ADMIRAL SEYMOUR.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3562, 11 October 1880, Page 2

ADMIRAL SEYMOUR.

[FHOir TIII3 AUCKLAND " SrAK."J The present Admiral of the combined fleet in the Adriatic is Frederick Paget Beauchamp Seymour, well known to New Zealand colonists for his gallant services during the war in Taranaki in 18G0-Gl. During these operations ho personally commanded 260 blue-jackets and marines from his fine corvette the Pelorus, 21 guns. About the middle of April, 1800, there arrived at the seat of war H.J\I. steam sloop Cordelia, 11 guns, Captain Vernon, the City of Sydney, steamer, with 5 officers and 150 men of the 12th regiment, and one captain aud -10 men of the Hoyal Artillery. Immediately afterwards came H.M.S. Pelorus, Commodore Seymour, accompanying the Wonga Wonga with 300 men of the 40th regiment. From this period Commodore Seymour

and his splendid blue-jackets an^marines gallantly co - operated with tho troops in every expedition till lie was relieved in 18G1. The ill-fated Orpheus was sister ship to the Pelorus. During the operations the latter was stationed at Auckland, but her contingent of blue-jackets and marines were always in active service with the 40th at Waitara, after the fatal engagement at Puketakaure, where a force of 342 men, almost wholly composed of the 40th, assaulted an almost impregnable pa which had not been beached, losing one officer, Lieut. Brook, who was tomahawked, 30 killed and 81 wounded. Many of the wounded were brutally tomahawked by tho natives. The hill on which tho pa stood is now part of the farm owned by Major Atkinson, the present Colonial Treasurer. The pa was visible from the camp. The pa had been reconnoitred on the 25th June, but the troops were fired on from an ambuscade and retired, the Maoris following up within, two hundred yards of their rear. Their advance was checked by a wellaimed shell, fired by Commodore Seymour from a 68-pountler. At Puketakaure Capt. Seymour received a bullet in the leg, but on being carried back to the camp he noticed some wounded men of the 40th and Naval Brigade trying to crawl in, when he instantly ordered his carriers to go and assist them, remarking that he would get in the best way he could. Captain Seymour and Lieut. Battiscombe behaved with great bravery and coolness throughout the engagement, aud. afterwards Captain Seymour continued to harass the enemy with well-aimed round shot and shell from his 08-pouuders — somo of them laid by himself — so that the enemy were compelled to evacuate the position before another assault had been prepared. On the 10th September, Captain Seymour, having recovered from his wound, was again in command of his blue jackets in skirmish at Huirangi, where he did good service with a light field-piece. He was again engaged on the 15th October at Kahihi, where his guns did much mischief, and on the 6th November he was present at what was dignified with the name of " The battle of Mahoetahi," where the flower of tho Ngatimaniapoto were severely defeated, and left their dead on the field. On the 28th December, 18G0, Commodore Seymour was again with his Naval Brigade in the engagement at Matarikoriko, where a redoubt was thrown up under a hot galling fire, which lasted from early morn till darkness set in. On the following day (Sunday) a truce was granted at the request of the natives to enable them to bury their dead. They abandoned the rifle pits, which were taken possession of by the troops. During this hot engagement, which was fought at close quarters, the troops expended 70,000 rounds of rifle ammunition, and 170 shell and case shot. The British casualties were 23 killed aud wounded. The natives sustained very heavy losses. On the memorable morning of the 23rd January, tho natives made a determined attempt to storm a redoubt occupied by 300 men of the 40th, but wore repulsed after a desperate conflict. Commodore Seymour was at the Waitara camp, some miles away, but sniffing the battle afar off, he and General Pratt hastened to the front with 80 of the naval brigade and 100 of the 14th. The British casualties were 5 killed and 11 wounded. The Maoris left behind 49, of whom 5 were alive. The wounds were terrible from shells, rifle bullets, butt ends of muskets, and bayonet thrusts. When the Commodore ship was relieved by the ill-fatc>l Orpheus the officers and non-commissioned officers of the 40th had prepared an illuminated address, engrossed on vellum, and beautifully framed, as a parting testimonial to Commodore Seymour and his officers. Admiral Seymour's career has been distinguished, and his promotion consequently rapid. He is idolised by the whole service. Of one thing we may rest perfectly assured. Should he ever be called upon to use the terrible destructive powers at his command he will make the fighting hot for the enemy. In the hands of such men the naval supremacy of Great Britain is safe. He is every inch a fighting sailor of the Nelson t} T pe.