TARANAKI.

Otago Witness, Issue 621, 24 October 1863, Page 8

TARANAKI.

SUCCESSFUL ATTACK BY THE BUSH

PARTIES ON THE NATIVES.

(FROM THE DAILY TIMES CORRESPONDENT.)

October 6th, 1863 The fighting in the small way so often alluded to as about to take place, haa in good earnest commenced.

Notwithstanding that the town is how surrounded by some twelve hundred hostile natives, the confidence of the inhabitants in. the present commanding officer is so great that no anxiety is felt, although the natives under their chief Mamuka, have threatened an attack. The following is an extract from a letter to his Honor the Superintendent on the protection of the town.

"2nd Ootober, 1863. "Sir — As it, is vfrv evident by the result of this day's engagement that the rebel Maories are in considei able numbers on both sides of the town, I request ycu will do me the favor to caution the inhabitants in the event of alarm, especially at ni.-ht, to attend to the Garrison standing orders. ' Tho women and children to remain within their houses, barricade the doors and windows and extinguish all lights. Any Maovies daring lo come within theltaoof blockhouses vfisl be at once cut oft but to nab.eb'a3 soldiers and rni'itia properly to act, the streets must be kept clear.

I therefore beg that you will caution the inhabitants to pay attention lo the orders ; and with their assistance I will guarantee that no injury will be done to individuals or property. All guards and piquets should be on the alert, more especially before day-break, and a party of the Militia should patrol the Devon line, and within the blockhouses, before daylight, until further orders. (Signed) H. J. Warre, Colonel Commanding, Taranaki.

Saturday, September 25. Towards the middle of the day sews arrived in town that the grfvrison at the Bell Block-house was hotly engaged with n gtfatly Mii-eiior force from the North. The guerillas immediately mustered, and were about marching, when a mountel orderly appeared and contradicted the report. I mention this unimportant incident to evince the state of readiness the * mail garrison of Taranaki is in for immediate Action. Alter (his all remained much a«

usual until Tuesday, September 29, when, in consequence of natives havinsr been seen in the neighbourhood of the Eell JJlcck driving cattle and stealthily roaming about in the vicinity of the bush, an ambuscade was arra ip,ci, for which purpose t'le two bush companies left town, a little after three o'clock in the morning, pacing the Stockade about a mile, the fi/rce turned off at right angles to the main line that runs parallel with the sea beach about half a mile inland, up a road that leads to the c ernies' position at Kaipakopako ; after continuing for some little distance the party divided into sections, secreting thenvelve3 in the high fern so as to command the various tracks and roads used by the natives. W^itiug until 8 a.m., and no Maoris appearing, oidsrs_ were issued to continue the match round the skirting of the bush at the Lack ot the European farms, when, as the advanced suaril of No. 2 Company v,as ascending a rounded bill up the narrow horse track, natives were seen in the distance and fired on ; immediately the other sections spread in skirmishing orc ; er, rapidly advancing to the point, at the same time pouring in a well directed volley, several natives appeared to fall, and one man in particular, who a\ idently was in command of the party, rushed forward with the apparint intention of attracting the advanced guard, which in all probability, he imagined to be the whole of the paity . His companions opened a rapid fire,and with a greater preeiaiun thnn is usual with the natives, he was seen to fall early iv the engagement ; the natives now ran into the shelter of the forest, and recommenced firing, iv the meantime, Captain Webster placed his men of Wo, 1, in a position to protect the flanks of No.' 2, so as to check any attempt the enemy might make to surround them.

The leading sections then advanced with fixed bajouets to examine into the result of the fire, 'i he physical structure ot the country preventing a direct, charge. All who are conversant with New Zealand, aie aware of the numerous rounded hillocks that are doited over the surface- These as in the present instance, are often times clothed with a thick growth of fern with a swamp at its base, it was upon one of these that the volunteers I am describing, were placed, whilst the natives were upon the verge of the bush with a deep swamp in their front, to reach tLe edge of which the English had to cross several lower hillocks, through. h ; gh fern that offered no great an obstacle to rapidity of movement as to allow ample time for the enemy to remove hte wounded and effect a retreat. The souwister woru by the leader, with his mat, were picked up: upou both were recent niavksof blood, several other articles of apparel that had been hurriedly thrown away in the ha'-te to e3cape were also found.

