Taranaki.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 214, 29 November 1860, Page 3

Taranaki.

[From the Herald's Journal of Events Saturday , Nov. 3 —A party of Militia and Rifle Volunteers r left- early this morning to visit , the farms on the Frankly road, under Capt. King and Lieut. Jonas. They went as far as Paterson’s saw mills, and brought in a quantity of wood, sawn tiinber, #c. ; ; Sunday, Nov. 4—Lieut. Colonel Carey and a party on horseback went this to reconnoitre a commanding site . called Sentry //ill, landward of Malioetalii. The report that natives were occupying this position, and that large quantities of potatoes were stored there, was incorrect - v Major General Pratt inspected the garrison at their alarm posts in the trenches- this afternoon. Monday, Nov. 5. —Information , -by theTasmanian Maid received this evening from Waitara ill t during the day while a working party from Puketakauere were engaged- .putting a bridge over a swamp They were 1 attacked by a party of Ihi Waikatos. A • skirmish ensued, in which one man, private; Lally,

of the 65th, was severely wounded - in,; the neck. The rebels were ultimately - drive!* back towards their encampment'at Huirangi. They bad two large banners with them, onewhite and the other red. Information was. also received that a party of Waikatos bad occupied Mahoetahi. It transpired during the evening, that a force from town, commanded by the General, would proceed in themorning at 4 a.m., to take the posit ion named,, and the different corps were warned for this service. Colonel Wyatt, 65th regt., to command the town. Tuesday , Nov. 6—-Before 4 o’clock this morning the troops, prepared for the march to Mahoetahi, the carts were filled with baggage, ammdnitibn, &c, and two howitzers -(24pounders), were in readiness to start at 5 a. m. The Militia! arid Rifle Volunteers irius • tered opposite the Militia Office, and the’whole force commenced the' match at 5 o’clock precisely. The expedition comprised the following .-—Staff, Major General 'Pratt;"' Cr B.', (Commander of the forces); Lieut. Colonel Carey , f "Z).A.G.; Lieut. Colonel Sillcry, D;QI M.G.; Dr. Mouat, C. 8.; Lieut. Forster, R. A.vf.D.C. ; Lieut King, (Militia) A.D.C.

Capt, Strover, R.A.; and 1 sergeant, and 12 rauk and fiie royal artillery (with 2 24-poun-der howitzers) ; Capt. Mould, R.£., and 10 royal engineers Major Hutchins, Captain Leeson, Lieut. Dudgeon, and 84 men of the 12th regt.; Colonfel Leslie, Capts. Richards and Messenger, Lieuts. Dowman, Jackson, and Johnston (Adjutant), Unsign Morphy, and 168 men of the 40th regt. ; Captain Turner, Lieuts. Bailie, Urquhart, Toker, Chevalier, and 223 men of the 65th regt. ; Major Herbert, Captains Brown, and Atkinson, Lieuts. Morrison, Messenger, Hammerton, Webster, and 120 men of the Militia and Rifle Volunteers (30 of the former and 90 of the latter); Capt. Desvo. ux and 20 of the Lounted volunteers. 2’he medical officers in attendance were Dr. White, 56th regt., and Dr. Niven, staff. 2’he morning was beauti- % fully fine and the dew had laid the dust on the roads. a Rifle Volunteer, and forming one of that Oprps in the expedition,, we shall proceed to an account of what took place us it-came under our own notice. The Bell Block was reached at 6 a.m., when a part of the civilian foitce (militia) were left at the stockade and tj(eir place taken by Rifle Volunteers. On reaching the declivity before com * ing to Mangoraka river, a halt was orderedand the ’guns limbered up and taken to the front and skirmishers thrown forward, while Mahoetahi, distant about a mile and a half and the country adjacent, was observed by the General with a telescope. 2’he order to march was again given, and the force proceeded~~the 65th in advance forming d skirmishing party and support, with the General and staff, followed by the Rifle Volunteers, the guns, the artillerymen, the engineers, and the train of carts; the 40th and 12th being

