THE FRONT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 660, 25 March 1865, Page 3

THE FRONT.

[FHOM OUE OWN COBKESPONDENT.j Camp Te Awa, March 13.

The head-quarters Field Force, consisting of portions of the 57th, 50th, and 68th Regiments, Cavalry (Local and Military), Artillery, and Engineers, the whole number (including the Transport Corpa) about 1,400, began their march this morning towards Taranaki. The LieutenantGeneral commanded ; Colonel Weare, 50th Regt., taking the place of Brigadier-General Waddy, who is still in Wanganui under medical treatment. The foi'ce movedr off in the direction of the village, which is only about four miles from camp, and where the natives have been seen every day for the last fortnight moving about. TluLhead-pf column, had scarcely advanced a mile from camp, when the rebels, who were perched on the crown of a hill between the camp and the village alluded to, opened fire on the troops. They were not entrenched, and did not even occupy rifle pits, which is a new feature in Maori warfare. The 57th, under Major Butler, who was in front, pushed Tip the hill and returned the fire ; at the same time the Artillery, under Colonel Williams, unlimbered and came j into action. The cavalry and the Wanganui Defence Force under their respective leaders, wade a circuit to the left, and, accompanied by a body of Infantry, got between the rebels and their village. After a few rounds from the Armstrong gnns, along tho well-directed fire of the Infantry, the rebels found the place too hot for them,^uid commenced to retreat towards their village, but here they encountered an obstacle they had little dreamed of, as the cavalry had fairly intercepted their retreat on the village. The infantry in rear was rapidly following the retreating rebels up, both parties keeping up a running fire, and numbers of the rebels falling from its effects, and I am happy to say the fire doing very little damage to us. When the rebels found that they had been outflanked, a number of them made for the river, still followed by the infantry. Numbers of them were killed in the water, although several got safely across to the opposite side ; others boldly run the gauntlet through the cavalry, who sabred several of them. The whole affair lasted about an hour and a half, and the fight extended over about a couple of miles of up-hills and down-hills, through swamps and. flax bushes, and on the termination of the affair, and the arrival of the whole of the force ■as the Native village, where it is now encamped ; it was found that our loss was one man killed and three men wounded, namely, private Nixon, 57th. Regiment, killed } private Bot'es, same regiment, wounded ; sergeant Cassell, 68th Regiment, wounded; and private Nicol, of the i Military Train Cavalry, wounded. The .Maori loss is estimated at about fifty casualties ; I myself connted twenty-one bodies scattered over the ground. A party was sent out this afternoon for the purpose of burying the Maori dead and bringing in the wounded. They brought in two dead bodies, and were intending to.carry-tbem all into camp but for an order which was despatched to the officer in command of tie party to bury them were found. I was informed by several of the burying party on their .return that they interred thirty. five bodies. Tjro Maoris and a boy, apparently not more than twelve years of age, were brought in wonnded ai*d platan the nospi?al. Two prisoners were -a}§obrodk»lifc.; they were found lurking in a swamp itaeft-<A$9 both unbounded and will be forwarded to town. They are old men, and I suppose. were unable to give leg bail for it. One of the wounded prisoners said that only one hundred rebels were opposed to the troops, and that? they expected a reinforcement from down the river either to-day or to-morrow ; but I am inclined to disbelieve this statement, as from my own personal experience in numbers, I should say that the rebels numbered, about 200 Btrong. It will be naturally supposed that the casualties among the rebels Bhould have been greater imder the circumstances; but owing to the nature and extent of the ground ocenpied by the enemy it is impossible to arrive at the correct number of casualties, and I have no doubt whatever in my own mind but it far exceeds fifty, a3 a wounded Maori will stow himself away in a flax bush, aud make it all impossible to discover his retreat unless a very close inspection be made, which was not done in this instance - There were two women unavoidably killed in the skirmish, one had evidently been hit by a shell, the other was killed from a rifle. The rebels have anticipated our arrival in this part of their district, aa very few cattle are to be seen ; a few horses were drove in and sold by public auction this evening, one realised £"0 and another £15. There are any amount of wild pigs running about ; lam sure upwards of one hundred have been slaughtered this ovening within the boundaries of the Camp. There are little or no cultivations about this village ,- I presume tiat their principal cultivations are iv the bah which is close behind the village. We come liCrOM a' place where %hvj bad been lying iv am-

bush close to the track which the force took, and from the appearance of the place they had not left it many honrs. Very likely they expected a night march on Sunday night, and intended giving the force a surprise. A redoubt is to be established, when the force will move forward, very probably on Wednesday. I must not omit to mention that the Wanganui cavalry behaved admirably under fire, aud many of them were engaged ih hand to hand encounters with the enemy. I think the superiority of the sword over the long-handled tomahawk of the Maori was demonstrated to several of the rebels who came to grief at the hands of the cavalry. None of our wounded are considered in danger I am happy to state, the severest being Nicol, of the Military Train Cavalry ; the ball passed . through his thigh and lodged in his saddle. March 14. The order has been issued for the force to move forward at vino o'clock this morning, the tents to be struck at half-past eight o'clock. One of the wounded Maoris had his leg amputated last evening. The wounded boy mentioned above, died in hospital shortly after he was brought in. Tlje man of the 57th Regiment who was killed, was buried during the afternoon, close to the camp. Camp Manutahi, March 15. The head-quarters of the Field Force left Camp Teawa, or rather Kakaramea, as it was afterwards termed, with a force of about 800 men, not including Transport Corps, &c. The troops marched about 10 o'clock, accompanied by a very large convoy, conveying, I understand, about ten days' provisions for the force. The troops arrived at the above camp about ten days' provisions for the force. The troops arrived at the above camp about half-past four o'clock p.m., but the last of the convoy did not get in until after 10 o'clock. The road is pretty fair, and with very little labour could be made passable at all seasons of tho year ; a few creeks require to be bridged over, and a few side-cuttings made to make ie passable in wet weather. The troops are encamped in and around the native settlement which is called by the name at the head of this letter, and which is the largest native settlement we have yet come across. At the entrance of the settlement the troops had to pass through a bush about two hundred yards broad ; they fully expected a salute from the rebels here, but were allowed to pass through unmolested. The whole of the whares in tho settlemeut were locked, and the late residents had evidently left in haste, as all kinds of sundries were found inside, and in the stockyard which adjoins the settlement they left a bullock half-dressed ; in fact at a few whares outside the settlement fires were found burning. They are not far from here now, as we could see the smoke from the fires in the bush, and this morning I heard the cocks crowing, which is a very good indication of their presence in this locality. A large number of cattle (upwards of 50) were driven in and placed in the stockyard ; several of them have the brand of settlers belonging to Taranaki. I am of the opinion that all of them are the cattle and produce of the Taranaki settlers, and which were driven away by the Southern natives on the commencement of hostilities in that province in' lß6o. The soldiers'aro in clover here, in having not wild but tame pigs, as many as they like to kill, running in the camp ; potatoes, both in the ground and in pits ; peaches, Cape gooseberries, sweet potatoes, and every description of vegetable. I think the force will remain here for a few days until we get up a further reserve of provisions, and establish a redoubt, and then move on again.

About thirty of the Cavalry Volunteers are with the force, and do duty with the Military Cavalry under Captain Witchell. It is strange that this number of men belonging to the local forces should not have an officer of their own with them. I believe a sergeant is in charge.

P.S. — I should think the distance of this post from Patea is about 12 or 14 miles.