NATIVE NEWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 97, 4 September 1868, Page 3

NATIVE NEWS.

<*•• Tiie following extracts give the latest news from the two districts in which fighting has been lately going on — Patea and Poverty Bay. The first, as pur readers know, lies between tbe Wellington and Taranaki pny viuces ; the seci.nd is on tho North East Coast of the North Island -. — THE STORMING AND CAPTURE OF TE-NGUTU-O-TE MANU. The Willington Independent of Sept. 1 contains the following from its correspondent. The letter is dated Wuihi, Aug. 22 : — The strong settlement of Te-N'guto-o-te-Manu has fallen. Tito Kowaru's head-quar-ters are no more. On the night of the 20th a force consisting of 22 men, No. 2 division, Armed Constabulary ; 2 officers and 54 men No. 5 division, A.C, ; 3 offi -ers and 75 men Wellington Rangers ; I officer and 36 men, Taranaki Volunteers ; 2 officers and 45 men, No. 3 division, A.C. ; 3 officers and 90 men, Volunteer Militia; 1 olicer and 31 men, European Contingent, under the command of Lieut.- Colonel McDonnell, were ordered to parade at daylight and to proceed to the rebel stronghold. The rain fell in torrents, but punctually at the appointed hour the men fell in quietly, and were marched off - . The Waingongora was crossed, though it was much swollen, and when on the other side the Colonel intimated his plan of attack. U

was evidently a well-matured scheme, and it fortunately succeeded beyond the highest expectations of any of the expedition. The rebel village is, I should mther s-y, was, for it is now no more, between ten and twelve miledistant from Waihi, and situated in a clearing, only to be approached by travelling through a dense bush. The plan of the attack consisted in dividing the force into two parties, which would attack siraultaneouily. The left attack was undertaken by the Colonel himself, while the other was confided to Major Hunter, who, a3 I told you bad been exonerated by a Bo -rd of Officers of all tbe charges preferred against him in the Wanganui papers. The disposition of the force was as follows : — Under Col. McDonnell — 5 volunteers, ani 22 men No 9 division, A.G., under Ensign McDonnell ; 54 men No 5 div. A.C., under Major Von Tempsky ; 75 Wellington Ringer» under Lieut. Hastings : .36 Taranaki Volunteers under Lieut. Roddy. Under Majoi Hunter — 45 men No 3 div. A.C., under Captain Newland ; 90 men Vo'unteer Militia under Captain Buck ; 31 European Contingent under Lieut Wr>y. Captain O'llalloran, with Cornet Ken rick and a few troopers of the Patea Yeomanry Cavalry having been stationed outside the bush as a support, the force proceeded to toil through the slush and rain to the scene of battle. To cover the retreat, and to act as a reserve, the Taranaki Volunteers, under Lieut. Roddy, were stationed under cove** in a clearing a short distance beyond Pungarehu, the remains of which village was passed en route Most fortunately, the rebels were not on the alert, and although the track was covered right along with breastworks and natural obstacles, the force crept quietly, swiftly and steadily on to tho attack. By ten o'clock »n outlying picquet of the enemy was seen entrenched iv a p disaded and rifiepittcd position, and then the ball opened. When within a few yards of this post we were - first seen, the bugle sounded the " Advance." The Colonel ordered the place to be stormed, and with a cheer the men of the No. 5 Division, A.C., and the Wellington Hangers rushed forward. The enemy for a few moments kept up a smart fire, aud then fell back on Te Ngutu-o-te-munu, leaving their outpost in our hands. In order not to give them time to rally, Colonel M'Donnell, followed by Von Tempsky's men aud the Wellington Rangers, rushed forward and poured volley after volley into the village, the inhabitants of which kept up a very smart fire, while Major Uunter'a men came leaping after him across the clearing, ready to attack on the right. For a moment cover was taken at the outermost palisade, and then tli3 order to " Fix bayonets and charge " was given. With a yell the men bounded forward, leapt all barriers, nno in spite of a strong fire, drove the enemy right through the village, and away across a small clearing into a dense bush. Thus fell Te Ngutu-o-te-manu, the boasted stronghold of Tito Kowaru and his band of murderer*. I regret deeply to say that the victory wns purchased dearly by the death of three as fine young soldiers as ever walked, "rhe names of the brave trio are Private Richard Wallace, Welliugton Rangers, Pri vateKerr, Wellington Rangers, and Constable M'Coy, No. 5 division Armed Constabulary. They all fell well to tbe front, and inside the village. Wallace and McCoy had an instantaneous death, but poor Kerr was shot just below lhe ribs, the ball passing through him and out at the back, lie lingered in great agony for twenty minutes and then passed away. In addition to the above-named casualties, the undermentioned men were wounded while storming the villages, Corporal Lloyii, Privates Collinson, Sedgwick. Wellington Hangers, Private Dwyer, who was Major Hunter's servant, Constables Hope and White-dde, No. 5 Division Armed Constabulary. As the natives began to open fire again from the dense covert surrounding the village, the vhares were set alight, and the wounded, covered by Von Tempsky's men moved to the track leading out of the bush. The main. body after seeing that the village was a smouldering heap of ruins, then steadily wended their way towards the entrance of ihe bush, closely followed by the rebels who yelled defiance and poured in volley after volley, while our fellows cheered and kept them at bay. In crossing one of the numerous clearings the rear guard was heavily pressed, and they had all their work to do to ktep the . enemy back till reinforcements came up. Unfortunately, tbe Wellington Rangers and Volunteer Militia, while holding the rebels in check, suffered severely, Bugler Middleton and Private '1 hompson of the former and two brothers, named Geary, of the latter corps being wounded. One of the brothei s has since died of his wound, which was very severe, the bullet entering behind the ear and passing out at the ltft eye. >Krhe other brother was shot in the shoulder, and as he fell the enemy advanced. They were soon again checked, but they poured in a most deadly fire. The danger was imminent and a moment's hesitation would have been fatal to the poor fellow lying writhing on the ground ; but Major Hunter, followed by two of his men, Constables Ready and Andrews, gallantly dashed out into the clearing under a perfect storm of bullets and carried away the wounded man, amidst the cheers of tbe men who witnessed an act of . daring for which many a man ere this has received that much-coveted bronze cross , which is the reward for valour. By thus i putting his life in deadly peril to save that of I , another man, Major Hunter has given the most emphatic denial to those, who, safe in , their own homes, have not scrupled to accu&e, , him of either " incompetency or cowardic^j The enemy hovered in the rear, keep- > ing up a brisk fire at long > ranges till we were clear of the , busb, when they drew off and made for a i point where they nvght trouble us in crossing • the river. From this new position there was i no difficulty in ousting them, and the re- ; maindei of the journey back to camp, which t we reached about 6.30 p.m., was uneventful.

I cannot refrain from mentioning the conduct of Mr Edward M'Donnell, who, ablyassisted by Volunteers Liviugst.jn and Blake, Corporal Dunckley and Private Higgins, Wellington Rangers, carried th. stretchers with the killed and wounded across the Watngangora River which was very deep, an-1 where a very strong current was running. You will be happy lo hear that Colonel M'Donnell has expressed his pride and satisfaction at having the honour to command such a force as he took into the field, and I may, in all fairness, say that whether officers or men, all hands fought well and sustained the pre.il ge of their colonel. The wounded under the care of Assistant-Surgeons Walker and Best ate getting on well and have to day been removed to Patea,, as we have more work yet to do here. I have no means of judging the extent of the native loss, but it must have been considerable, as some were seen dropping like cocks, while others carried them away into the bush.