rearguard. The Mangoraka stream was * forded, the men 'wading through the stream, aud iu silence and good order all advanced towards Mahoetahi, a hill on the left of the Devon Line, about 8 miles from town and 3 from /faitara. In a few minutes firing was heard in the front and the order was given for the guns under Capt. Strover, R.A. to be brought to the front. At this moment one man of the 65th, private Conoily, came to the rear, wounded in the arm by the third • or fourth shot from the rebels. The general here dismounted from his horse, and ordered the guns to take up a position at 50 yards distance from the pa, where he remained while a , heavy and continuous lire was kept up from a gully to*'the right of the enemy’s position, and proceeded on foot to the front where he reremained during the whole aotion guiding and -directing the movements of the men. An order was now sent to Major Herbert, commanding the Rifle Volunteers, to take position to the left in skirmishing order, which was at once done, the men skirmishing in high fern, and across a deep swamp, gradually approaching the enemy’s position. Firing was now opened upon the hill by the howitzers with shell, and the crack of the rifle was becoming more and more rapid., The 65th in front Were under Capt. Turner aud Lieut. Toker, the light company, under Lieut. Urquhart, being sent to the extreme right to protect the flank of the attacking force, ami Lieut. Chevalier with 30 men to protect the guns. 2’he volunteers were extended to the left front of Mahoetahi, and their left flank under Capt. Atkinson on the extreme left, and were fast lessening their distance, and by a rush took possession of a hill about 100 yards from the pa. 2’he order at this moment was received by Major Herbert to charge the pa, when he ordereil the men to fix bayonets, and with a hearty cheer the pa was gallantly stormed simultaneously with the 65th in front (the General being with them), the men running up the hill under a rapid fire from the rebels, who when the pa was reached retired * behind the banks and whares’ in the rear. Now commenced a fierce fight, hand to hand in some instances, when two of the 65th, privates McGivern and Rooney, and two Volunteers, H. Edgcombe aud F-Brown, fell mortally wounded, shot by the enemy at a distance of a few yards. Captain Atkiuson, with a small party, occupied a low hill on the left, and kept up a destructive fire on the rebels o i their flank, thirty or forty of them being a few feet distant from the rest of our party on the hill. It was some time before the natives could be dislodged from the rear of the pa, where they were keeping up a smart fire, wounding several of the Both and Volunteers, including Capt. 2’urner severely in mouth, and Colonel Sillery slightly. Lieut. 2’oker and a few men of the.Gs.th, with Mr. W. S. Atkinson (Native Department), were hotly engaged at the right of the pa, while the Volunteers were as actively employed on the left, when most opportunely Major Nelson’s column from Waitara, with IQQ men of the 65th from Puketakauere, uuder Colonel Mould. R E., and Lieut. Talbot, 65th, came up in the left rear, and with a twenty-four pounder howitzer dropped a shell amongst the rebels under the bank in our rear, which caused, them to make a precipitate retreat down the hill into a swamp and across the country. Some of them ran up the Huirangi road, where they were taken in flank by the Waitara force and in rear by Lieut. Urqubart’s party with fatal effect; two shells were also thrown with good precision amongst them by Lieut. McNaughten from. Waitara. It was now a complete rout,.and the natives still fell in making their retreat, throwing away their pieces and cartridge pouches in tne fern, Several hid. in the swamp, where they were shot. It was a decisive victory-—no natives were to be seen, beyond a few stragglers in the distance. 2 7 he General now, with a reconnoitring party of the 12th, 40th, aud a part of the 65th, proceeded up the Huirangi road and came round back by. Ngataiparirua and Puketakauere. At Huirangi two flags- were flying, a red tid a