The bush in this neighbourhood strikes off in a triangle shape into the cleared land, through this the small force marched, No. 1 taking the lead following a narrow track on to Greenway'a clearing, when on reaching the open land three maories were seen by Captain Messenger who commanded the advanced guard, on the top of a hill ; firing and advancing was immediately the order of the day, but the wily rebels hurried down to their comrades on a flat near the Mangaraka River, the whole party crossing the river and taking to tlie bush on the oppof ite bank ; this was not effected without exposure to a galling fire from the volunteers, the leadicg sections of which changed as rapidly as the logs and broken country would allow of, as the party descended the hill, a native was seen dragging another after him into the bush. The ground was strewed with various articles thrown aside in the retreat. Five mats stained with blood, a bag of bullets, box of caps, a small kit of potatoes, and kaanga pirate (decomposed corn,) being among the number. About three o'clock in the afternoon the volunteers returned to town grotesquely arrayed in their Maori spoils, tired and weary, after a twelve hours march.

In all probability, both parties of natives were in waiting for the woed-cutters irom the 13ell Block ; if this was the case, the intended bitev was evidently bifc. A native from Mataitaiwa gives the following as the list of casualties on the native side :—

Karauria, through the body, from one shoulder to the other. Enoka, in the arm, badly. Kereorna, in the chest, slightly. One of the Pakakohe, (name not given) flesh of arm. Tipene, in the leg. Waati, in little finger, flesh stripped off. Hami, through the ear. They are chiefly Ngatiruinuis, tho first mentioned has a claim upon the Puketotara reserve. Friday, October, 2nd. Was fine and beautiful, and appears to have been a day set apart both by natives and Europeans, for mutual attack by surprise. The tactics of the rebels, as will presently appear were excellent, and upon a more extended scale than usual, and had their skilfully managed manoeuvres not been met by tho ptompt action and admirably managed disposition of the small English force at the command of Colonel Warre F a very severe loss must have resulted. Before proceeding to describe the coyest, I will endeavor lo explain the apparent intentions of the enemy, to fully appreciate tluir bold endeavor at entrapping and cutting of the garrison of the Poutoko redoubts, it will be requisite again to take a cursory ghu)C3 at positions aud sti uclure of country. The whereabouts of the Omatn stockadu is generally so well understood, we will take our departure from thence,^continuiii^ for about 1000 yards southward until reaching' the spot where once stood the vilhge town, near which, iv. 1860 the first murdered bodies were found ; here a road strikes off from the main line, which as it forms an important point ia our discription, we will designate aa No. 2, a little furl her on No. 1, or the main the ma;n road is still standing the Omatfi church, on the left, near the brink of a thickly wooded gully. A picquet from the Stockade is stationed here from sunrise to sunset. On ihe present occasion the men were drawn oul so as to command the bush. We next descend into the ever memorable Waireka Va.ley, with its dense scrub on either side, when, on ascend ing the opposite hill and passing the site of the old Crac: ofc Pj, we meet another road that htrikes off at right angles direct inland. This shall be No. 3. The Poutoko Redoubt is situated some few hundred yards southwards. Beyond this junction the distance included from No. 2 to No. '3 by No. 1 is about one mile, whilst No. 3 continues for three-quarters of a mile befbi c meeting No. 2. So we have thus formed a block cf country enclosed in a trianglp. No. 2 has been constructed with the purpose of heading the guliey, so as to avoid tho Waireka Valley. Beyond the (Southern boundary of our triangle, nearly a mile to the right front of the Redoubt, on a hill closely adjoining the clifls that beetle over the sea beach, stands a Pa, Rangiuru, which ha 3 been occupied by the English under the name of Fort Itobeit. Since the withdrawal of Ihe Oakura garrison it has been held by n daily picquefc of nine men aud a corporal. On towards the Oakura we pass the honeysuckle hill and Mr. Carrington's house, the Tapue and thm the Oakura Kiver. The country included in this description is so broken that 100 acres ot level land could in no one block be obtained. To the left of the Potouko Redoubt, the country is chiefly timbered, dotted here and there with a settler's clearing. The way lhat the structure of country has been taken advantage of ev.nce that the Maoris have evidently improved under the generalship of Mamuk", for never 1 efore have they shown, in this part at least such system in an attack. Tiieir object, as it appears wa3, first by throwing down the parapets of the old redoubt to have induced Captain Wright to send out a detachment from the Poutoko to check them. Iv all probability the party w uld have been, allowed to have crossed the Tapue River, when the natives that had creeped to the right down the beach, with those inland towards No. 3 road, would have surrounded the small party, whilst another division might have rushed the Kedoubfc with its diminished numbers, and a third have crossed' the No. 3 roa r 3, continuing down No. 2, from thence through the wooded gully of the Waireka, so as to cut off all communication with the Redoubt.

