Page 3 Advertisements Column 2

New Zealander, Volume XIX, Issue 1974, 16 September 1863, Page 3

Queen’s Redoubt, 4th September 1863. Sir, — I have the honor to report for (he information of the Lieutenant General Co amanding, that at about hj past seven o’c'cck, on the morning of the 2nd, I was ordered to march the Inlying Picquet to the support of the Patrol at Pokeuo village ; when within about | a mile from the village I found the Patrol under the command of Ensign Dawson, 2nd batt. 18th Regiment, engaged with a body of Maories who, at that time, occupied the bush on the right of the village and the clearing on the side of it, which is covered with fallen timber. I immediately reinforced i the skirmishers who advanced, driving the Maor ies from the clearing and out of the village into the bash* After scouring the bush on the right of the village, the enemy having made their retreat in that tfireeJo i, and deeming that further pursuit was useless, I returned to the Queen’s Redoubt; in the meantime the Force under my command had been augmented by the arrival of the escort under the command of Captain Noblett, 2nd batt. 18th I am happy to be able to state that there were no casualties on our side, and that both officers and men behaved with the greatest steadiness. I am unable to co np ite the loss on the part the MaoT’es. Two Flint guns and some ammunition fell into our hands. I beg to bring to the notice of the Lieut. General Commanding, the services of Ensign Spider, 65th Regiment, Ens> 0 n Gomez, 40th Regiment, Lieutenant Croft, 2nd batt. 18th Regiment, who accom mured the Inlying Picquet, and more especially the conduct of Ensign Dawson, 2nd batt. 18th, who had to cunt! nd against a force of Mao. iesfar superior iu numbers to the Patrol under hr* command. I have &c., F. L. P. Trench, Captain 40th Regiment. The Asst. Military Secretary, Stc., See.-, Sic. Head Quarters. Lieut.-General Canitirdri W the Governor. Head Quarters, Queen’s Redoubt, 11th September, 1863. Slßj—With reference to my letter of the 9th Instant, relative to the engagement which took place in the bush near Cameron, between a party of the 65th Regiment under the command of Captain Swift, and a body of rebel natives, on the 7th instant, I have novt the honor to forward the Report of Color Sergeant McKenna, which has been transmitted to me by Colonel Wyatt, commanding 65th Regiment, a copy of whose letter I enclose. This interesting Report fully bears out the opinion I expressed in the letter alluded to above, of the conduct of the officers and men of this detachment. It is difficult to conceive a more trying position than that in which this detachment was placed, when, deprived of both its officers, it found its way in the midst of a dense bush, sunounded on all sides by a savage enemy, and too distant from the nearest post to entertain any hope of support. The courage, intelligence, and self-reliance for which the soldiers of the 65th Regiment are so distinguished, never inor. conspicuously displayed than on this critical occasion. Fortunately, in Color Sergeant McKenna, the detachment found a commander whose coolness, intrepidity, and judgment, justified the confidence placed in him by the soldiers brought so suddenly under bis command. I need scarcely assure your Excellency that it will give me great pleasure to report the meritorious conduct of tins detachment to His Royal Highness the Rield Marshall commanding in Chief, and to the Right Honorable the Secretary of State for War, and to recommend to special notice the names of Lieutenant Butler, Color Sergeant McKenna, and the other non-commissioned officers and soldiers so honorably mentioned by Colonel Wyatt* 1 have, &c., D. A. Cameron, Liout.-General. Camp, Queen’s Redoubt, llth September, 1863. Sir, —In accordance with the wishes of the Lieut.-General, I have called upon ColorSergeant E. McKenna to furnish me with a report of the action, at “Cameron” on the 7th instant. From the corroborative statements made to me by Lieut. Warren, who had ample opportunities of acquiring full information of the various events and places, while in command of the detachment 65th regt., that proceeded from the “ Alexandra Redoubt” in search of the missing, on the Bth(underCo]*'nel Murray) and subsequently on the 9th, i am perfectly satisfied with the truthfulness of the appended letter. As acts of daring and gallantry are sure to be appreciated, I trust the Lieut.-General will be pleased to bring this instance to the notice of his Royal Highness the Field Marshall Commanding, in Chief, for some special mark of approval on the part of Her Majesty, for his gallant conduct, after both his Officers had been shot, in charging through the position of an enemy heavily outnumbering him, and drawing off his small force through a broken and rugged country, with the loss of but one man killed and another missing. As soon as I can obtain the necessary documents from the Officer Commanding at Tuakau, I will not fail to bring to the notice of the Lieut.-General the gallant conduct of Lance Corporal Ryan and Privates William Bulford and John Talbot, who removed the body of their Captain from the field of action, and remained with it all night in a bush surrounded by the enemy, and also that of Privates Benjamin Thomas and John Cole, who after remaining all night in the fern with Lieut. Butler, who was badly wounded, in the morning carried him several miles towards the 65th Camp, until met by the reinforcement under Colonel Murray proceeding to their assistance. I would also beg to bring to the notice of the Lieut.-General the conduct of Drummer Henry Welsh, who. when Private Grace was killed, picked up his rifle and emptied his pouch of any ammunition and copper caps, under a galling fire, and thus prevented the enemy from obtaining that trophy, and I trust that the cool and determined bravery of the small parties under the command of Color Sergeant McKenna and Sergeant Meara will be favorably considered and honorably mentioned. Only one rifle was captured by the enemy, that of Private Bellringer, who was killed when with the advance Guard, which was then fearfully outnumbered and hardly pressed by the enemy, and slowly retiring iu skirmishing order. • I sincerely trust and hope the Lieut.General will make a favorable mention to His