white one; shortly after they were seen,’the red flag was lowered aiul the white one lowered half mast. Several bodies of the rebels were seen lying in the Huirangi road, ihe friendly natives, 100 of whom accompanied the expedition, with Messrs. Parris, Atkinson, and Wills, proceeded with carts and foraging parties of soldiers, to gather the bodies of the rebels, who were lying on the ground in rear of the pa and in the swamp. The greatest number lay on the right of the pa, where the shells and canister from Captain Strover’s guns did great execution. 2’hirty-one, including two principal chiefs, and the head chief of the tribe (Agatihaua), Te Wetini Taiporutu, were brought up and laid out on the ground. One prisoner unhurt, and six wounded, all dan gerously, were also brought in. A large pit was dug under the brink of the bill and 28 bodies interred, the bodies of the three chiefs being put into a cart for interment in town. We are told by a friendly native that the body of a yOung chief, named Te Purewa, was left behind, and buried with the rest. He is a chief of more importance than Taiporutu, being son of Te Maka, and nephew of Te Waharoa, the great ancestor and warrior of Agatihaua. At 3 p.m. the forces prepared for the return to town, leaving 200 men of the 12th and 65th under Major Hutchins to garrison and fortify Mahoetahi. Five of the wounded rebels were put into carts, the sixth being too far gone to.move ; two died on the road, and we reached town tired and begrimed with dust at 5 p.m.—the termination to this memorable engagement. Our casualties were as follows

Wounded—Colonel Cillery, D. Q. M. G., slightly. 40th regt..— Wounded : F.McKay, slightly. 65th regt.— Killed: Private Win. McGivern, private Francis Rooney. Wounded ; Capt. H. F. Turner, right side of lower jaw, severely, ball lodged ; sergt. Win. Knight, right, cheek, severely ; privates Bernard Boyhan, very severely, ball lodged ; 2 1 homas Coleman, chin and neck, severely; Patrick Connolly, left fore-arm, severely; Hugh Gibson, right toe of left foot, slightly ; Daniel Mcßrierty, left arm, very severely, compound fracture; Win. Roberts, both legs, slightly; Cecil Wm. Ray, right fore-ann, one bone broken, severely; George Wilmott, right thigh, very severely, compound fracture ; Uichard Whitlow, left side of head, severely, bone touched.

Uifie Volunters. Killed: Privates H. Edgcombe and F. Brown. Wounded: Rich. Langman, junr., slightly in breast and arm ; John Wii-rd, slightly in groin; W. Vercoe, slightly in knee ; Thos. Veale, ditto iii knee. While the bodies of the rebels were lying, after being placed in a row, at Mahoetahi, the prisoner (Renata by name) was ordered to pass along and give their names to Mr Parris and Mr. Hay. He could only give the names of the following: Ngatihaua tribe —- Te. Wetini 2’aiporutu, Hikaruia, Pari, Harawira, Whurawhara, Harawira, Hemi 2’aiporutu. Ngat ia pa ku— Wharangi Ngatikaora—Hakopa Ngaruhi. Ngatirtiru—Kotamu, 2’amihana, Heini Karena, Hemi.

Ngatitumainu—-Hapoka, Kaiaha Ngatikoroki—2/apoka, Wanganui, I’amihana.

Urukopi—Heneriko. Ngatikaulumi —Hirini. Ngatingawairo—Kaiamulia Tamahiki. Ngatikaukura—Tamati. Ngatiapakura—Wirihana, and one of the Ngatingamuri, name not known. 2’he above are mostly chiefs, Wetini Taiporutu, Wharangi, and Hapoka Ngaruhi, being head chiefs of/Faikato. 1: • One of the wounded natives died on the way into town, and two died shortly after their arrival. 2*116 bodies, five in number, and our own killed, were conveyed to the military hospital. The two wounded, Te Paori and Te One, a native monitor, were placed in medical care iu the native hospital in Te Kawau pa in town. The prisoner, who was brought m by the rifle volunteers, was put in irons and placed in the town jail. This man, Renata, was caught without arms. He was found in the fern feigning to be dead, and required several good shakes before be thought proper to show animation. A large number of muskets, double-barrelled guns, and pouches filled with ammunition, were found and brought away. We are told about 60 stand of arms were recovered. A 65th soldier took from a dead native a 40th rifle and 14 rounds of rifle cartridges. Many of the men came home with'a trophy in the shape of a gun or a pouch, and one had a valuable green stone god, taken from one of the chiefs. Where

