QUEEN'S REDOUBT.

New Zealander, Volume XIX, Issue 1972, 14 September 1863, Page 2

QUEEN'S REDOUBT.

[from our own correspondent.] Sept. 11th, 1863. In a former communication I described the position of the redoubt occupied by a portion of the 12th regt. at Wangamarino. This redoubt, as I think I mentioned, is the advance post from the 14th camp, and is situated on a ridge, running from the Waikato inland, and almost parallel to the Wangamarino, on the side facing which, the hill is steep and wooded. At night three sentries arc posted beyond this redoubt, whose beats meet. Last night, when two of the sentries were together, they noticed a slight noise near or in the bush, and one of them proceeded to reconnoitre while the other kept watch, but nothing was observed, and the noise ceased; but, recommencing about half an hour later when the middle sentry was alone, he stepped a few paces from the track to look what it was that caused the disturbance, when he perceived the body of a man lying flat on the ground only a few paces in front. Without making any noise he raised his rifle and pulled the trigger, but the piece missed fire. Instantly the Maori, for the prostrate body was one, leaped upon him, seized his gun, and with a tomahawk wounded h'm in several places on the arm, nearly severing the thumb from the poor fellow’s left hand, who clung closely to his rifle and attempted to draw his bayonet, hut was not able.

At the first alarm the sentry nearest the redoubt had ran inside and given the alarm, but it was too late, for the rascally Maori had made good his retreat, but v.'ithout accomplishing his purpose, i.e., killing the sentry and possessing himself of his rifle. This is perhaps the boldest attempt that has occurred daring the war, for a single man to attack the centre one of three sentries, so close together, and so near the Redoubt; it shows that the enemy is picking up courage by his late fancied successes. They seem also to have commenced a new mode of warfare, that of attack, which is so contrary to all their former practices, which have been confined, with very i ‘W exceptions, to the defensive, —the construction of f as and rifle pits forming the principal feature. I hear that Wi Thompson was at the affair at I’okeno village last week, and owns to two of his men having been killed and a few wounded, he himself having had his gnn bent by a rifle ball.

The bush is fast disappearing som the neighbourhood of the road and Pokeno village, from the number of men now at work felling, and the large trees come cashing, every half minute al most, to the ground. When this work is finished on either side of the road to Drury, very little danger will be apprehended from Maori ambushes, as the cleared land will be for 110 jards on either side, and I question if many of their guns would carry th at far. Nini Kukutai is to remove from the Maori stockade at the Bluff, which is to be demolished.

I have seen the rifle of the sentry who was attacked by the Maori at Wangamarino, the mpright side of the bed of the sight has been cut quitc*»Siy»''ugh with tb e blow of the tomahawk, and the barrel ancrrfiiock dinted in several places also. The marvel is how the soldier escaped with his life, for desperate must have been the struggle, aud the blows all coming from one side. Saturday. The poor fellow who was tomahawked the night before last, at Whangamarino, had his thumb amputated to-day. DRURY. [from our own correspondent,] Friday, September 11. The body of Captain Swift came down by the escort this morning, and has just been taken on by an ambulance waggon under escort to Auckland for interment. The Bishop of New Zealand arrived at Drury to meet the body, but the orders were to proceed to Auckland. As I know some of your readers to be much interested in the affair which has resulted in the death of a courageous, able, and valued officer of the 65th, allow me to give a few details. Captain Swift and Lieut. Butler were in advance of the 50 men who were making for the pah where the goods were supposed to be, when a shot was fired at Captain Swift from a distance of about 15 or 20 yards, and he fell; another shot also severely wounded Lieut. Butler, Captain Swift behaved with great coolness, and finding that he

