THE NATIVE WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 1090, 17 June 1865, Page 10 (Supplement)

THE NATIVE WAR

The month has been on the whole, an eventful one. Although the British troops have been inactive, a few slight affairs have takn place; the principal one being an attack made by the colonial troops under Major Yon Tempsky on the natives at Kakaramea. The attack appears to have been made more as a salutary lesson to the natives, than as a part of a strategic movement, and the official account of it published in the " New Zealand Gazette" of the 7th of June is as follows:—

Wanganoi, May 16th. Sja—l have the honor to report for the information of the New Zealand Government, that on the 13th instant I had an engagement with rebel Maoris, encamped on the Patea River, four Miles north of Kakaramea.

-On me 9th of May I had sent out. two parties of my detachment at Kakaramea to scout along the ri^ht and left bank of the Patea River. One party, indeed my command, found a track leading along the right bank of the river, it descended a steep cliff, furnished with ladders of poles and supplejack ;it had many of the intervening streams bridged. I concluded therefore that considerable importance was attached by the Maoris to. tbic track, and decided upon exploring its course for'some distance. Having dugs with me that day I could not expect to surprise the natives, and not wishing to leave my tracks too far on the road I returned, resolve to use it on the iollowing night. The second party, under Captain George and Ensign Whitfield, were fired upon by the natives; shots were exchanged, and our men chased the natives for some distance, till they disappeared, It appeared,

therefore, that the natives were to be found after all on the left bank, so that night at 1 a.m., I started with my whole detachment, crossed the river, and was before dawn opposite to the native encampment; but the river intervened, and we had to content ourselves with listening to the Pai Mariri morning hymns and watching the smoke of their copa Maoris. Dense bush prevented u$ from seeing a single Maori, and prudence forbade any attempt of an attack from cur side of the river.

We returned early on the 10th, with the intention of following the track on the right bank the coming night; but three scouts made their appearance at dusk, coming evidently from that track, where our footprints of the 9th must have revealed our intentions, and making a surprise that night anything but feasible. On the 11th, ten scouts on foot and one on horseback were seen coming from the Fame direction as the first three; so that that night also was passed over as unpropitious, particularly as the continued smoke of the Maori encampment proved their determination of stoppings where they were.

On the night of Friday to Saturday at 1 a.m., I started with a force of fortyeight Forest Rangers and sixteen Waikato Militia, officered by Captain George, Lieut. Westrup, Ensigns "Whitfield and Irwin, leaving Lieut. Malonc with twenty additional Waikato Militia to guard the pass over the cliff, as ten determined men could have prevented there the return of hundreds. We got over two-tbirds oi our way without accident, though the road was of the most difficult nature, and the time was night. Arrived at an extensive clearing, however, we lost the track. Two different tracks we ran down bootles3ly— one ended in a precipice and eel-weir—the other in a place for steeping corn, at the bottom of a deep gorge. With infinite labor, through a dense forest, we found at la<-t the right track and hurried along it. We came upon a row of large w bares on the tcp of a commanding hill, but daylight was dawning already. On investigation the wbares proved to be deserted, though the ashes of recent fires were still warm. While pondering over the probability of the natives having deserted the neighborhood, large volumes of smoke ascending from a neighboring hill below us settled that question completely. A deep wooded ravine separated the native encampment from the hill we were on—beyond the encampment was the river. There seemed to me no chance cf a surprise now ; but having brought a new detachment face to face with the enemy for the first time, I deemed it necessary to attack, even at some risk. We rapidly descended the ravine and ascended the hill; a sudden turn in our road on the top brought us to a slip-panel gate, and there, in the centre, or nearly so, of a large clearing, was the native encampment. We could see the Maori sentry and other Maoris walking about. I extended the men along the clearing, but found thßt the edge of the clearing was barricaded. It was necessary to break through this barricading; the noise caused thereby and the distance to the huts gave the Maoris time to grasp their arms and receive our charge with a heavy volley. We drove them, however, from the huts into the bush, Ensign Whitfield nnd Captain George were conspicuous in their gallantry; but this was the time when we suffered the most loss, as Ensign Whitfield was hit by two shots, one breaking his arm and one entering his side : private Macbean, of No. 1 Co., F. It., was bit in the head while close to the bush. We took what cover we could get in front of the bush within twenty yards of it. A heavy fire continued now for some time. The Maoris sang Pai Mariri hymns and danced the war dance behind their barricading, and had harangues for the purpose of inducing a charge; once or twice we heard them advance a little, but stop short at the first fire at any visible member of their party.