every one did his duty in this sanguinary conflict, we need not particularise. The charge of the rifles is. acknowledged by all to have been a brilliant one; and the bravery of the 65th men, who were the first in the pa, needs no comment from us. Captain Turner, who was severely wounded, and Lieut. Toker, we believe, were uuder a heavy and continuous lire. Major Herbert, and Captains Atkinson and Brown, led their men with conspicuous gallantry The Staff officers also were con- 1 spicuous, and were to be seen wherever their presence was required. A volunteer (W. Marshall) saved the life of private Jones, 65th, by bayoneting a native who was in the act of tomahawking him while struggling with another native in the swamp who had closed with Jones.—The steamer Wonga Wonga arrived from Manukau this 1 evening. She brings intelligence of the approval by the Home government of the Governor’s proceedings in reference to the native disturbances iii this pioviuce; and that the 14th regt. is on its »ay from England, and the 60th (3rd battalion) is en route from India. This news is particularly gratifying in the prewnt stage of

affairs iu Nea^-^ealand.— loss sustained by the . eneiny 10-day/.will either be a death-blow to .their hopes, or bring about a general rising of the northern tribes to avenge the death of their chiefs—the latter the most probable, from .the disaffected state of the natives. It was stated to-day that reserves of natives were seen, in the distance, on Sentry hill and inland, Rewi’s party and Wi Xingi’s people, who no doubt would, as M Puketakauere, have attacked our forces in flank and rear, but for the sudden and spirited charge into the position of their friends. 2 T hese reserves never rendered the least assistance to' the besieged and routed party of the Ngatihauas. A few were seen to come down the Huirangi, but did not cros3 the Waiongana. A few shells discharged by Lieut. McAaughten into a bush about half a mile the other side of the river no doubt prevented them making any advance.

' IVcdriifdafrJ&v. 7-rr-One of the wounded natives iju hospitaLdied this morning. His uanie is He mi Taiporotu, son of the chief l’e Wetini Taiporotu. He was dangerously wounded, having several bayonet wounds in his body. 2’wo wounded now remain —Te Paori and Te One ; the former severely, the latter a flesh wound in leg. The latter has written a letter to the Waikatos at Huirangi to Rewi, Porokoru, Te Paetai, and all the tribe,” in which he has expressed his appre ciation of the kindness shown to him and his fellow-prisoners by the Pakeha—so contrary to their treatment of the 40th, who tell wounded into their hands at Puketakauere. He made no secret of his letter, and the general purport of it is urging the rebels to return to their homes. He alleges that he came down to urge his party to return from Mahoetahi, when he was shot in the leg. He immediate y sat down on -the ground, and to the first soldiers Who came up .he handed his gun, butt first, and-begged forhis life, which they spared, and carried him to camp. 'I he Tarahakis having expressed a desire for peace, Archdeacon Govett was requested to visit them by the General. We hear that they are quarrelling amongst themselves, and would be willing to cry off on equal terms. Some horsemen who have visited Mahoetahi to-day report that the rebels came down this morning and danced the war dance. The Victoria left for Manukau last night, with; despatches for the Governor. The Wonga. Wonga left to day for Wanganui and Wellington, having completed her engagement with the Government. Thursday, Nov. 8.— I The Tasmanian Maid from Waitara this morning, reports that J. Hawken, contract butcher, has been missing since yesterday morning. It appears that J. Hawken visited Mahoetahi the day after the battle, and imprudently returned towards camp without company. Yesterday search was made, his horse was found shot dead, and a letter on the ground which had evidently been taken from bis pocket. No trace of Mr. //awken could be discovered. Information received from Mahoetahi to-day that eleven more dead bodies have been found in the fern, aud that the natives acknowledge to having 71 missing of their tribe. The ascertained number of the native loss is 45 killed. 2’he Airedale arrived from Manukau at 10 a.m. She brings many members of the General sembly. All quiet in Auckland., The Victoria reached just as the Airedale was leaving Onehunga. At 12 o’clock, noon, the bodies of the three chiefs, and the three natives who died from their wounds, were buried in St. Mary’s churchyard, the funeral service (in Maori) being read by Archdeacon Govett. The bodies were placed in coffins, and buried in. two graves. The funerals of. the soldiers Ropney aiid( McGivern, and,' the. rifle volunteers Edgcombe and Brown, took place at 2 p.m. They were buried with military honors, the bands of the 40th, 65th, and Rifles being in attendance. The General and A'taff, all the officers and men off duty in the garrison, and a great number of militia and volunteers, followed the bodies to their last resting place. 2’he bodies of the rifle volunteers were carried by 65th men, and those of the two soldiers by rifle volunteers. Rooney and Brown are buried in St. Mary’s , churchyard, Edgcombe iu the Primitive Methodist cemetery, and McGivern in the Roman Catholic burial ground. We are glad to ; repprt that the wounded are all progressing favourably. Capt. Turner’s wound is very severe, and all the attempts to extract the ball, . which is firmly lodged in the jawbone, have > proved fruitless. He left for Wellington in the Airedale this evening, with two months’leave of absence.

