply the place of Captain Sullivan, of the Harrier, who, being promoted, returned home. He served as midshipman on board the Havannah when that vessel was on this station in 1849, in command of Captain Elphinston Erskine. In 1855 he served as mate of the Agamemnon, was presented with a medal and foreign decoration, and received lii> commission in the Harrier, which vessel is under orders to proceed home, in November last year. Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Jackson Parkin Booth entered the army, as an ensign, on the 11th June, i 1847. He became a lieutenant on the 9th August, •1850; a captain on the 29th July, 1853; a major on the 3rd April, 1857; and lieutenant-colonel on the 11th February, 1862. He served with the 43rd in the Kaffir war of 1851-53, for which he received a medal. He was in command of the detachment of tlje 43rd, which arrived by the Lady Jocelyn, and, until embark'ng for Tauranga, was in command of some of the military posts between this and Wai- - kato.—Southern Cross, May 3. ANOTHER ACCOUNT. The correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross, writing from Tauranga on the 29th April, supplies the following interesting particulars:— Day dawned this morning (Friday), and found the troops in position before the pah. It was a sickly dawn, unlike the glorious burst of sunlight which ushered in the day for the past fortnight. The clouds hung heavily on the horizon, and for a length of time obscured the pah. Silence reigned around. Shortly after dawn the General and staff took their stand in the centre battery. Nothing was done at first except to extend the skirmishers on the right towards the swamp and rifle pit, and to remove the pickets who had occupied the ground immediately in front of the pah during the night. For half an hour these movements were unnoticed by the rebels. Suddenly, however, the natives became aware of the inten-» tionof the General, and a well directed volley from the' rifle pits and lower section of the pah on the proper left of the enemy's works intimated an intention on their part to dispute our further advance on that side. Still, the number of shots discharged was small, and led to the impression that only a few natives were in the place, it being the general l , opinion before this volley was fired that it was " : altogether deserted. The rebel fire was replied to by the skirmishers, composed of the movable column, fait it soon ceased, A dlyfitfiion .was attemptad T by, : ; some natives in a single line of rifle pits on,a-high jpoint of land nearly opposite our right jn line with the enemy's works, but this fire was likewise silenced by the skirmishers. The order was immediately given to open fire from the batteries, and a salvo from the large guns and mortars awoke the echoes, and began in earnest the tragedy of war. The shells from the 24pounder howitzers burst in or close to the outer face of the main pah. The range was ascertained with precision, and the bombardment commeuced. From a quarter to seven o'clocknntil four in the afternoon, almost without cessation,- a fire was kept up from the batteries on the pah, and during that time the rebels did not show themselves in front. The service of the guns excellent; but it could not fail to strike an observer that at the short ranges the howitzers and moi|t}rs did greater execution than the heavy Armstrongs. The shells from the Esk's 110 pounder plunged through the pah, after bursting a thousand or fifteen hundred yards to the rear, to the great risk of the column of the 68th now extended in the rear of the works. Often, however, both the large shell and the 40 pounders struck the pah face, and ricochetting careered through space identical to the snorting of an express engine starting from a railway station. The practice, however, was beautiful; and the fault lay with the guns and not the gunnery. A source of considerable danger during the bombardment was the dropping of the lead lining of the Armstrong shells. The outer lining peeled off after each discharge, and generally fell in close proximity to the battery, which was full of officers and men. The practice of the howitzers was remarkably good, and these guns maintained their deservedly high reputation. They were rather antiquated, it is true, for one of the pieces, which so well served, and was so useful in breaching the pah yesterday, was actually in use at the Northern war, when Heki did battle with the Northern troops for the pleasure of cutting down a flagstaff. Now it is brought into play against the coast tribes of the Bay of Plenty, who also wish to cut down our flagstaff and erect another in its place. It is only necessary to remark that the precision of the cohorn mortars' fire was something to be proud of, and I believe the natives had greater cause to fear a visit from " Whistling Dick" than from the hundred pound shells of the Armstrong gun. It would be impossible to describe this fire. If my readers have ever seen experiments in gunnery they can fancy the concentrated fire of four batteries playing on a common palisading and post and rail fence, strengthened by a ditch and slight earthwork, and which position is not more than thirty yards wide by about one hundred and fifty in depth. To this space the fire of our guns and mortars was confined, and in this space, protected only by ths* covered rifle-pits and the defence before nairiecf, were a number of human beings bent on resisting the Imperial forces to the last. It was a grand spectacle; it was likewise a painful one, and pity was the dominant feeling in the breast j of every right-minded man who witnessed it. J Exposed to this terrific fire, I did not see how the , enemy could long hold out; but as minutes lengtfor ened into hours it became apparent that they were either all dead or kept in cover and meant to fight to. the last. The gunners had a respite of an hour for breakfast, and for that time the din of the cannonade ceased. Even then the natives kept under cover, and not a shot was discharged against the troops. No sign of a disposition to surrender was made, however. All was still, and no one could have guessed at the sequel of the day's fight from the attitude of the rebels. They were patient but firm and unyielding. After this a hot fire was again opened, and there was soon a rumour in camp that the enemy were escaping from the