I sent Lieut. Westrup to outflank them in the bush, but it was soon found that their flanks were protected by cullies. A front charge on our part would have been quite as great a piece of folly as on their part. I had enough, even with two men hors de combat, to convey them back to camp over the frightful road we had before us. As the Maoris before us were evidently calling in all directions for assistance, and moreover, as I henrd their calls answered, I deemed it at last .necessary to draw off the men before some reinforcement took us at a disadvantage. I sent Lieut. Westrup, la take possession of the gate once more, forwarded the wounded, and j;radually drew off my men in small parties, without the Maoris perceiving our retreat. At half-past nine I left my position in front of the bush with the last five men, and left the clearing which we had entered precisely at halfpast six. Six or eight Maoris were hors da combat at that time. We purposed finding an easier route for the transport of the wounded. For about a mile we cut through a dense bush in a gully till a precipice of 150 feet closed our retreat in that direction. We returned towards our old track, but found that a party of Maoris had taken possession of the big wbares on the top of the hill. As we had approached the whares carefully, my advanced guard under Sergeant Ross, Bhot three incautious Maoriß who were peeping round the corners of the whares.

To force our way past these whares would have added considerably; to our wounded, whatever other advantages might be gained ;: the day was advancing fast, so I sent another exploring party under Captain George to look after the possibility of heading the, gully, while I kept watch on the Maoris in the whares. The gully was at last reported passable ; we drew off gradxially once more, and entered the bush unmolested. Three distinct forest gullies had to be traversed, and a road cut through them for. the transport of the wounded, till we reached the fern ridges and our camp at four p.m., having beer* on our legs for fifteen hours without rest, food, or drink. I have to brine to your special notice the conspicuous gallantry o£ Ensign Whitfield, who I grieve to say died of his wounds at Patea, on the 13th, at 11.30 p.m.; also the gallantry of Capt. George in leading his men across the clearing, getting several bullets through his clothing, and the top of his thumb blown off. The soldierly management of Lieut. Westrup was beyond all praise, as well as the usefulness of Ensign Irwin and Lieut. Malone, the latter in command of the reserve af the Ciiff. Above all, however, I must mention the unflinching conduct of all my non-com- ' missioned officers and men, who performed their arduous duties on that long day without a murmur, and' with courageous alacrity. ■ ■ ■ • Private Macbean died on the road home; was buried there temporarily, and conveyed to camp on the following day. On tbftt day Lieut. Weetrup went out with a party of volunteers to look for a man of