Ef iday, this evening H.M.S. Niger and colonial steam sloop Victoria arrived from Manukau with despatches for General Pratt.

Saturday, Nov. 10—From information received to-day through friendly natives there is no reason to doubt that John Hawken is killed. His horse was shot by a boy, and in falling, and before Hawken could extricate himself from the saddle, Tamilnma of Kaipakopako despatched him with a tomahawk. Information has just been received that the following chiefs were also among the slain on 'Tuesday, and that several natives died after getting near to and at Huirangi: - Ngatiparitekawa—Te Paetae, Mokau. Ngatimahuta—Timoti. It was’ known early this morning that His Excellency the Governor has sent the Niger and Victoria for 400 troops; and this number made up of 25f) of fiie 65th aud 150 of the ,40th will forenoon. 2’he withdrawal - of-troops .Though- quite called for as a prudential measure, must "seriously interfere with the General’s plans and he will now have to act strictly on the defensive until the reinforcements arrive. As the wind was blown in strongly and the surf getting up, the embarkation of tilt troop* a delayed. An escort

left Mahoetahi' this morning to bring in the body of Joliu ITawken,which was found just earthed over near Ngataiparirua. It is much mutilated about the head by a tomahawk, and has four bullet wounds. The body was brought into town this evening in a cart. Hawken has left a wife and two children, the youngest not much over a week old. Sunday , Nov. ll—There was no blow, and the steamers have returned to the anchorage. News from Mahoetahi to day that several stand of arms had been found in the swamp, and four bodies of natives found yesterday and two to day in the fern, some of them scorched by the fire which was lighted to clear the land in the neighbourhood of the position. It is believed several natives who got away wounded are still lying in the bush and fern.

Monday, Nov. 12—The mail steamer Prince Alfred arrived to day on her way to Sydney, During the morning the troops for Auckland embarked on board the Niger and Victoria. The following officers accompanied them :—4oth regt, Capts. Messenger and /Shawe. Lieiits. Hobbs, Dudgeon, and Ensign Morphy; 65th regt., Lieut. Colonel Tbung (in command) Lieuts. Urquhart, Toker, Wrixon, and Pennefather. The garrison has been considerably weakened by the withdrawal of the troops, and the duty (which it is submitted might be considerably lessened during the day) comes very heavy upon those in town. The Militia and Volunteers have to garrison two blockhouses and find guards (day) which duty (lid not fall upon them before, and with the outlying piquets give the men in many instances but one night in bed. Private Lally who was wounded' on Monday last in the skirmish at Mangapukatea, near Puketakauere, died last night at Waitara, and also the wounded native prisoner left at Mahoetahi. The Niger left for Manukau at 3 p.m. and the Victoria shortly afterwards. The Tasmanian Maid reports that from appearances of natives on the northern shore of Waitara, apparently lying in wait for the steamer, Major Nelson had placed a body of men in readiness to encounter them, should they make any attempt upon her. /She returned this evening.