could not rise, gave his revolver to one of his men, and bid him not to give in. It was then growing dusk, and two of the men remained with their officer whilst the rest advanced. The men kept quite quiet, and Captain Swift repressed his groaning because the Maories were close at hand. He remained alive for about two hours and a-half, the two men lying by bis side to cover him ; when dead they covered the body with fern and went for help to bring it in, but it could not be found that night. The Maories, who knew they had wounded a man, also tried to discover the body but failed. Next morning the body was found by the men who had so faithfully watched over him while alive, and carried into the pah or wharo. I3v rumour, information said to be derived from an intercepted Maori letter, Papukura, Wairoa, &c., were to have been attacked this day, but they have not been. What a pity it is that any person should unnecessarily lay himself open to the ridicule which “ A Correspondent from the Wairoa” does, when writing about matters respecting which he knows nothing; for instance, he describes the skirmish in which 30 of Jackson’s men, with 20 of the Mauku Rifle Rangers, were engaged, as taking place on a patch of burned scrub, and between Baird’s farm and Pokeno, when it was near Paturaahoe, 15 miles from either of the places described and not in that direction; and he speaks of it as a mild affair (which it might be to a man at a distance), but as three of those engaged in it have unrnistakeablo proof of shots within a few inches of them, it was not so very mild to them; —and then he says, after a stray shot, they “ retired as usual,” when the fact is not a man retired until the Maories were made to feel who were their superiors, and that the bush was too hot for them. The Magics retiring after twenty minutes warm shooting, leanrg their pots, pans, provisions, and all their plunder on the ground. The men even cutting up and conveying away the two beasts. Why this disparagement of those of our fellow settlers engaged in a really dangerous and arduous duty ? Surely we might afford to be a generous in speaking of the acts of e j r As it evidently nas to be bush warfare, I really think settlers who are ready and willing to go into it, deserve a little more consideration from those who, like myself, and I think I may say “ A Wairoa Correspo dent,” are quietly out ot these “ few stray shots.” A body of fifty men of the 13th, under command of Lieut. Ruffle and Ensign A. J. A. Jackson, have left Drury this morning for Wairoa and Papakura, to relieve fifty of the 65th nnder command of Lieutenant Tabatoau and Lieutenant Chevalier, who go to the Head Quarters of their regiment at the Queen’s redoubt. A company of fifty of Pitt’s volunteers, under command of Captain Bennett, marched into Drury yesterday, said to be destined for the Mauku, but whether they or another fifty men are to be quartered there is not yet known. Colonel Nixon, with twenty of tko Defence Corps, went up this morning to reconnoitre the country between Pukckohc and the Mauku, and will in all probability take up their quarters in that neighbourhood. WAIROA. ■ [from our own correspondent.] Friday, September 11th. Last evening a letter was received by Major Lyons from a friendly Maori, through the hands of a settler, warning him of an impending attack by the Maoris, to be made simultaneously on the redoubt and the blockhouse. The Maj or lost no time in taking all necessary steps for the security of the settlers, and especially of those who had rather prematurely brought their families back from town. The settlers were all ordered into the block-house, and at evening parade the Major read to the men a translation of the letter. The reading of the letter was no sooner concluded than the men broke out into a loud cheer at the prospect of having a brush with the Maoris. The only apprehension entertained by any one seemed to be lest the Maoris should fail in fulfilling their part of the agreement, and by not presenting themselves, rob those who were expecting them of the opportunity of giving them a glorious “ whipping.” Those who are best acquainted with Maoris say that they have a superstition exactly the reverse of one which is an accredited part of a sailor’s creed. A sailor firmly believes that Friday is an unlucky day, and that no voyage commenced on a Friday was ever known to turn out a prosperous one. A Maori, on the contrary, firmly believes that Friday is a lucky day, and that any enterprise, especially if it be of a warlike nature, commenced on that day, is sure to turn out successful. This day being Friday, made it, in accordance with this opinion, still more probable that the Maoris would venture on an attack this morning.

All hands, both at the redoubt and at the blockhouse were under arras at four o’clock this morning, and the arrival of our Maori friends was anxiously but vainly expected. They have proved themselves not to be men of their word, and we have not at present seen any indications of their being in the neighbourhood. Whether their absence is owing to their having changed their minds, or to a postponement, merely, of the attack, we have, of course, no means of ascertaining. Certain it is that there will be for the present no relaxation of vigilance, and that the enemy, when he does come, will not find us unprepared. Information of the intended attack having been sent to Papakura last night, a considerable body of Colonel Nixon’s force were down here at daylight this morning, and, had the attack actually occurred, would doubtless have been of essential service. [from a corrkspondent.] Friday, 11th. A change for the better has taken place in the aspect of affairs hero. The quiet monotony of eating, drinking, and sleeping, has been broken up by the news that •we may expect a visit from the Kerkeri and Waikato natives, and there is therefore a possibility that this detachment of the Auckland Rifle Volunteers, (a smart body of men and lads), may have an opportunity of fleshing their maiden bayonets and smelling powder fired in anger. Yesterday evening it was evident to all hands that mportant news had arrived in the Camp. Most of he men, as usual of an evening, were loitering about the parade ground outside the Redoubt, some playing leap-frog, and others over the cook’s fires. It did not escape the rnan y< however, that he officers were distance away in a knot around a settler who had just arrived with a letter for Major Lyon. Conjectures were becoming rife, when suddenly the “ assembly” was sounded, and the men rushed belter skelter to their tents for arms and accoutrements ; they were at once, however, ordered to fall in without arms, and as soon as the ranks were formed, the Major was seen coming with the letter and a lantern in his hand, there being scarcely light enough to read it by. The contents were (from whom I shall not say) to inform us that an attack was to be made upon the Redoubt on the 11th (to-day), and the Major, before breaking off, told the young hands, in the event of anything turning up, to be cool and steady. On falling out, one enthusiastic cheer arose from the men, and every countenance beaming with delight, as though thev were so many school girls elated with the prospect of'a “ ball” to come off. Preparations were made for the event,—pistols were re-capped and burnished up ; small pouches tilled with loose cartiidges, &c. Every man knew his post at the walls ; and we all lay down fully accoutred and with our rifles by our leftside. At 4 a.m., we turned out under arms, and remained at our posts until daylight—not a ghost of a Maori to be seen ! It certainly is very ungentlemanike conduct of the Waikato army and Keri Keri con-

tin ,ent thus to treat their engagements. Perhaps, ho' ever, they will yet come ; all hands, I am sure, from the Major to the youngest boy in the A.R.V., wil be delighted to receive them witli thnt due attention to their physical comforts which such guests des '.rve.

r 'hc Wairoa Bifles, which comprise the settlers rema mug here on their farms, were under orders last nig it in their own stockade, on the opposite side of the river, and within rifle shot of our own, —the Gallowa- redoubt. Their stockade is a secure, comfortable pla :e, suited for the occupation of families in case eiHi rgency, and is palisaded in to a height of five feet in addition to having an earthen breastwork and fos> elike the Galloway redoubt.

T see that a correspondent in the Cross has complc ned of my strictures on the ignorance of the guide wh < was sent with the Volunteers to this place, on thc r landing from the Sandfly on Friday last. This corespondent states that the guide knew the road perfectly well. Granted: the more shame for him, then, tha he brought our poor fellows by a circuitous route never used by the settlers, as I am informed by some of tin raselves.

('olonel Haultain has visited the camp to-day,