CONTINUATION OF JOURNAL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume IX, Issue 443, 26 January 1861, Page 2

CONTINUATION OF JOURNAL.

Sunday, Jan. 20.— The Sea Gull from Wanganui, bound for Sydney, anchored in the roadstead to-day. We have our usual letters from Wangan^i, and are assured that everything is quiet amongst the natives of that district. There is no apparent intention of the river tribes to join in the insurrection. Monday, Jan. 21. — Fires have been seen this morning in the direction of the Mangorei district, supposed to be the burning of the remaining houses in that quarter. Cattle have been driven towards Waireka in considerable numbers, where the southern tribes, with a portion of the Waikatos, are busily employed fortifying the hill. Tuesday, Jan. 22. — At about 3 a-.m. 40 of the 12th, under Capt. Williams and Lieut. Dudgeon, 10 of the 40th, under Ensign Morphy, and 130 of the 65th, under Lieutenant and Adjutant A. H. Lewis and Lieutenant Chevalier, the whole under the command of Lieut. -Col. Young, 65th Regt., with 1 24 -pounder howitzer, left town to take part in a combined attack on Waireka Hill, a party of 120 blue-jackets from H.M.S. Niger under Capt. Cracroft, R.N. having left in boat 3 during the night to land on the coast in rear of the rehels' position. At daylight, firing having been heard in the direction of Waireka, the bugles of the Militia were sounded and 108 Militia and Rifle Volunteers, under the command of Major Herbert, mustered and followed by the road taken" by the military. Abreast of Mr Langman's farm, where the furze fences offer great cover to an enemy, the advanced guard observed three or four natives running towards the road to fire at Major Herbert who was some 200 yards in advance with a few mounted volunteers, with whom _he_was_ridmg_ alongside. The rising sun prevented the natives from seeing the approach of the men, who after giving a shout or two pushed through the fence at every gnp and in skirmishing order (firing as opportunity offered"), drove the natives from their cover off the farm, across the road into Mr Stephe,nson Smith's and P. Elliot's, and finally into the bush, where the natives were left to themselves. This was tvidently a party out for live stock, and, but for the check received, would have fired into the backs of the horsemen No further incident occurred on the road. On reaching the Omata Stockade, where the troops were halted, it was ascertained that they had been fired upon by natives from Jack Wright's house (near the Whalers' Gate), and Hospital Sergeant Burnett mortally wounded. It is believed that the natives suffered some loss from the fire of the troops. Sergeant Burnett died at the stockade. Large parties of natives could be seen crowning the Waireka Hill, and whilst a signal of the whereabouts of Captain Cracroft was anxiously looked for in that direction, a telegram was received from town that the gallant captain had returned to his ship (owing to a difficulty in finding the proper landing place). The land force therefore started homewards and struck off the Omata road through W. George's farm to the beach. On their arrival in town, it was stated that in Mr George's house was concealed a party of 50 or 60 natives, who probably not deeming it altogether safe to attack so large a force, remained out of sight until the road was clear, and they were seen from a hill top to leave the premises and go in the direction of Ratapihipihi. This party was probably on the look out for the Omata escort, which should be made up to a strength sufficient to repel attack. ,Whilst the force bivouacked at the Omata Stockade Major Lloyd's house at Waireka was burnt by the rebels, and shortly afterwards Mr W. C. King's large barn of hay, near the site of his house burnt last Sept. Wednesday, Jan. 23. — The Tasmanian Maid from Waitara this morning — no news. Shortly after her arrival a telegram was received from Waitara that, during the morning, 35 natives had been killed and 4 taken prisoners. No further details. — The gunboat Caroline, 9 days out [from Manukau to-day, brings news of the arrival in Auckland of a detachment of the 57th regiment from India, who were to leave for this port