'Tuesday, Nov. 13—The Prince Alfred left at 9 this morning with the mails. The Tasmanian Maid from Waitara this morning brought up the Northern mailman. He reports that he met three messengers from Rewi’s party at Huirangi to Waikato witlr the intelligence “that Waikato had fallen at Mohoetahi, and all the chiefs been killed, including five principal chiefs; of five separate tribes.” These men were men belonging to different hapus, or tribes of Waikato, and one was on his way to Maketu, in the Bay of Plenty,- the head-quarters of the Ngatiwhakaue tribe, one of* whose chief men had also fallen at Mahoetahi. The mailm.m informed us that a party of Wuikatos, who had* not heard of the defeat, were on their way to Waitara. A gentleman writing from Upper Waikato gives it as his opinion that any success on our part would cause a rising amongst the tribes. This is also our opinion, and there is no doubt that, according to native custom, they will come and avenge the deaths of their relatives where they fell. The friendly n t.ves at Katire, near Waiwakaiho, have discovered that ambuscades have been laid between Bell Block and /Taiongana for the purpose of cutting off any person riding to and from, Mahahoetahi. Four persons rode into town from, and returned to Waitara yesterday. These gentlemen run a great risk, which should at least be discountenanced. We are ’inform rd that three of Wi Kingi’s party were at Mahoetahi: one of them “ little Piuil.’' who escaped early in the action.

'Wednesddyj, Nov. 14—A Gttzefle was published this morning containing a proclamation from IJis Honor the .Superintendent calling together the ProYinciil Council for Friday. We have been nsfortaedi. by friendly natives that letters have been received by Mr. Parris from Fewi, the Waikato ehief, who. wishes to know what will be done with the prisoners, and requests that they would send a list of the names of the Waikatos killed on the Qth instant.

Thursday, JVov. 15.—The following are translations of letters,received by the wounded prisoners from their party at //uirangi: “ //uirangi, Nov. 13, 1860. “ My friend Wi One, —How do you do, and all of you in affliction (alluding to the tight at Mahoetahi). Listen, Te Paetai, Mokau, Te Wetini, Wharangi, and Hapoka (chiefs)- —the whole of you, thirty-seven, are completely taken away by the Pakelia. Our sorrow is very great for all of you—our anguish will not soon be over. That is all. “From Kewi, and all of us.

“ Huirar.gi, Nov. 13, 1860,

“ Friend Wi One and Poari (wounded prisoners in hospital). How do you do, all of you in affliction. Listen, those that have returned to us are Rainuha, Waitere,Te Foma, arid A/anihera. These are safe. Four of us (i.e. our hapu) are dead. 2’hat is all, from Tahana.

“ Witli you is Hone, who is not’wounded.” H.M. colonial steam sloop Victoria, with her usual expedition, returned from Manukau after dusk. We have Auckland papers to the 14th. AH quiet there as yet, and the troops from hence in barracks. From private sources we learn that 1200 Waikatos were ready either to come on to Taranaki, or give trouble nearer home.

Friday, Nov. 16.—The Mountain Maid from Sydney, 20 days out, arrived to-day, with hay for the Commissariat. Vessels in the roadstead—H.M. colonial steam sloop Victoria, brigs Clarendon and Mountain Maid, brigantine Comet, cutter Will Watch, aud iteamer Tasmania®; Maid..