I'our readers who may be fond of chess- playing may feel some interest in learning how these combined movements were met and frustrated.

But to be intelligible I mnst commence from tho beginning. At 3 o'clock in the rnovning Lieutenant Mills, with a small complement of men, started from the Poutoko Redoubt with the intention of planting an ambuscade some distance on the No. 3 or Hurford Road. He passed No 2 some half mi'e, and was preparing to take up a position, when he saw an out-picket of the enemy, which he at once charged, killing two. Hearing a great many voices proceeding from the forest aud the valley of the river he deemed it prudent to retire on the Redoubt, bringing with him some mats, tomahawks, &c. About daylight the natives becan to show in great force, their line extending from Fort Robert near the beach to Zouets 1 shed, situated at the junction of No. 2 and 3 ftoads. There, in the immediate vicinity of the Redoubf, pouring in an annoying fire. Captain Wright, of the 70tb, who was in command, dispatched a mounted orderly to inform colonel Wane of the state of affairs. On the reception of the news iv town, Major Butler, who is now in command of the 57th, without waiting for the troops, rode out immed-'ately to the scene of action, when as quickly ns possible Captain Shoit, with 94 men of the 59th and the two bush companies of S olunteers, accompanied by Cononel Warre and his Stnfl followed. In the meantime Captain Armstrong-, from the Omata, reached the Poutoko with 80 militiamen. Captain Short, with the 59th, struck off by No. 2 Uoad, the Volunteeis continuing straight by the Waireka Valley for the lied >übt.

Mnjor Butler, ou his arrival, at once saw through the intended plans of the natives, and determinpd, in place of advancing to attack those in his front, to proceed with his (.mall force of 100 men to feel the left. For this purpose he continued up the No. 3 Road. Know that we have now two parties marching towards the same spot from different directions. Major Butler's division spread to the right of the road, and as his advanced guard, in charge of Ensign Powys, was passing near Mr Gilbert's clearing, a sharp volley was poured in from belaud the trees and garden fence, wounding Mr Powys aud two soldiei s We will now leave the M»jov avid his party hotly engaged with the enemy, and now the approaching reinforcements from town, Captain Short and his 94 men had nearly reached the head of the Waireka Gully, on the No. 2 road, when he heard heavy firing; consequently, the pace, before rapid, was cow increased, and just as Touet'a sited was

sighted, the little parly was met by a sharp fusilade from the natives, hidden a^ they were behind logs and trees scattered on all sides. Captain Short, after placing a reserve on Allen's Hill, which is situated near the angle of junction, between 2 and 3, fixed bayonets and charged across the road info the adjoining c 1 earing to the edge of the bush ; here he had two men wounded. Seeing it impossible, without a la- ger force, to follow the enemy through the tanuled and broken country, he placed hi 3 men under cover a3 quickly as possible, continuing at the same time his fire towards the enemy's position." From the perfect obedience and discipline of his men, he was enabled to effect this without incurring a heavier loss.

The Volunteers coming up the main road, struck across the cleanngs direct to the scene of action, so j : s to take off some of the galling fire to which Captain Short and his party were exposed. No. 2 Volunteeis afterwards cxteuded towards a hill on the opposite side of the road, that commanded a tongue of bush land running at the bick of Mr Gilbert's house towards the Poutoko, whilst No. 1 occupied another not far from Mr Browne's former residence.

The engagement lasted several hours ; so heavy and continuous was_ tha firing, that even the Crimean men spoke of it as something tremendous. From this, the enemy must have been in great force.

The natives finding all their attempts to inveigh the English into a tiap futile, fired upon the picket at Fort Robeit, which in consequence retired, when the Maoris descended the gu lie 3 leading towards the Redoubt ; and at the same time set fire to Mr Carrington's house, the only one in the neighborhood. Ttie natives at Fort Robert received a quietus from the 12-pounder howitzer, in the shape ot a shell, thrown with excellent precision. This gun formed our only available piece of artillery. The retire now sounded but Captain Short could not remove, for one of hi* men was lying wounded iv a Kully commanded by the enemy's fire. Ensign Downes direcUy volunteered to fetch him, when he was joined by Drummer Stagpoole (who was at the time wounded), and three other men ; they drew their bayonets, and rushed forward, whilst a mounted orderly took the man upon his horse to the van, The moun'ed men rendered assistance in every part of the field. Near the edge of the bu?h one of Major Butler's division fell wouuded; a mounted man dismounted, rushed forward, a-id carried him off on his back.

