OFFICIAL SUMMARY OF MILITARY

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 177, 26 July 1845, Page 83

OFFICIAL SUMMARY OF MILITARY

OPERATIONS at the BAY OF ISLANDS. [From the New Zealander of June 7th.] To his Excellency Captain Fitzßoy, Governor of New Zealand. Sir — I have the honour of submitting to your ' Excellency a summary of my military operations at the Bay of Islands, as detailed in my despatches dated Ist, 7th, 9th, and 12th instant.

I regret to say our loss has been severe; that of the rebels could not be corrtctly ascertained, but it must have been great. Ruku and his son, a son and nephew of Kawiti'e, and aeveral other chiefs, are said to be among the killed. In consequence of the bad accommodationlfor our numerous wounded, and no means of procuring proper nourishment for them, as there was not an ounce of tea or sugar in the camp, I decided on retiring to Kirikiriaa soon as littecs could be made for the wounded ; but bad weather again detained me until the morning of the 10th instant. When the force was ready to march on that day, another difficulty arose in getting a sufficient number of natives to trans* port the wounded (eight men being required for

To Major Bridge, commanding the 58th regiment, and to Ensign O'Connell, 51st regiment (aid-de-camp to the Lieutenant-General commanding the troops in Australia), my acting brigade-major, my best thanks are due for their assistance; and to all the other officers I beg to convey the expression of my warmest approbation.

My thanks are due to Lieutenant Egerton and the rocket party under his direction for their assistance.

I have thus, your Excellency, briefly detailed the movements of the force under my command to the Bth instant inclusive; and it now becomes my duty to express how much I feel indebted to the parties of assault for their gallant conduct in taking up their positions under a heavy fire of musketry early on the morning of the Bth instant, and for tbree times repulsing, at the point of the bayonet, during that day, a large body of rebels under Kami.

As many of the soldiers had been wounded I ordered the parties to retire, and they were descending from the height when they were a third time attacked by Kawiti, who was not this time supported by Heki. Skirmishers were sent out, and the rebels were again repulsed. This was the last effort of the rebels to defeat a brave body of seamen and soldiers. The parties afterwards retired, and brought off all the wounded men.

I was about to order the parties to retire and rejoin the reserve, when the British ensign was unexpectedly hoisted by Heki, and on another flag-staff a small red flag was hoisted (Thomas Walker called it Heki's fighting flag); this flag was hoisted up and pulled down several successive times; its meaning was Boon explained, being immediately followed by a combined attack on the three parties by the rebels under Kawiti and about 150 of those under Heki, who rushed from the fortification. The reserve fired on the latter, and although the distance was great it checked their advance; a few reached the height and were there killed. Kawiti's attack was repulsed at the point of the bayonet with a severe loss. *

About nine o'clock on the morning of the Bth instant, I placed the reserve behind a ridge within 300 yards of the pa, and ordered the three parties of asßau.lt (consisting of the smallarmed seamen of her Majesty's ships North Star and Hazard, under the command of Acting Commander George Johnson ; of the light company of the 58th regiment, under the command of Captain Denny; and of the detachment of royal marines and of the 96th regiment, under the command of Lieut, and Adjutant M'Lerie, 58th regiment) to advance to their respective posts. In doing so they were exposed to a heavy and galling fire from two faces of the pa, but the parties moved on with unflinching steadiness, and crowned a height within 200 yards of the fortification. As I was now so close to the pa I saw its real strength, and my former opinion was fully confirmed, that it was not to be taken without the aid of artillery. The rocket party under the direction of Lieutenant Egerton, of the North Star, now fired twelve rockets, but the result was not so favourable as I had anticipated. A few of the rebels were observed to leave the pa on the two first being fired, but the alarm was only momentary. About this time the parties on the height advanced their right flank and opened a heavy fire. This movement arose from a loyal native having discovered a large body of rebels under Kawiti lying in ambush, for the purpose, I have since ascertained, of attacking the parties in rear if they should assault the pa. The rebels were charged and dispersed with loss.