rear, and that the 68th were in pursuit. The order to " cease firing" was sounded, and I could see the gallant 68th advancing in skirmishing order on our extreme right, but far in the rear of the pah. They were evidently in pursuit, for in a moment a heavy running fire was opened by them upon the natives on the surrounding spurs, retreating upon their Wairoa pah. The natives returned the fire; but their numbers were few and the firing soon ceased. Whence did these natives come —from the pah or were they supports? No one in front could tell; and the General ordered Major Greaves to examine whether the swamp on the right was passable. That officer soon returned to say that it could easily be crossed, and thereupon Sir Duncan Cameron dispatched a small detachment of the line as a covering party for a sixpounder Armstrong gun which was taken across it. Subsequently I crossed this swamp to the rifle pit opposite, occupied by the natives in the morning and from which they were found that a force »tationed there could enfilade the rifle pits and
lower pah,—a fact which explains what occurred consequent on the General's orders. No sooner had the troops taken possession of this line of rifle pits than they opened fire on the enemy in the outer ditch of the left defences of the pah. The rebels ran as fast as they could, entering by a covered way into the interior of the pah. To my eye, this entrance was not larger than a common field drain. It was formed by simply putting a few rods across the rifle pit, and then covering it with a handful of fern and earth. I could see no other entrance to the interior of the pah, and I believe there was none on its northern face. A cry arose that the enemy were escaping on their right, as soon as they bolted from their outer pits; "cease firing" went on the bugle, and a reconnoitring party was thrown out in front. The truth was soon ascertained; and the skirmishers withdrawn and firing was resumed.
It was long apparent that a breach had been made in the enemy's works, the fire having been mainly directed to its north-eastern angle. But the serviceable extent of the breach, and whether it unlocked the intricate galleries of the pah, could not be known. The evening was wearing on. A soaking rain had fallen, almost incessantly, from the early morning, and as the fire did not seem to produce much effect it was at length resolved upon to storm the pah. About noon Colonel Gamble, Deputy-Quarter-Master-General, returned, having managed to cross the lines of the enemy and join the 68th. He had been able to get a good view of the enemy's position in reverse, and was thus able to supply much valuable information. When it was determined to carry the position by assault, the fire was quickened, and the earth almost shook with the concussion and explosion of shells for several minutes.
The officers leading the covering party received their orders, and two companies of the Flying Column marched out to the right, undercover of the batteries. They lay concealed in the fern until the storming party and support, composed of the Naval Brigade and 43rd Light Infantry were formed into line and advanced from the centre battery. Commander Hay of the Harrier led the storming party, composed equally of blue jackets and marines, and companies of the 43rd Light Infantry. When they made their appearance on the slope the_ covering party advanced in front of the pah, within one hundred yards of its outer face, and opened fire. The defenders of the pah replied almost instantly, and the face and flanks of the position were in smoke. The rebels had leaped from their cover to defend their works, and gallantly and well they fought. While the fire in front was at its height, the stormers advanced in column at the double, and with a cheer which was re-echoed by the spectators in the camp and batteries, dashed through the smoke and bullets and carried the breach. The stormers were in the pah, and now a fierce conflict took place, nothing could be seen but the flash of the pieces and the smoke ; nothing heard but the cheer of the stormers and the counter cheer of the defenders, mingled with the sharp roll of musketry. The General, who was in the advanced trench of his position, ordered up the supports almost immediately after the storming party rushed the breach; and the second division of blue jackets and the gallant 43rd, led by Captain Hamilton, of the Est, advanced with a ringing cheer to the support of the forlorn hope.
at a critical moment; the storming to a murderous fire on all sides, and assailants beneath, and without an ojpleeir left to lead them, were wavering ; part were outside the pah> Captain Hftpnltoji sprung upon the siibiitfng " follow me,"men I l ' dashed fight. That moment was his last. He feil pierced through the brain by a bullet, and maiiy of his ofiicers shared the same fate. One half of the reserve stood outside the works. And now I could see from the battery where I stood the cross fire in the pah suddenly slacken. The resistance was apparently weakened, and soon only from the corner at the breach were there any shots sent in return to the continuous fire from the other sections of the pah, which appeared to be held by a large body of men. That resistance almost immediately ceased, there was a momentary lull, broken only by a dropping shot, which was a kind of relief to the almost agonising feeling of suspense at that moment in my breast. " The pah is taken," said a voice behind me. "Thank God; but no—we are repulsed—see, our troops are retreating; and at that moment a large body of men poured out of the pah through the breach, and a destructive fire was opened upon them from the pah and rifle-pits. Could it be our troops, or was it the enemy, cut off in the rear by the 68th, attempting to force their way through our lines, weakened to the utmost to make up the gallant column who had so lately rushed into the breach, full of hope and courage? I wished so; but it was not the case. The stormers had been repulsed in front with severe loss; and in the rear the 68th had also been compelled to retire. Thrice I saw the column of the 68th attempt to charge up to the proper right of the enemy's position. to take it in reverse; and,thrice they reeled and fell back. This was not produced by any resistance on the part of the natives, but solely from the cross-fire of our own men.