About 4 o'clock in the afternoon the troops returped again to town. There is every reason to believe that the loss inflicted on the enemy has been great. lam induced to come to this conclusion from the fact that never before this time were we suffered w have the la?t shot ; they have invariably fired a volley cf derision as the troops withdrew ; in this instance when the English ceased firing all was silent; the call of kia mau kia mau, stand firm, was no longer heard ; another thing, no attempt was made to cut off the return to town by occupying the Waireka gully, which could so easily have been effected by those natives ia the hush on the opposite ide of No. 2 read. Colonel Warre, who invariably commands the expeditious, at tke conclusion of the affair thanked the military and volunteers for their conduct, regretting that the small fores under his command would not enable him to follow the enemy at once to their tronghold. A rash act at the present time might place the nou- combatants of this unfortunate Province in a very sad position, as there cannot be less than from 500 to 600 natives ou either side of the town. There are many reports abroad relative to the number of the enemy killed and wounded, but none are sufficiently reliable for publication ; we are more likely to obtain a correct statement by way of Wanganui, Our own casualties are :— * Ensign P. E. Powys, severeSergeant Samuel Harvey, severe. Corporal Edward Rea, dangerous. Drummer Dudley Stagpool, slight. Private William Reeves, dangerous. Private Patrick Burk, dangerous. Private Thomas Firm, mortal.

Private Michael Foley, severe. Private Henry Cain/dangerous, all of the 57th, two have since died, the remainder are doing well, and likely to recover. One death must not be allowed to pass unnoticed — that of the regimental favorite dog, which fell a victim to the first volley. To relate all the incidents of indivdual bravery during the engagement would be a task utterly out of my power adequately to fulfil ; still, I cannot but desciibe with satisfaction one instance well worthy of record. A man of Major Butller's division fell, when a drummer dragged him under (he shelter of a bush, and Dr. M'Kinnon at once rushed through the heavy fire and dressed his wound. This instant attention was the means of saving the man's life, who had been pierced by a bullet through the lungs ; the man is doing well.

SaturJay, 3rd. An escort went out to the Poutoko with provisions,. Many stretchers and carts covered with blankets, as if bearing the bo lies of wounded or dead men, were seen ascending the Kaitaki range. I annex the following pleas : ng extract irom garrison orderd :—

" Colonel Warre, commanding troGps in Taranaki, has bad much pleasure in bringing to the notice of the Lieutenant-Geneial commanding, the admirable conduct of the officers and men of the force employed yesrerday, against very superior numbers of the rebel Mcoris.

" Where oil behaved so well, there is no necessity to mention iv this order individual names; the colonel commanding has endeavored to do them full justice in his oliicial report, but Colonel Warre thinks he would fail in his duty if he did not hold up to the admiration of their fellow-citizens the excellent and steady conduct of the Volunteer Forces, and more especially that of the Mounted Corps, who regardless of their own lives assisted the wounded and distributed ammunition under a very severe fire, in a manner that elicited the the warmest admiration from all.

" To Major Butler and the officers and men of the 57th and 7uth, the thanks of the Colonel are also due, and he trusts that the Lieutenant-General will duly appreciate their exertions to subdue the QueeD'a enemies."

Friday's aflair appears to have given us again undisputed possession of the bush. On Wednesday, 7th October, the Volunteer companies started at o'clock ia tho morning, marching round by Burton's Hil', passing Ratapipi on to the Omata Stockade, without rinding the slightest trace of natives; they appear again to have retired towards the south, as if beaten, and this has beeu effected by rifles almost unaided with artillery ; notwithstanding, a 24-pounder howit2er would have been found of infinite service in clearing the bush.

Whilst still writing;, the news has srrived in town of the Ngatiminuis having left Mataitawa in (he North, much to the disgust, and against the urgent entreaties of Hapuroni, who now stands alone. Should this report be really tine, it proves that the loss on Friday must have been very great. After the ieturn*of the Volunteers this morning, Major Butler and a party of tho 57th, with 50 Otago Volunteers, under Captain Corbett, inarched to the Poutoko; the Otago men took up their quarters at Port Robert, where [hey will form a permanent garrison, whilst the military returned to town.