At noon, on the 7th instant, I and several of the officers went to a hill about a mile from Heki's pa, to reconnoitre it. From observation and inquiries I was soon convinced the pa waa a strong fortification, trebly stockaded, with walls inside, traverses cut from side to side, a deep ditch, and each face loopholed; and, to add to its strength, the phormium teaax, or New Zealand flax, was interwoven, which made the pa impregnable to musketry. I now felt convinced that it was not practicable to take the pa with no other means than physical strength, and to attempt it with such means would cause an unnecessary sacrifice of human life. I subsequently made arrangements to take up a position near Heki's fortification, to fire the rockets and see their effect; and as the chances of war are many and uncertain, I formed half the force into three parties of assault, and pointed out to each commander his position, and there to wait for further orders. I was thus prepared to assault the fortification.

The bad weather lasted until the morning of the 6th instant, but during its continuance Waka (Nene) sent .[instructions to his tribe to erect several ware's for the accommodation of the Europeans. The march on the 6th was about seventeen miles, and the path heavy. When the force arrived at the pa I was pleased to see two large ware's ready for the men, although not of sufficient capacity to contain all the force.

use; and the five days' biscuit which each man had received was unfit to be eaten.

I had another motive for so deciding. Paratine Rekeao urged me to lose no time in attacking Heki, and, by my request, he sent a message to Tamati Waka (Nene) to visit me on board the North Star, for I could not undertake a march of about thirty miles from the coast until the return of H.M.S. Hazard from Auckland. On the morning of the Ist instant Tamati Waka arrived, and it was on that day finally arranged that the troops should disembark at Onewero on the morning of the 3d instant, and make two marches to his pa. About noon, on the 3d instant, the force, consisting of the small-armed seamen and marines of the North Star and Hazard, and the troops, in all about 400 men, was ready to march ; but an unforeseen obstacle retarded my progress, which was casually produced. Walker (Nene) being unable to produce the number of natives he had promised me, and whom I required to carry the spare ammunition (the volunteers from Auckland being employed in carrying the hospital establishment and other articles), and as I had no alternative, the destruction of the settlement of Kororarika having placed the means of transport beyond my reach, by being under the vigilance of the rebels, I was obliged to issue spare ammunition, to the extent of thirty rounds to every man, to carry in his haversack; a very unmOitary arrangement, and thereby endangering the lives of the soldiers, and exposing the ammunition to be damaged and lost. In this way, without a single tent or day's ration of liquor, a force commenced its march into the interior of New Zealand, to crush a rebellion which had existed for many months. After a march of nine miles the force halted for the night. At midnight it rained heavily, and in the morning it poured. As there was no shelter for the troops at Waka (Nene's) pa, I immediately marched to Kirikiri, and occupied the large Btore and other buildings at that place. The spare ammunition was inspected, and two-thirds of it found unfit for

It was my intention to advance from Otuhu in the direction of Kawiti's pa, but my information about the country through which my inarch lay was so contradictory, and I mußt have acted without the assistance of my loyal natives, that I decided upon postponing that movement, and accordingly the troops re-embarked and all the vessels returned to an anchorage off Kororarika.

I preferred proceeding in the manner stated in preference to hostilities, because I did not consider that it would add to the reputation of a British army or secure the safety of New Zealand, if a force consisting of 300 bayonets attacked an open pa, and defended by a chief with about fifty slaves, whose wife and children were with him, and who is connected with almost every powerful chief in this island. I have no hesitation in asserting that, if Pomare or any member of his family had been killed that morning, most of the neutral tribes about Hokianga would have taken up arms against the Government; and I am not convinced, even now, that Pomare's death would not have shaken Walker Nene's fidelity to our cause ; and many tribes to the southward would also have been in arms against us. As far as I could judge, Pomare did not evince much reluctance to go with me on board the North Star, and during his stay on board her he and his wife and children were treated with much kindness by Sir Everard Home.

