Where Von Tempsky Fell.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13697, 12 September 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Where Von Tempsky Fell.

MILITARY SERVICE ON THE SPOT. On Sunday last a memorial service was held at Te Ngutu-o-te-M&nu, in Taranaki, in memory of the renowned Von Tempsky, who fell while fighting for the British in the Maori war. The "New, Zealand Times," writing of the man and the fight, says: One of the bravest and most, adventurous spirits identified with the early history of New Zealand " was G-ustavus Ferdinand Von Tempsky, whose career, i if told in detail, would be of remarkable dramatic interest. The memorial ser- i vice is being held oh the forty-second anniversary of his death, for it was on September 7th, 1866, that he fell a victim to a Moari rifle, during the unsuccesful attack by the British on Ruarura, the stronghold of the chief Titoko \Vkru. AMERICAN EXPERIENCES. Von Tempsky, the son of a LieutenantColonel in the Prussian, army, obtained a commission in the English service, 'but under the influence of . a strong abhorrence of routine and red tpae," and an equally decided taste for adventure, he prom ply left his regiment and en deavoured to found a colony on the eastern coast of Central America. • The venture turned out a failure, and Von Tempsfcy was made captain of an irregular force o£ Mosquito who did good .service against, the Spaniards. His intimate friend the' British ConsulGeneral met a fearful death, slipping overboard from a boat -and being immediately devoured by alligators' before assistance could be rendered This seems to have turned Von Tempsky's ardour for the position iirto . disgt&t, and ha went ( off to California, to'enter tlra tecitement of a gold rush.

Subsequently a journey through Central America occupied his attention, and next we find him in Victoria, offering to command a party , for tho exploration of the interior. He was beaten for the position by the ill-fated Burke, and golden rumours from Coromandel then attracted him to New Zealand. BRAVERY IN THE WAIKATO.

On the breaking out of tho Waikato War in 3865 his services were accepfed by the Government, and ho was soon commended for his gallantry, and raised to tho rank of captain. When the rebel, position of Paterangi was eyerounded one of the sharpest contests bo tweep the Imperial troops and the ua. tives started as % result of. an ambush by the latter.

A body i>f soldiers who bad gone down -to batbo in the Mangapiko River, a Lribnt.inr of the Waipu, were attacked, and what commenced ras" an ainb«s|i ended in a pitched battle. Ensconced m insih fern on the right, bank of the ri\er the natives kept up a detractive fire, bnt in the teeth' of this Von Tempsky gallantly led his men across (Se slwuii, a rami with revolvers and bowic knive* Those on the left- bank, lost ! sight of them for a time, but they triumphantly Reappeared in of the; spot formerly held by the enemy, and many bodies of native testified to the deiully effect, of the fighting at close quarters which Von Tempsky and his raen bald pluckly undertaken. He secured bis commission as major during this campaign. It was said of him thai he did itnore to raise the character of the colonial force than had been achieved by any officer during lltfe war. "He mVs the great- bulwark of the self-reliant- policy," declared the Premier of the day, "the lion of the hour." When he \v:u* asked to placo himself under the com* mand of Lieutenant-Colonel Eraser, a junior officer of reoenfc standing in the cohmiad force, lie , point Blank rei tn-wl, reigning his coinniWiou. His ui"ii a|most mutinied. However, he resumed xervice at Wanganui with his company, and on September ?th his gallant life ended durine the rcjitilso, at Ruaruru. THE DEFEAT OF RUARUIU/, At. 3 a.m. » force consisting of 250 European* and 100 . Wanganui natives left Waihi to attack Titoko "Wain's stronghold. Jlajor Von Tompsky, with Sub-Inspectors Gumming*, Brown, and Robert*. Captain Palmer. Lieutenants Hastings and Hunter, Ensign Herlzdl and 140 men comprking the first, division. A tediiij? march Ihrough the bush brought the little force to the rear of Ruararu al 2 p.m. A few bark huts and a tent eould be *eert. Here the natives! killed a child by d&riiing out its; brains, and took a little boy prisoner. The force took lip a position in a narrow valley, through which ran a Miinll stream, lint in s» few niintttes this iteesuno quite untenable. for the enemy had poslcd *ltarp* •■hooteiK in >om« large ratas, and men began to fall fast, A DESPERATE CASE. [ Seeing the d<*{>crat« condit inn of affairs. Major Von Toni|»ky ajsked ]>.r- ---: mission to »>torni the pa,' and this whs seconded by Major Hwnter, However. Captain McDonald, who was in charge of the Wanganui nutivv, feared that the |x.*itinn wa* too strong for a successful attack, commanded as it was by the natives in the trees. There was nothing for it but retreat, The wounded w.«ra collected and placed under a strong e>eort, while \V>ii Temp-icy'x forces covered (he ivfreuf, expraed to a deadly bail of hult«;.f from the me.*, It w»« a de». predicament, and no wonder the lit 11c force liecnme j>u t!v disorganised Their brave leader walk**] tip ;in<l down in front- of his men. j*-r>ti.iding iliem to avoid the danger of exposing them*vhex in (he open. Then he fell, .*iri>ck by n bullet from wnitK hidden ntarknivan. Capi.iin littck r.ut forward to hi* Iwhlv, and h>\ too, fdl mort.dly wounded. Lieutenant Hunter «3xo becisme « victim iri a gallant attempt to «-e<-ttre the body, and U><.» little force, sdiwrdntely deprived of leadership. fled frosn the m-cuc of ftJauv'htt-r. Tito dead «nd «<.?in>i<-d who could not \t;iik wrr<* hft behind, xnue of tlnin to mi (Tit tb« fearful toftnie ••{ btjfiw-d t" by the ftinoisr. rrhi-h. Villi 'IV-mp'kv's !»<■» »ufTered *. V< .-c!v ill Jil! * l-'-.'iolv.-att» in the iUM< kiisy jurtv wcr*" i In *&?'!?, #fi«r nine y«'a*H of hUwvi.hed .snd ' lUijHii!, w .fi ;e hot <lifi l.t|t»e of vi'.u, ha* O"! -fr.«>--d llic meni'»r»" of V«n 'I ?{<• « ;».» iht' !►«-«>> r* ( (h<* »(!•!!.♦ i«nd if !■> btit f.««r t»ib»i»e to Jo* } rn<-tn'<M *.« reoe.*" «ha{ <4 j hito 5-v j •w,n!«*tnjK.rat v ■ " l|-,» >' i n ti.J}..»u f t ■.*f-" *!i'- liii'r h V'"Hirr -i l-r ;-4> h< «fl :=}<•] ♦ v|<-ct