the day after the Caroline left. — Some Poutoko natives came up to-day in a canoe. They state that there are 800 Ngatiruanui, Taranakis, and Ngaraurus, (the latter from Waitotara) at Waireka, and ■ also 300 Waikatos, under Tapihana. In the affair yesterday, at Omata, the rebels say they had only one casualty, one man, Rihari, of Katotauru, wounded in hand ; but our informant says they were hiding their loss, and believed one or more were killed. — Another telegram received announcing that Lieut. Jackson, 40th regt., was killed this morning. — Sergeant Burnett was buried to-day in the Wesleyan cemetery ■with military honors, the band playing the funeral march, and the body followed by military and civilians. The deceased was greatly esteemed by every one, but his loss ■will be most felt at the military hospital. — TheshipStar Queenfrom Bombay via Auckland anchored at 4 p.m. with 314 rank and file and 16 sergeants of the 57th Regiment, under Major Butler, Capt. Brown, Lieuts. Baynton, Hasted, Thompson, Cox, and Waller, Ensigns Clarke, Murray, and Clayton, Asst. -Surgeon Davis. The Caroline left for Waitara soon after her arrival for orders, which were brought up in the Tasmanian Maid at dusk, and the troops ■were landed during the night. We are informed that the Star Queen was to be followed by tbe Castilian, with the headquarters of the regiment ; the remainder of the regiment with the women and children would speedily follow. — Great anxiety for news from Waitara, and the beach was crowded when the boat landed from the steamer with several of the wounded. From various sources we have gleaned the following particulars, referring our readers to details in another column, of the repulse cf the rebels from Huirangi : — Before daylight this morning about 140 natives contrived under cover of the darkness to creep into the ditch of No. 3 redoubt unobserved by the sentries, and had prepared to scale the embankment by scraping steps with to ■ mahawks and their fingers. At the grey of morning a sentry perceived one man — the last of the party — creeping to the brow of the ditch ; he fired on him and was immediately shot dead himself. "The garrison, consisting of the greater part of the 40th, under command of Colonel Leslie, met the attack with great promptitude, and a scene ensued which baffles description. Our troops, as fast as they could load their rifles, fired down over the parapet, and the artillerymen, with great coolness, cut short the fuses of the shells, and, lighting them, pitched them over into the trench with frightful execution. Lieut. Jackson, 40th regt., while in the act of firing at a native, over the parapet, with a revolver, was shot through the head and fell mortally wounded. Some natives succeeded in getting so far up the parapet that they were bayonetted by the garrison. This sanguinary conflict was prolonged till daylight, when the support came up from Kairau, a party of the 65th attacking the rebels on their right flank, while the 12th attacked them on the left of the redoubt ; here they met the rebel reserve, who rose out of the fern, it is stated, like a flock of birds. These were charged by the 12th at the point of the bayonet, and those of the natives who could turned and fled, leaving many behind them. It was all over before 6 a.m., and in the trench of the redoubt and around lay 49 bodies of rebels, 5 only of whom were alive. 41 were buried in a grave between No. 2 and 3 redoubts, others ■were buried by the friendly natives. 13 chief men are stated to be amongst the slain, but many of the bodies were beyond identification. The wounded natives are all dangerously so. Our casualties are 5 killed and 11 wounded, viz. :—

killed;

Royal Engineers. — Sapper George Chubb. 12fA Regt.— Private Edward Archer. Wth Regt.— Lieut. Jackson ; Private W. Gilbert, Private Edward Gorray.

WOUNDED.

Royal Artillery. — Daniel Bushnell, slightly. 12th Regt.— Capt. T. E. Miller, slightly ; Private Patrick Cahill, severely, tomahawk. Private Edmond Power, slightly. 40th Regt. — Private Henry Wakefield, severely, Priyate John Officer, dangerously, Private John Mullins, slightly. 65th Regt. — Lance Corporal James Howard, dangerously, Private Edward Smith, do., Private Joseph Robinson, do., Private Samuel Hamilton, severely. House burning continued during the day, and included most of the buildings that yet remained in the Omata — the Rev. G. Bayley's, Mrs Passmore's (the husband murdered in March\ and Messrs McKellar's straw rick : an attempt to burn the dwelling-house was repulsed from the stockade. — Shortly after 9 a.m. six shots ■were fired at the blockhouse on the hill top in the Carrington-road by natives se«