At daylight I was much surprised to see a white flag flying in Pomare's pa; but as the proclamation only authorized loyal natives to Bhow it, I could not recognise it as an emblem of peace from a supposed rebel. The troops commenced disembarking, and when landed I sent two interpreters with a message into the pa, to desire Pomare to come to me directly. His answer was " The Colonel must come to me." He sent the same answer to a second message. One of the interpreters now offered to remain a hostage in the pa : this I would not hear of. I then sent my final message to Pomare, that if he did not come to me in five minutes I would attack his pa : this threat induced Pomare to come. I had it explained to him that his conduct had been very bad, that he must go on board the North Star, and that he must accompany me to Auckland to account for it to His Excellency the Governor.

The vessels Slams Castle and Velocity, taken up to convey the force under my immediate command to the Bay of Islands, sailed from Auckland on the 27th April, and anchored off Kororarika on the afternoon of the 28th April, where I was glad to find H.M.S. North Star at anchor. I immediately consulted with Sir E. Home relative to the re-establishing her Majesty's authority at Kororarika. The grenadier company of the 58th regiment (as a guard of honour) was landed about five o'clock, p.m. The proclamation was then read, and the union jack hoisted under a salute of 21 guns from the North Star ; the yards were then manned, and three cheers from the party on shore were answered by the seamen and troops on board the transports. In obedience to your Excellency's instructions, I prepared to attack the rebel chiefs and to destroy their property; and as Pomare was one of the proscribed chiefs, and his pa the most exposed to an attack, the North Star got under weigh on the morning of the 29th April, and proceeded to Otuhu, but light winds delayed the vessels until midnight, at which time they anchored off Pomare's pa.