| his company who had lost his way in tbe I bush. That man (Private Ikst, No. 1 | Co., i.R.) was not found on the loth. , instant. I have, &c, G. F. Vox Tempskv, Major Fores-t Kanacra. P.S.—The party under Lieut. W,«trur> who went on the 14th to look fisr I'iiva'o .Best, reported that no smoke could be sc c:\ ;t the native.encampment, also no new tract: :< in all probability, therefore, the uatires have left that part of the river. The object of the expedition of the IStli was a twofold one—the first to put as many natives as possible hors de combat, and the second and most important one, to prove to the [natives that we can find them wherever they may hide, and that their securest fastnesses will prove no obstacle to their being attacked. G-. F. VoJtTEMi'Sh-r, Major Forest Hangers. An unsuccessful attempt was made to capture the murderers of the Rev. Mr Volkner at Opotiki, during the latter part of last month. The Southern Cross of May 27th, thus decribes the operations :— '11.M.5. Eclipse arrived in harbour yesterday, at noon, from a cruise on the East Coast, whither she had been dispatched to attempt the capture of the murderers of Mr Volkner, and ascertain whether it wns true, as reported, that Kereopa had Icm taken, and was being kept a prisoner at Opotiki. We regret to say that the Eclipse has not been successful in capturing any one concerned in the murder at Opotiki, and it would seem thnt Kcreop.-i is not there at all. The result of the cruise shows most indubitably that the natives at Opotiki nre - till wholly under the influence of the Pai Marire faith, and are not inclined to return to friendly relations with us by living up, or driving from amongst them^o emissaries of Te Ua. The Eclipse failed from Auckland on Friday, the 19th inst., having on board Mr Fulloon, Government Interpreter, and the native Tiwui, who k so well known in connection with the afl'air at Opotiki. The vessel arrived off the Whakatane Point on Saturday morning, where communications were entered into with the Ngatin-.™ there. Early on Sunday morning thelSclipsc sailed for Opotiki, where she arrived at eight o'clock the same morning. There was naturally some hesitation ielt about going ashore, but Tiwai, seeing some men on the beach, who displayed a white flujr, expressed his willingness to venture, anri having been put ashore, went up to the settlement. He returned in the iifternoon. Shortly after midnight, Cr.ptsup, Fremantle ordered four boats to be manned, with the design of landing, surprising the natives, an<l capturing some of the murderers of Mr Volkner, who, it had been ascertained, were living there. The boats contained in all forty-seven men and twelve officers, under the command of Captain Fremantlo in person. It ia s;iid tint the beach was made, and the men landed without the Maoris discovering them; but however that may be, the attempt to surprise proved a failure. Very likely the natives suspected the possibility ot such an event, and were on the alert; for the party, soon after landing, found, not only that they were discovered, but that they were to be opposed. Of course it wilr, at once seen that the object of the expedition wns frustrated, and an immediate retreat was begun. Indeed, there was aome risk that the men would be out oil' from the boats, it being found that au ambush was laid for this purpose. Thu Maoris opened a brisk fire, but fortunately with little effect—only one casualty having occurred among our men—a corporal of marines received a gunshot wound in t\m arm. It is stated that two Maoris were killed by the fire of the Eclipse's men, one of them being a chief called Ilukarari'd. With the exception mentioned above, tlic retreat to the boats was safely effected. It being evident that nothing more could bo done at Opotiki, the Eclipse weighed anchor for Te Kaha, where she lay **i*«i Tuesday morning, at eight o'clock. From. Te Kaha the went to a plarc called Wuihou, where Captain Frcmantle and Lieutenant Boughay landed: and had an. interview with the famous I'atara. Leaving Waihou on Wednesday morning, the Eclipse went to Omaio, where Wircmu Kingi came on board ami informed Captain Fremantle that Epbraim, the half-caste, who put the rope round Mr Volkner's neck, was in the neighborhood. It was resolved to attempt his capture by surprise in another way from that adopted at Opotiki, but unfortunately it had no better result. Tiwai and two of the ship's boys went ashore, the boys being clothed with blankets to disguise them as Maoris. A short time after they had gone ashore, a shot was heard, and Captain Fremantle landed with some men to give aid. Thty found that Epliraim had been captured by Tiwai and his assistants, but had managed to get away again. "While being dragged down to the beach, Epbraim made a sudden effort, and shook off his captors. One cf the lads immediately fired his pistol at him, but missed, and Ephraim avoided any further shots by darting in amongst a crowd of women. The Eclipse then went back to Te Kaha, which she left for Auckland on Thursday. Some stay was mado at White Island, where many of the officers landed.

But the most important event of tho month, so far as the native difficulty is concerned, is undoubtedly the submission of William Thompson and several influential chiefs. This, although it doe 3 not actually terminate hostilities, must bo looked upon as tending in that direction. The official despatch of Brigadier. General Carey published by the Governor's permission in the Southern Cross, is a3 loilows.: —•