creted in a gully. The troops returned the fire, and burnt a blue light, and the bugles sounded at every post. Men were seen in every direction hastening to their places, and women and children to the appointed buildings of refuge, but there was not that confusion observable on previous similar occasions. The night was bright moonlight, and the timely reinforcement of the 57th regiment had undoubtedly much to do with this. The guards were everywhere strengthened, and bodies of troops and militia traversed tho streets. Nothing further occurring, the reserves were dismissed towards midnight. Thursday, Jan. 24. — The troops were all landed by 2 a.m. this morning — the Tasmanian Maid towing the boatp to and fro — and have taken up their quarters in tents in various parts of the town. — The Tasmanian Maid came up at 10 a.m. with the bodies of Lieut. Jackson, Ed. Archer, of the 12th, and two native chiefs, names not known. A Waikato native, taken to the dead house, could not identify either. They appear to be men of note, from the tattoo on their faces — no doubt Ngatihaua chiefs. A splendid green stone mere was picked up by a soldier, supposed to belong to Epilia or Hapurona, who is said to be wounded in two places. In the gully near which the 12th charged the native reserve, groaning is heard continually, but as the gully is commanded by the rifle-pits it cannot be visited and the wounded brought away. It is said that the rebels were so confident of catching the ganison napping, and of the redoubt being weakly defended, that they took several days' provision with them ; but it happened that No. 3 redoubt was very strongly garrisoned, the 40th head -quarters having arrived only the day before. The sapper was killed in his tent whilst lacing his boots. It is positively known that many natives got away mortally wounded, and that many bodies are lying in the fern between the enemy's position and the redoubt. A shell thrown over the parapet burst too soon, knocking down two tents, but fortunately only wounding one man. We have received the following from the camp :—: — Camp, Kaiiau, 23rd Jan., 1861. The Waikatos labouring under the delusion that they could easily conquer and capture the advanced redoubt occupied by the head quarters 40th, at 3 a.m. {his morning madly attempted to rush it. The 40th w «"ejust_ge tting ju n der arms at th at Jyiwr».and~ ~gave"them a warm reception. A b6dy" oT some 00 or 80 men had ensconced themselves in the ditch, and kept up a rapid fire on the defenders, whose heads they could see in bold relief against the clear morning sky. Colonel Leslie directed the Regimental Call of the 65th and " advance " to be sounded, and Colenel Wyatt having, on the first shot being fired, got his men under arms, forthwith despatched two companies under the command of Capt. MacGregor to their assistance, and directed the detachment 12th Regt., under the command of Capt. Miller to proceed "in support." As this force passed No. 2 Redoubt, they were cheered by the 40th, and advancing at the "double " Captain MacGregor directed Lieut. Urquhart to take the Light Company 65th round the front base of No. 3 Redoubt and clear the ditch, while he took the rear base. The bayonets were speedily fixed and did their work well ! In the mean time Colonel Wyatt directed Capt. Miller to advance and close upon the enemy, which he did, though wounded, and the gallant 12th soon sheathed their bayonets in the bodies of their enemies. Capt. MacGregor's and Lieut. Urquharl's men now opened a cross fire on the Waikatos from the ditch, and the 40th firing over them from the parapet, soon put them to flight. 41 bodies were picked up and laid in a row until they could be identified, and 5 mote, mortally wounded, are left in a shady corner to depart in peace. Many more have been seen in the fern, and will eventually be picked up. The enemy tried to cover their retreat by a brisk fire from the rifle pits, but " shelling " being too much for their feelings, they desisted by 7 a.m., and no vestiges of defenders to their rifle pits have been seen since then. The following extract from a letter from the camp has been kindly put into our hands : — Camp, Kairau, 23rd Jan., 1861. After the working party, which had been engaged during yesterday in sapping, returned to Kairau, nothing was heard but the occasional yell of the savages until about 8 p.m., when you could again distinctly hear the yells again repeated, and then all was again quiet, save the sentinels' " All's well." As this morning began to dawn we were aroused by hearing three shots fired by the sentries at No. 3 Redoubt, and then a shout of " Stand to your arms," which was followed by a heavy volley from the rebels, who set up a most unearthly yell, and rushed into the trench, but could not succeed in getting over the parapet. Whilst the gallant 40th were repulsing, from the ramparts, the dense mass of savages who were coming through the fern, those who were in the entrenchments were busily engaged with their tomahawks in cutting steps to enable them to gain the summit of the embankment, but at this moment we heard the 65th call and the " advance," when Col. Wyatt immediately despatched two companies of the 65tb and all the 12th off duty. The 12th under Captain Miller, and the 65th under Captain McGregor. The 65th took the right wing of the Redoubt, and wheeled round to the front. Captain Miller at this moment was wounded severely in the leg, whilst receiving orders ; the command thus suddenly devolved upon Lieut. Lowry, who ordered us to rise and fix bayonets, when we wheeled to the left, and, amidst savage yells, and cheers from the brave 40tb, commenced the work of death, and the defeat of the insurgents, — 42 being left dead

