REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2124, 18 August 1875, Page 3

REMINISCENCES OF THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

OPOTIKI CAMPAIGN CONTINUED, PABT V. Major Bhasset and his officers not pulling together, which in a measure stopped the joint action so necessary for complete success,'emboldened Colonel McDonxell to ask for permission to act for himself and scout the enemy's position at To Pua pa, and was allowed to do so with <10 men. With this small forco ho scouted tho country round about, and at 3 o'clock rcached tho neighbourhood of tho pa, when ho was fired upon by two of the enemy's scouts, who fell back on his advance, and on his emerging from a flax swamp a little further on, '10 more of tho enemy wero discovered on his front, falling back towards the pa (Kiorekino), which had evidently been newly erected, McDonnell allowed them to retiro unmolested until they entered the pa. He then extended his men, throw forward their flanks until they wero in half-moon formation, telling them ho meant to surround tho_ pa, and ordering them to charge as if they intended to tako it, but

to listen to Lis voice, and fall flat when ordered. The order to ohargo was given, and thoforco advanced at tho doublo. Tho Hauhaus, in numbor about 80, thinking it was a case of storming, rosorved thoir • fire, MoDonnoll had forcscon, and when within 40 yards of tho pa, just as tho Hauhaus woro preparing a volloy, tho word was given, and every mail foil fiat on tho ground, Thooiily oover availablo was a small tulu bush, but this drow tho fire of tho enemy so hoavily that each man folt himself moro scouro in tho open. For ono hour tho llro ou both sides was very severe, nnyono attempting to stand up immediately down' tho enemy's fire upou him.- With tho exception of McDonnell, who seemed that day to bear a charmod life, for ho walked around his ukii continually> and only had tho stock of ln's gun aliot through. At this moment tho natives in the l'ua pa seemed to thiuk it tirno to assist their friends, and a party of about 40 were soon descending tho hill towards us, and our position for a moment looked dangorous, when a few of tho Yoomanry Cavalry, 14 in number, hearing tho firing, suddenly appeared on tho sccne, and woro ordered to keep these men in check* which thoy did in good stylo by charging and driving thorn back up to tho very palisades of tho pa, killing 11 of them; our loss being only ono man wounded, atul two horsos shot. Tho cavalry wcro under tho command of Sergoant-Mnjor Kenriok and SergeautDuff, and as thoy returned Duff brought in a boy across his horse, about 17 years old, a prisoner, to givo information, as tho Sergeant said ho is only wouuded. Sowo 30 hours afterwards it was found that this only wouuded boy had a sword-cut across his head, four iuchos long, through which tho brain protruded, and at least teaspoonful was takon away by I)r Walker, and tho boy recovered, and is now known to tho Upoliki residents as Paora Taia. Tho continuod firing aroused tho whole camp, and tho Patca and Wanganui liangers," under tho lato Captain F, Boss, camo up and opened firo with buoli effect that tho enemy woro completely silenccd, and tho men walked about within 40 yards of Iho pa with impunity. Tho Hauhaus, boing afraid to exposo their heads and shoulders abovo tho riflo pits could not firo low enough to hit our mon, aud most of them cscaped. But ono poor fellow laid on his face so long with his gun to his shoulder, apparently talcing aim, that llify went to arouso hiin, thinking ho had fallen asleep, and so ho had—tho sleep of death, a bullet having entered tho crown of his head, and death was instantaneous. On this day the bravo Wniata gavo us another speoimon of Maori datiug, for in tho midst of tho fight ho suddenly jumped up from tho ground, and, rushing up to tho pa regardless of tho firo of both friend and foe, placed his hondonthopalisadiug, saying tho pa was his. As it was now getting dark, McDonnell ordered his men to ceaso firing, and walked round to sco that tho pa was properly invested, and on No. 8 Company of Military Settlers arriving with a myslorious and dreadful weapon (to hor friends), known as-tho Huntress Gun, tho men wcro ordered to dig riflo pits, and get tho gun into position. This was soon done, mid loaded up to tho muzzle with case shot, old iron-in fact, every missile procurable. Tho assistant quartermaster's heart was nearly, broken by tho amount of old iron (so carefully hoarded by him) that was taken to load this gun. McDonnell's intention was to keep guard all night arcund tho pa, aud if _ thoy did not givo themselves up as prisoners boforo morning, to toko tho .place by storm, But about-olgltfc-o'olock: in tho evening-a voico was heard,from; tho pa asking whether MoDonncll was present, which was replied to by Iho major himself. 'Tho speaker then said they wished to givo in, and asked the terms. Tho Major answered, " You must surrender unconditionally, and those men who wcro implicated in Volokner's death would bo tried; thoso who were not would bo simply prisoners of war." Feeling, as they must havo, that thoy were all moro or loss guilty, tho roply rather frightened them, and thoy requested ono hour to deliberato thcrcou,, which wns granted, and a cessation of hostilities ensued. It is an old saying, " That a litllo learning is a dangerous thing," tho truth of which was proved in this instance, for ono of tho junior oflicors, understanding a littlo Maori, ho;rd them talking about pence, and thinking that a sort of Millennium had arrived, left his post, and going up to tho palisades, shook hands most affectionately with many of tho enemy, and oven allowed them to pulljdown sufficient of tho palisading for them to como outside to their friends, tho pakehas. Nor did it 6vcn Btriko this tooconfiding officer that tho narrow gateway of tho pa was wido enough to como out of as friends, and ho had no sooner allowed them to finish tho opening than suddenly firing a volley, thoy charged out through tho breach they had made, knocked down tho dupe of an officer, and rushed straight on to tho 20 men of tho Patca Bangers who, having a youthful officer (Captnin Nowland) in oommand, not of such a confiding disposition, was busy with his men cntrcnching his portion of tho lines. Tho suddenness of tho attaok allowed no time for consideration) and carbines, revolvers, and spades all proved useful, and although ( tho 20 Patca Hangers wero kocked dotfn and trampled upon, thoy hit hard, and loft 15 of tho enemy dead in a very small spaco around them, whilo thoy thomsolvcs escaped with a fow severo wounds. Tho volloy fired by tho enemy caused great confusiou on tho other sido of tho pa, and thojeryboing raised that tho Hauhaus wcro escaping,, tho party in chargc of tho gun immediately fired it oil, and had it been pointed properly, tho chances aro that not a man of No. 8 Company would havo beon alivo to-day, as they wero in a direct lino between tho gun and tho pa. But tho individual in chargo of this murderous weapon, firmly convinced that at CO yards rango an elevation of 45 degrees was tho right thing, it only frightened tho company in front with tho infernal screeching of tho old iron as it flew over their heads, whereas ho himself nearly fell a sacrifico to his devot'on, as tho gun turned a back somersault, scattering tho would •bo artillerymen far and near. After (his unfortunate termination, nothing further could bo dono but to camp for tlio night, and wait tho attack on tho Pua pa at dawn next morning. (To be continued)