To his Excellency Governor Grey.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 207, 21 February 1846, Page 203

To his Excellency Governor Grey.

Camp at the Ruapekapeka, Kawiti's Pa, January 11, 1846. Sir — It is with extreme satisfaction that I have the honour of acquainting your Excellency that Kawiti's stronghold, or pa, at the Ruapekapeka, was this day carried by assault by the force under my command, after a bold and most determined resistance on the part of the enemy, who continued the action long after he had been driven from the fortress; but the ardour and intrepidity displayed by the British force of every description, as well as by our native allies, overcame every obstacle, and, after three hours' hard fighting, the enemy was obliged to fly, and dispersed in different directions.

The detail of this attack, as well as that of the preceding day's cannonade, shall be laid before your Excellency with the least possible delay.

I greatly regret to add that our loss on thiß occasion has been heavy, as will be seen by the enclosed list of killed and wounded ; but when the extraordinary strength of the place assaulted is taken into consideration, I am only surprised it has been so small. I have, &c, H. Despard, Acting Colonel on the Staff, commanding the troops.

Return of Killed and Wounded of the Force under the command of Colonel Despard, 99th Regiment, acting Colonel on the Staff, during the assault on Kawiti's Pa, on the 11th of January, 1846. H.M.S. Castor. Killed — 7 6eamen. Wounded — 10 seamen and 2 marines. H.M.S. North Star. Killed — 1 marine. Wounded — 2 seamen, including Mr. Murray, midshipman. H.M.S. Calliope. Killed — 1 marine. Wounded — 1 marine. H.M.S. Racehorse. Wounded — 1 seaman. H.E.I.C.S. Elphinstone. Wounded — 1 seaman. H.M. 58th Regiment. Killed — 2 privates. Wounded — 10 privates. H.M. 99th Regiment. Killed — 1 private. Wounded — 1 private. Volunteer Pioneers. Wounded — 1 private, also 2 during the previous operations, one 6ince dead. Officer Wounded. Mr. Murray, midshipman of H.M.S. North Star, severely but not dangerously. To his Excellency Governor Grey. Camp before the Ruapekapeka, January 12, 1846. Sir — In my letter of yesterday I had the satisfaction of acquainting your Excellency of

the fall of Kawiti's pa, by assault on that day, and I now proceed to communicate the detail.

On the morning of the 10th instant, our advanced batteries being completed (one within 350 yards, and the second about 160 yards off the pa), a general fire was commenced from all the guns, with a view of opening a breach into the place, and several rockets were thrown into it at the same time, for the purpose of driving the enemy out. The fire was kept up with little intermission during the greater part of the day ; and towards evening it was evident that the outer works on those parts against which the fire was directed were nearly all giving way ; but the numerous stockades inside, crossing the place in different directions, and composed of much stronger timbers, were scarcely touched. Towards evening our fire slackened, and was only continued occasionally during the night to prevent the enemy attempting to repair the breaches that had been made.

On the following morning, the 11th instant, no person being observed moving within the pa, a few of our native allies, under a chief named William Waka (a brother of Tomati Waka Nene), went up to the place for the purpose of observing whether or not the enemy had evacuated it. This party entered the breach unopposed, which, being perceived from the nearest battery, a party of 100 men of the troops, under Captain Denny, was pushed up rapidly, and, together with the natives, gained the inside of the stockades before they were perceived by the enemy, who, at the time, were sheltering themselves from the fire of our guns on a sloping piece of ground in one of their outworks. Our parties had scarcely gained the inside, when they were noticed by the enemy, and a heavy fire of musketry instantly poured in upon them. The stockades, however, now became our protection ; and strong reinforcements being immediately brought up from the camp, possession of the place was secured in spite of all the efforts of the enemy to drive us back, being obliged to retreat and shelter himself in a wood opposite the east face of the pa, where the trees being extremely large, and forming complete breastworks (many of them having been cut down previously, and evidently purposely placed in a defensive position), he was enabled to maintain a heavy fire against us for a considerable time, until a doorway in that face having been broken open, the seamen and troops rushed out and dislodged him from his position. He, however, still continued to keep up a fire from the woods, but more with a view to cover his retreat and enable him to carry away his wounded men than with any expectation of renewing the contest. The attack commenced about ten o'clock a.m., and all firing had ceased about two, p.m. The extraordinary strength of this place, particularly in its interior defences, far exceeded any idea I could have formed of it. Every hut was a complete fortress in itself, being strongly stockaded all round with heavy timbers sunk deep into the ground, and placed close to each other, few of them being less than one foot in diameter, and many considerably more, besides having a strong embankment thrown up behind them. Each hut had also a deep excavation close to it, forming a complete bomb proof, and sufficiently large to contain several people, where at night they were completely sheltered from both shot and shell.