upon the field, 4 wounded taken prisoners. Our casualties are 5 killed (including Lieut. Jackson, 40th), and 11 wounded. — The Caroline left Waitara this morning for Manukau, to the great disappointment of the community, without taking a mail from hence. — Lieut. Jackson, with George Chubb, R.E., and Ed. Archer, 12th Regt., were buried at St. Mary's Churchyard, with military honors, at 4 p.m., the 65th and Rifle Volunteers' Bands playing the funeral march. This young and gallant officer was followed to the grave by a numerous procession of military and civilians, anxious to show every mark of respect to his memory. Friday, Jan. 25. — The Rev. Mr Wilson returned by the steamer this morning. He states that the storming party numbered 140 men, volunteers from Ngatimaniapoto, Ngatihaua, Waikato proper, and Ngatiawa ; " rangatira Jcau," (all chiefs) is the expression of the wounded prisoner. Rewi, Epiha, Hapurona, and a brother of Wetini Taiporutu (killed), were«among them, and the prisoner thinks Epiha was killed. The friendly natives have furnished a list of names of about 18 of those killed, but such a list must be very doubtful as the friendly natives have not had close enough knowledge of the northern men to identify them when dead and disfigured. They buried two of Kingi's men (Hori, humpback, one of the natives who shot Mr R. Brown), and Hemi Kuka. Mr Wilson was unable to recognise any of the bodies, and says that many are so frightfully mangled that they would not be known by their own relatives. Only a few odd shots proceeded from the rifle pits yesterday, but the fires of the natives were seen to rise from behind a ridge a mile or two in rear of the peach groves. It is therefore probable that the position will be abandoned if it has not been already. The impression produced by this hand to hand conflict will, Mr Wilson thinks, far exceed anything that could be produced at long bowls with artillery or the rifle. The natives can no longer doubt of the nerve and courage of the British troops. Four of the wounded natives have died, the survivor (Marakai) has undergone amputation of his leg, which was shattered by a shell. It was taken off this morning by Dr Mouat. While it was being removed he behaved with the greatest coolness and even good Jiumour. He is cheerful, as ifuflthinaL-had. happerie37~ancf~very communicative ; gave the names of all the chiefs engaged which included the whole of the influential men, many of whom have fallen. He considers that the rifle pits will be abandoned. His confidence in the humanity of the Europeans is unbounded. Several of our own poor wounded fellows are scarcely likely to recover, all the wounds having been inflicted at close quarters are very severe. Lieut. Jackson lived about half an hour, and nodded and smiled to those who supported him at the moment when he expired. The sentry, who discovered the storming party was shot dead himself. The number of firearms taken from the natives amounts to 37 stand, consisting of double-barrelled guns, flint muskets, also some meres and tomahawks were recovered, and in the pouches a good deal of Enfield ammunition. Four of the wounded prisoners died beeween 8 p.m. of Wednesday and 6 a.m. on Thursday. — The Tasmanian Maid left for Waitara at 4 p.m. with a detachment of the 12th under Major Hutchins, the 57th occupying their post in town. — H. Batt, looking out for a cow, near Prout's house on the racecourse, to-day, was fired at by a native, the bullet passing near his head. The Fort Herbert natives turned out and discovered the track of a single native in the direction of the bush — H.M. colonial steam sloop Victoria arrived from Nelson to-day, bringing the English November mail. — Several fires seen in the rear of the Town, supposed to be houses. Saturday, Jan. 26. — By the Tasmanian Maid, from Waitara this morning, we learn that yesterday skirmishers were thrown out to the left of No. 3 redoubt, under the command of Cols. Carey and Mould. They proceeded to within a short distance of the rifle pits, and fired the fern. A gun discharged by the fire led to the discovery of another body, with two guns and accoutrements. One of the 8-inch guns has been moved to Matarikoriko, which will command the banks of the Waitara. The enemy are supposed to have abandoned their first line of rifle pits, and retired upon the second. They are keeping very quiet, in hopes we shall take possession of them, and fall into the trap laid ; but the General is determined to proceed steadily with his sap. — House burning this morning — large fires seen in the direction of Mangorei.