THE ESCAPED HAUHAU PRISONERS.

Marlborough Press, Volume IX, Issue 607, 2 September 1868, Page 5

THE ESCAPED HAUHAU PRISONERS.

FURTHER DETAILS OE WHITMORE’S ’ DEFEAT. LIST OF THE KILLED AND WOUNDED The Correspondent of the Hawke’s Bay Herald .writes from VVairoa on August 13th : The last news I sent you was that the Hauhaus had escaped from the intercepting' forces ; had Crossed the Ilungarco in safety ; and that some four or five days after Colonel Whitmore crossed the same river in pursuit. I- have now to tell you one of saddest reverses that lias beafllen us. It appears that, encouraged by the freshness of the trail, Colonel Whitmore lost sight of every Other consideration in the hope of getting up with the enemy. 11l supplied with stores, absolutely ignorant of whither he was going, undervaluing the skill and courage of the enemy, disdainful of the most ordinary precautions, he pushed recklessly on. Just before entering the gorge, a small stream from the west, the Waipoa, joins theßuaki Turi, almost at right angles witli the main stream. An island of boulders and shingle, covered with a dense manuka scrub, stands as it were in front of the creek’s mouth ; on the north bank a high hill, the Rakaiwliaia, rises suddenly from the river—a small flat lying at its foot. A few of their number were seen by our force, scattered about the island, and a rapid advance was made to attack them. As our people neared, they commenced firing—not with much vigor at first but rapidly increasing in power as their force collected. Our men. had to cross the river bed in the open, exposed to this treatment, and replying with what effect they could. As our party drew into the western bank the enemy mounted the Rakaiwhaia hill outflanking and pouring a deadly fire into our people. Capt, Carr fell ; Mr Davis Canning, two troopers named, Patrick Condon and William Coates, and a friendly native ltehira, Were shot dead. Six others wounded ; amongst them Capt. Arthur Tuke, who was shot through the arm—the bullet glancing off a rock and inflicting a painful bruised flesh wound, not injuring the bone. Another bullet passed through his clothes. Sharp work this. Poor Canning handed his carbine to Barney Reed, as he fell pierced by two bullets. Captain Carr’s weapons and havresaek, with his body became the possession of the enemy. Mr Withers, of the constabulary, behaved with great gallantry, assisting in carrying off the wounded ; indeed all behaved well, and the pity is that their courage should have been so thrown away. The enemy suffered some loss ; various- accounts make up a tale of nine seen to fall. They retired into the bush hut our party did not venture to reeoverithe bodies of the slain. There was nothing for it now but to' return to Wairoa with the wounded : the first of the party reached Clyde this (Thursday) afternoon. Dr. Brown having charge, and striving to make every arrangement to secure the poor fellows’ comfort. I subjoin a list of the casualties. By the way, who told you the story about the snow stopping the Hauhaus ; it is a mere tale of a “ frog and a roasted apple.” Once at Te Pa Puni, there is nothing to stop their going to Mangapowhatu I have creditable information that these two years past that a good bush road has been cut by the Ureweras from Mangapowhatu to the Pa Puni, or rather a few miles of it. The entrance from this end is not easily to be found ; but it exists sure enough. The two first skirmishes were in a measure unavoidable, but this last will bear no such palliation ; and I am greatly erring in my judgment of the view the public will take , in this matter, if a strict inquiry he not insisted on, for the purpose of ascertaining the cause that led to, and the grounds upon which tins sad and fatal expedition was undertaken. The enemy have lost, at a rough guess, some thirty men from first to last. What then ? they will he replaced by ten times the number : in every other respect they have been victors. It is now beyond a doubt the intention of the enemy to make Mangapowhatu and Ruatahuna their muster places. I don’t know how it is, but certain,parties are lamentably deficient in geographical knowledge, and won’t he taught either. List of killed and wounded. Killed.—Captain Carr, Staff,'R. A.—never approached near enough to discover how. P. ’Condon, armed constabulary.—Shot through the head. W. Coates, constabulary.—shot through the head. Lieut. D. Canning, Napier volunteers.—Shot through the body in two places. liehira, native volunteer. Total 5. Wounded.—Sub-Inspector A. Tuke, arm, severely. Constable J. Beatty, through thigh. Constable P. Byrne, through body dangerous.—Since dead. Constable .1. Lewis, leg, severe. G. McCoy, Napier volunteers, shoulder, severe. A native. Total G.