The enemy's loss has been severe, and several chiefs on their side have fallen. The numbers I have not been able to ascertain, as they invariably carry off both killed and wounded when possible. Several of the former were however left behind ; and it has been decidedly ascertained from a wounded prisoner that the chief Heki had joined Kawiti in the pa on the afternoon preceding the attack.

As your Excellency has been an eye-witness to our operations, and, I may say, actually engaged in the assault, it may be thought unnecessary to draw your attention to those persons who had a greater opportunity than others of distinguishing themselves ; but the satisfaction I feel in recording the obligation I am under to those persons makes me persevere in doing so. To the officers, seamen, and marines from her Majesty's ships, for their extraordinary exertions in dragging the guns over steep hills and through difficult and thick woods, as well as for their distinguished bravery in action, the service on this occasion is greatly indebted. To Captain Graham, of H.M.S. Castor, for his co-operation and the readiness with which he afforded every possible aid and assistance since his arrival. To Captain Sir E. Home who had previously been the senior naval officer, and who, not only upon the present occasion, but on all former ones, has used the most strenuous exertions to forward all the objects of the expedition. To Commander Hay, of H.M.S. Racehorse, who commanded the whole of the seamen attached to the force, and who so greatly aided our operations by his personal exertions and example, not only during the assault, but in all the previous difficulties we had to encounter. To Lieutenant Otway, of H.M.S. Castor, commanding the small-armed seamen. To Lieut. Falcon, of H.M.S. Castor; Lieutenant Bland, and Mr. Noppe, master, of H.M.S. Racehorse ; and Lieutenant Leeds, H.E.I. C.S. Elphinstone, who all directed the fire of the guns with such precision and excellence; and to Lieutenant Egerton, of H.M.S. North Star, who directed the rockets, much of our success is to be attributed. To Lieutenant-Colonel Wynyard, commanding the 58th Regiment, I feel the greatest obligation : his advice was of the utmost use to me on many occasions, and his personal exertions, whenever an opportunity offered, as well as his gallantry during the assault, were most conspicuous. To Captain Reid, commanding the flank companies 99th Regiment, and Captain Langford, Royal Marines (attached), much praise is due. To Captain Marlow, Royal Engineers,

for his exertions in constructing the batteries » Captain Matson, 58th Regiment, who acted as Deputy- Assistant \ Quartermaster-General ; and Lieutenant Wilmot, Royal Artillery, who directed the mortar battery, great praise is also due. I have also derived great assistance from the servicesof Lieutenant O'Connell, 51st Regiment, A.D.C. to Lieutenant-General Sir Maurice O'Connell, and Acting Major of Brigade to this Force. And I must not omit to notice, in very strong terms, the indefatigable exertions of Captain Atkins and his small corps of Volunteer Pioneers, whose conduct and services during the whole operations have been of the greatest advantage.

Every kindness has been shown to the wounded men by Doctors Kidd and Pine, the senior medical officers, and all the medical officers, both naval and military ; and I have reason to be satisfied with the exertions of the Commissariat Department, under D.A.C.G. Turner. The wounded men are generally doing well, and the only officer amongst them, a young midshipman of H.M.S. North Star, Mr. Murray, whose ardour carried him too far when the enemy were driven from the woods.

I have now only to express the peculiar satisfaction I feel, that your Excellency has had an opportunity of personally witnessing the toils and difficulties that were encountered, and the cheerfulness with which every part of the force exerted itself to overcome them ; and I beg to express my own sincere thanks for the advice and observations that you have occasionally been kind enough to favour me with during that period. I should also wish to draw your Excellency's notice to Mr. Edward Shortland, who was prevailed upon to act as my interpreter, and who has rendered me many important services while acting in that capacity. I have, &c, (Signed) H. Despard, f??IE Acting Colonel, &c. To his Excellency Governor Grey.<| L Camp at the Ruapekapeka, January 14, 1846. Sir — I have the honour to state, for your Excellency's information, that in my despatch dated the 12th instant, I omitted to mention that two guns were taken in the pa at toe Ruapekapeka: one, a 12-pound carronade, broken by one of our IS- pound shot; and the other, a 4-pounder, in serviceable order. The latter has been broughtjaway with the troops n and f will be conveyed to Auckland. I have, &c, H. Despard, Acting Colonel, &c.