TE NCUTU 0 TE MANU.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13782, 13 October 1908, Page 7

TE NCUTU 0 TE MANU.

TOLD M\ AN EYE-WITNESS

CHAT WITH CAPTAIN NEWLANI)

Yesterday attemoon a Herald reporter came ac ros> Captain New land, late ol the colonial ioices, who was attached to the No. -'} Division A.C. as sub-in-spector, and who took an active part in the attack on Te Ngutu o te Manu, and niso saw service on the East Coast and Bay of Plenty and Po\erty Bay engagements. Chatting about the attack on Te Ngutu o te Manu, the captain gave our representative the follow ing story : —

"On the night of September 6, 1868. a mixed force of European and friendly natives from Wanganui were stationed at 'Manga Manga,' better known as Waihi camp, waiting for reinforcements before undertaking the march against Tito Knvaru. Captain Buck airived from Wellington with about one hundred men, and Captain Palmer from Patea with forty volunteers. Both these companies had just been enrolled. There were men among them who had seen service, but the greater number had not. In a few days we were to make an attack on Tito lvowaru, so on the day already mentioned wo marched out. the whole iorce being under the command of Colonel McDonnell.

"We proceeded along the edge of the bush Te Whenuku, and crossed the Waingongoro River at the upper ford leading to Maw hitiwhiti. and then proceeded to the back ot the settlement, where we entered the bush and waited until daylight. There were a few socalled neutral natives at this pa. When it -was light enough the column advanced with the Wanganui Kupapas (friendly natives) in front. It was only a track along which we went, and not having been much frequented was overgrown. We could therefore only go along in single file. No one knew where our destination was. After some hours' inarching we came across some bark-covered huts at Rera Ruku. A few shots were fired here. When we came up there were only two children — one little girl, very ill in the whare, and a smaller boy outside. Shortly there was heavy firing in front. This was nothing new, however, when we had a lot of friendly natives along with us. We all pushed on as quickly as possible, and found we were close to Tito Kowaru's pa, Te Ngutu o te Mann. By this time the advance had reached a small stream which ran close to the pa. The firing was very heavy. We had to cros,s the stream, and. there being dozens of men in at the same time, it became boggy, making progress very slow. There was an old rata tree standing at the corner of the pa, next to the crossing, and in this there were two or three small open spaces a few feet from the ground, through which the rebels were firing. They were knocking men over as quickly as they could load their guns. It was like firing into a sheep run for them. "We crossed as quickly as possible, all mixed up. Major Hunter, who was in command of No. '.i Division, seeing the state of things, suggested to Colonel McDonnell that ho should rush the place. The colonel agreed, and we were getting the men together. To our surprise he came and asked me it I had seen Hori Papira, the guide, and if not that I was to find him and not lose sight of him again. 'A nice d — d mess he has led us iuto,' added the colonel. He then ordered Major Hunter to attend to the wounded and pick up as na.iy of the dead as possible and retire All til')? time men wore b.nng knocked over. I did not see Major Von Tempsky after we began to retreat. It's a thousand pities the commanding officer did not leave Major Hunter alone, for I really believe we should have been in the place in a very short time. Major Von Tempsky also wished to rush the pa, but was not allowed. There wore very foAV natives in the pa at the time, I think, but they soon began to arrive from all directions and in great numbers. It was hopeless to try and do anything w ith the place after that — the opportunity had passed. A great many of our men were killed and wounded. From that rata six or eight men could defy a regiment. Hundreds of shots were fired by us, but you might as well have fired at the moon, so good was their cover. I don't know what casualties the natives had. I have frequently asked them what their losses were, but they would never give a satisfactory answer. They were very reserved in giving information on these points. "When we were retiring, the Hauhaus had got on our flank, and a number of men carrying stretchers were knocked over, and many of them had to be left where they fell. It was impossible to rescue them. - I was in charge of the wounded. They followed us up until night came on — in fact, as long as they could see. About 10 o'clock we reached the Waingongoro River. The" Wanganui natives were on the opposite bank and had lit a fire. When we came up with the stretchers our men were pretty well done, and 1 called to one of the officers to send some of his men to help us across. He replied after some time that they would not come, and went off. There was nothing else for it, so into the river we went. "The water was deep, taking us up to our middle, and running very swift: One man had to wade at the side of the stretcher with his shoulder against it to h'lp to keep the four men who wore carrying it on their feet. In this way we all safely crossed over and then resumed our march to the camp Manga Manga, reaching there about midnight. Everything was in a state of confusion. The wounded were the first to receive attention. Poor fellows ! They had had a terrible time of it. It was thought our casualties were greater than turned out to be the case, for next morning a party of about sixty, with Sub-Inspector Roberts, made their appearance. They had been cut off from the main body and could not get on the track, having therefore to remain in the bush all night. It was a great relief to us to see these men come into camp, because we thought they had all been killed or wounded.

"There was no kind of formation after the action began, which was very much to be regretted. Officers commanding divisions or companies had not all their own men, and ordered any man who came along to take up a position and endeavour to keep the enemy in check. Major Von Tempsky, Captain Buck (late of Her Majesty's 65th Regiment). Captain Palmer. Lieut. Hunter, and Lieut. Hastings all lost their lives at the head of their men.

"There lias boon bomc talk of the rebels being up trees. The artist who painted Te Ngutu n to Manu must have had a very limited knowledge of native warfare. A native dofs, not go up a tree to be shot at like a kaka. He will take rover behind' one. but not" up in the limbs. The natives secured fully sixty stand of arms and soino thousands of ball cartridges, also revolvers and other weapons.

"Tt was a fearful time,' 1 the captain concluded. "Our casualties, killed and

wounded, were between fifty and sixty. Nineteen were brought home on stretchers. Others were able to walk with a little assistance. AYe left on the field Major Von Tempsky, Captain Buck. Captafn Palmer, Lieut. Hastings. Lieut. Hunter, and fourteen men, four of whom belonged to this town — Sergeant Russell, and Privates Hart, VAken, and Fennery, of the No. !3 Di\ Ision."

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