CAPTURE OF THE “L” STOCKADE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 187, 19 April 1860, Page 4

CAPTURE OF THE “L” STOCKADE.

[From'the Taranaki News, March 22] •On-Saturday, 17th March, at about 12.30 p.m.Y three'companies, under the command of Colonel Gold, with Colonel Sillery and Cap-tains-Paul and Barton, with the two 24-pounder howitzers, and one 12-pounder howitzer, and a rocket tube, left the camp; the artillery, commanded by Lieutenant McNaughten, and the rocket tube and the men of the naval brigade under the charge of Lieut. Wells; the mounted escort in advance, scouringthe ground, and afterwards in rear of the troops. As the troops came opposite the pa the natives blew a horn in token of defiance, and ground was soon afterwards taken by the guns about 800 yards distant from the N.W. angle of the pa, supported by the infantry. At this time Mr. Parris, who was with the troops, conveyed a letter to the pa, but they refused to receive it, and warned him to 'get away. On receiving this reply, the artillery and rockets opened fire and made splendid firing, nearly all the shells striking the pa or exploding -within a short distance of it; the rockets were at first wide, but subsequently did good service. After a few discharges, a red flag was run up on the flagstaff of the pa, announcing their determination to persevere in resistance. The guns were then removed to the west side of the pa, and opened fire at about 200 yards, gradually approaching to within 150. This movement was met by a detachment of small arms, which the skirmishers returning, the fire for a time became general. At. this distance every shot appeared to tell, and the flag was repeatedly struck, each successful shot being hailed with cheers, and it at length fell on the palisades of the pa. Having played upon that side of the pa, a new move was made to the north side. At this period natives were seen leaving from the direction of the pa, and were fired upon by the escort; and while the movement of the guns was taking place, some of the mounted esport, under this impression, with more zeal than discretion, rode up to the . pa, and were received with a volley of rifles and muskets, and one of their number (Mr. Sartain) was shot in the body a few yards from the stockade, and was brought off by some men of the light company and naval brigade, who rushed to the rescue under a heavy fire. The flag was torn down and brought away by his companions. This misadventure was the cause of further mischief, for it was with the greatest difficulty that the troops could be restrained by their officers from rushing the pa, which an after knowledge of its construction proved must have been attended with great loss. As it wa3, two of the light company, privates Corbett and Goddard, were shot down ; the former dangerously wounded, and since dead, the latter through the thigh, fracturing the bone. ..The state of the sufferers was speedily looked to, and they were conveyed to the camp. .These were providentially the only : casualties, which is mainly attributable to the i low position in the pa from which the natives fired, for the whole force was within musket range, and the air seemed literally alive with the messengers of mischief. i The natives fired incessantly while the guns were taking up position, and several shot struck < the guns; the fire from this position made s great havoc, being directed much lower than j that from the positions previously taken up. 1 But the ammunition was all expended and the guns were retired before dark about fifty yards, . and the troops lay down under arms for the i night. It was evident that the pa was much i knocked about, every shot throwing a cloud of dust above the stockade of the pa. i Breastworks were thrown up to within 150 i yards of the pa during the night, and Colonel 1 Gold and all the officers and troops engaged 1 remained on the ground the whole time. The defenders of the pa, as if aware of the business about, and that the troops lay close to their l beleaguered hold, for hours during the darkness kept up an incessant fire, but the balls, . although rattling against the guns and pitching i into the earth in almost. every direction, for- ] tunately did no mischief, for, although the < guns were struck, the bullocks that drew them i escaped uninjured. And here it should be I stated that the drivers of the oxen did their t duty during the whole time with great devo- 1 tion. Ordered to take themselves and their i cattle into fire with the guns, not a murmur £ Was heard, but an alacrity proving perfect ab- ( [negation of self was shown in obeying every t order given. During the night the camp was a occupied by Captain Bulkeley and bis com- g pany, and the most sleepless vigilance was ob- s served to guard against surprise ; and, on the c morning of Sunday, a detachment was sent out s to the troops in the field, who -had passed the 1 dreary and hazardous time without any refresh-1 ment from dinner on the preceding day. Only s two guns had been fired - by the natives from i the pa after the cessation of their night fire, at 1 about three o’clock in the morning. After f breakfast the guns were advanced to within t 30 yards of the stockade, and opened a heavy f fire with shell and common case shot, which } made a small breach, through which Lieu- 1

tenant McNaughten, It.A., with his gunners, I and a portion of the gallant 65th, rushed, but, to the disappointment of all, they found the pa evacuated. The natives are supposed to have left the pa after midnight by a deep gully leading from the pa to the river, leaving two or three behind to keep up the impression of the whole, being there, who left after firing the shots above mentioned. The effects of the previous day’s fire, and the determination indicated by the troops and guns remaining in position, had no doubt shaken their resolution and determined their retreat. Upwards of 130 rounds were fired from the howitzers, besides the rockets discharged. The pa proved to be of a most formidable construction, consisting of ten chambers excavated in the clay, communicating with each other, three at each side and two at each flank, each calculated to contain from 20 to 25 men. These chambers were wider at top than at bottom, sloping from the centre to give strength and width of base to the work. The chamberswere overlaid with rafters and a layer of fern, and earth between two and three feet deep, the whole surrounded with a doubl® fence, filled up with fern and earth communicating with the interior, and from whence the inmates conld fire without in the least exposing themselves ; but though invulnerable to the rifle, this powerful intreuchment had not been proof agaiust the shell and rocket, a large number of canister shot and peices of shell wero found in different chambers, and two rockets are known to have burst within the enclosure. There was an immense qnantity of potatoes, Indiaa corn, peaches, fish, &c., it is said enough for two months’ consumption, which in their haste to escape they had deserted. The loss sustained by the natives is not known, and will probably never be truly known; they admit but a few wounded, bnt those who first entered the place found indications which leave no doubt that some were killed, however disposed of and the wounded conveyed to the bush are known to be numerous. The pa was tom down and fired, and the excavation destroyed and filled in. The troops returned to camp about three o’clock, bringing with them the captured flag from the pa, and were cheered by their comrades as they approached. The tuneral of the soldier Corbett, who was desperately wounded before the pa on Saturday, took place without the camp on Monday. - Taylor and his friendly Maories are forming a small, but strongly intrenched pa, close by the camp on the river side. While the military were thus occupied at Waitara, the militia and volunteers were doing garrison duty in the town. Lines of picquets were formed round the town, and guardhouses were to be made on some elevated positions, in order to guard the town from a night attack. The fern in the neighbourhood was also begun to be burned. But on Colonel Gold returning from Waitara with 200 of the troops, he proceeded to build, in a smaller circle, a number of breastworks and small stockades, as well for defence against an attack, as for places of refuge to the helpless townspeople if an attack should be made.