The men partially rallied several times in front of the pali, and returned the enemy's fire; and they were soon re-formed on thejplain and marched under cover. The General rallied the broken column, and at once took steps to retrieve the unlooked-for disaster. The ground in front was occupied by skirmishers, and a small mortar was advanced within short range of the ditch. Two 32-pounder guns and supplies of ammunition were sent for, as well as every available man in Tauranga.
I remained on the field until after dark, and the firing was kept up without intermission on both sides. The rebels were exultant at their success, and challenged the troops to advance; they also were heard to boast that a great number of pakehas were slain. And so truly there were. The bodies of many of the killed and wounded remained in the enemy's works; but many wounded men had been carried into camp, or made their way thither on foot, having escaped from the gate of death. It must not be inferred that blame attaches to any one in command. The column was led to the breach in gallant style ; and the parapet was gained with trifling loss. In the face of a very heavy fire, at close range, they effected a lodgment in the pah, but did not make their way along the works. For full half an hour they kept up the contest with an almost invisible foe ; and being left almost without an officer to lead them they retired, fighting their : way back on the open ground. It seems that the Natives had constructed a series of cawmates, by ■ Excavating the floor of the pah and roofing the j)its with branches of trees, and covering them with raupo. In these casemates they must have lain during the bombardment, and their safety, under such a fire for so many hours, suggests a nice question in the science of war, which I will not stop to discuss. It is sufficient to know that probably one thousand men were secreted in the miserable place I have already described, without any apparent inconvenience to them from the heaviest and most efficient armament that has been brought to bear upon them by a British General; and that the places which afforded them shelter from the shells afterwards proved a cover from which to inflict heavy loss upon the troops, and finally repulse them - When it is considered that a defensive work of such a complicated character was constructed by the natives in a fortnight, it must be a matter of surprise to every one.
THE GATE PAII EVACUATED. April 30. To-day I have to conclude my letter with the news that the Gate Pah was evacuated last night, and that the great body of the rebels have escaped. This intelligence I did not anticipate; still I am not at all surprised at it. The facts, so far as I can hear at the moment are these:— After dark last night the skirmishers advanced to the front of the pah and opened a heavy fire upon it, and a cohorn inortar was got into position within fifty yards of the parapet. The rebels replied to our fire up till about nine o'clock, when the firing from the pah ceased. Major Greaves, D.A.Q.M.-General, who had been before the pah during the entire
engagement, crept up to it about ten o'clock, and fancied from the stillness that it had been eradiated. No attempt was then made to storm it, the riak being too great. About midnight the same gallant officer crept up to the pah a second time, and found that it was actually deserted.
Firing was heard about this time on the extreme left of the enemy's lines, and it was known the escape was being made that way. A detachment of sixty of the 68th under Lieutenant Cox, and thirty of the Naval Brigade, under Lieutenant Hotham, had been posted early yesterday on the beach to watch the ford on that side, and they had crept up to the end of the enemy's trench and intercepted their flight. When our party fired on the fugitives, they broke and took to the swamp, where they encountered the skirmishers of the 68th Regiment, who opened fire. The natives acknowledge to a loss of about twenty in the swamp. The pah was entered at daylight this morning, and our dead and wounded and the dead and wounded of the rebels were found. Colonel Booth of the 43rd was lying mortally wounded in the spine. Lieutenant Hill of the Curafioa, the senior surviving officer from the wreck of the Orpheus was lying dead; ao also was Lieutenant Langlands of the 43rd Light Infantry, and other officers. The troops do not seem to have penetrated beyond the open space at the breach used for cooking purposes, and their officers appear to have fallen in advance of them. The 43rd have had nearly all their officers killed or wounded and so also the Naval Brigade.
About forty natives are known to be killed and wounded. They acknowledge having had 400 men in the pah.
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Bibliographic details
Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1233, 10 May 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)
Word Count
6,954ARRIVAL OF THE OTAGO. Lyttelton Times, Volume XXI, Issue 1233, 10 May 1864, Page 1 (Supplement)
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