each litter), at Tamati Waka (Nene) could not leave his pa defenceless.! I was reluctantly compelled to order the fighting men to carry their wounded comrades, and half the force was so employed from 11 o'clock, a.m., to 9 o'clock, p.m. ; but all, seamen and soldiers, performed this unusual duty with a spirit that can scarce be surpassed. The volunteers carried the arms and appointments of the sick and wounded. I had previously written to Sir Everard Home to send boats up the Kirikiri river to receive the wounded, ana on the 1 lth instant the whole of them were conveyed on board the North Star, in which vessel every comfort had been prepared for them. The re-embarkation of the troops was now a matter of necessity, and could not be delayed. The force had been on shore ten days, exposed to very inclement weather; had been for seven days on a half ration, consisting of meat and a small quantity of potatoes ; the biscuit, as previously stated, had been spoiled by the rain ; and the medical officers were unanimous in the opinion that any further continuance of discomforts would produce much sickness among the troops. On the 1 lth instant the force marched to the coast, and re-embarked. During my absence, and by the directions of Captain Sir Everard Home, Lieutenant Philpotts, on the 7th instant, with parties of seamen of her Majesty's ships North Star and Hazard, burnt five small villages belonging to Heki, broke up two large canoes, and brought off two other large ones; and on the 9th instant Mr. Lane with a party broke up two large canoes, and brought off four large and small boats belonging to Europeans, which had been taken away from Kororarika. In conclusion I beg to express my sense of the cordial support and able assistance which I have received from Captain Sir Everard Home in disembarking and re-embarking the force; and to Acting Commander Johnson and to all the other officers, and to all the seamen and marines, my thanks for their zeal and assistance. My best thanks are due to Major Bridge, commanding the 58th regiment; to Ensign O'Connell, 51st regiment, acting brigade-major; and to all the other officers, for their able support; and to the troops employed, for their strict discipline, their conciliatory conduct in their intercourse with the loyal natives, their exemplary cheerfulness under privations of rations and great exposure to bad weather, and particularly for their exertions on the 11th instant, in carrying one-half of their wounded comrades on litters, a distance of about eighteen miles over a bad road, or rather path. I beg to annex a list of the killed and wounded on the Bth instant : — List of Killed and Wounded in the action near the rebel chief Heki's camp, on the Bth May, 1845. H.M.S. North Star. 1 Private of the Royal Marines, killed. Mr. Warrington (clerk), slightly wounded. 3 Privates of the Royal Marines, severely ditto. 1 Seaman, dangerously wounded — since dead. 3 Seamen, severely wounded. H.M.S. Hazard. Lieutenant Morgan, slightly wounded. 1 Private, Royal Marines, severely wounded. 2 Seamen, severely wounded. Her Majesty's 58th Regiment. 8 Rank and File, killed. 2 Sergeants, severely wounded. 14 Rank and File, ditto. 1 Sergeant, slightly wounded. 1 Civilian, servant to Mr. Beckham, police magistrate, severely wounded. Total Killed .... 13 „ Wounded . . . .39 I have, &c, W. Hulme, Lieut.-Colonel, Commanding the Force at Bay of Islands. Auckland, May 2?, 1845. To the Colonial Secretary, &c, Auckland. Sir — I have the honour to report, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, the successful issue of an expedition I had the honour to command against the Waikadi tribe, in accordance with instructions and the discretionary power vested in me by Lieutenant-Col. Hulme, commanding the forces n^New Zealand, previous to his departure for&tfckland. Having obtained, through the assistance of Mr. Clendon, police magistrate of Pahia, all the necessary information of the strength and position of the pa at Waikadi, I proceeded up the Waikadi river by night on the 15th instant, with 200 men of the 58th regiment, 8 marines, and a 12-pounder carronade, with an armed seaman in each boat, belonging to H.M.S. Hazard, in order to reach our position before break of day, and thereby cut off the retreat of the natives from the pa; but, owing to the intricate navigation of the channel and the difficulty of finding the entrance to the proper creek in the dark, some of the boats lost their way, and, as the tide went down, grounded, so that by break of day I found myself before the pa with only 50 men and about 100 Maories belonging to Tatriati Waka and Rivers, under the chiefs Rippa and Rivers. These I despatched to the left of the pa, to flank it on that side, whilst a subaltern and 20 men of the 58th regiment formed a flanking party to the right ; I took up a position in front, under cover of a low bank and scrub* The inmates of the pa commenced firing on us as the day broke, having heard our approach, which was returned by the friendly natives, but I did not allow my men to fire a shot, for fear of injuring some of them, until I had sufficient .men landed to make an attack on the pa. However, in less than half an hour the enemy was seen deserting the pa, and our allies rushing in. We immediately followed them up ' and took possession of it, whilst Rippa's and Rivers' parties followed up the fugitives, who kept up a constant fire from the bush for six or

seven hours after, during which time I had to support the friendly natives with a company of the 58th regiment. They fought most gallantly, and, I regret to say, had two killed and six wounded. The Waikadi tribe, it is said, were reinforced by a party of Kawiti's men. There were about eighty men in the pa; how many joined them afterwards could not be ascertained, nor could their loss ; but, from the heavy fire we kept up upon them for so many hours, it must have been considerable.

I found that all the property said to be in their possession, stolen from Kororarika and other places, had been removed into the bush in anticipation of our coming ; and, from the thickness of the bush, it was impossible for Europeans to proceed in search of it. I, however, burnt down the pa, and carried away all the canoes and other things of use ; and have much satisfaction in reporting that as soon as the tide served I returned to the ship without losing a man, notwithstanding the risk we ran of having our retreat cut off and being fired at whilst in the boats, from the banks of the river, on our return. There were two boats captured by Lieutenant Philpotts ; and the canoes I allowed Tamati Waka's people to take. I have the honour, &c, Cyp. Bridge, Com. 58th Regt., Commanding Troops at the Bay of Islands. Bay of Islands, May 17th, 1845.