THE MAORI WAR.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIV, Issue 1442, 31 July 1860, Page 3

THE MAORI WAR.

On the 10th inst., we ware much surprised to receiye the news of another fight having taken place at Waitara, and deeply concerned to learn that it had resulted in the repulse af the British, with serious loss. It is known as the

THE ATTACK ON PUKETAKAUERE PA.

The position of the troops at Taranaki has for some time past been a very painful one. It is known that the policy of the Governor was to avoid bloodshed as much as possible, lest it might influence for evil the great Maori King meeting at Waikato and the Conference of Chiefs summoned by His Excellency at Auckland. The Coinmander-in- Chief is bound to cany out the policy of the Governor whatever that may be. On the 23rd June a foraging party of about thirty soldiers of the 40th, were fired upon by a body of natives at no very great distance fioin the camp at Waitara ; the natives were drawn on to within easy shelling distance and a couple of shells were thrown into their midst, wounding some and causing them to retire. Major Nelson in command of the Waitara, who came down from Melbourne to fight and not rest idly on his arms, is every inch a soldier. lie seems to have viewed this unprovoked attack of the natives as sufficient reason for abandoning the defensive operations to which he had been so long tied. Colonel Gold evidently agreed with him that it was a sufficient casus belli, and sent by steamer two 24 pound howitzers and a party of the 4'Jth ; while the remaining portion of the 40th and sixty blue jackets of the Petorus, under the command of Captain Seymour, proceeded from New Plymouth town to Waitara overland. This was on the 26th, and although secrecy was observed as much as possible it was pretty generally understood that the Puketakauere pa was to be attacked early the next morning. During the same day (the 26th) Colonel Gold with the Light Company of the 65tb and a detachment of the 12th also proceeded to Bell Block house, about five miles on the road from the Waitara. Not having official statements it is difficult to make up a connected narrative from the various accounts received from correspondents, and however carefully done it is liable to inaccuracies in some particular. It is generally stated that Colonel Gold marched from New Plymouth on the morning of the 27th and the correspondent of the Nelson Examiner>~M.. for whose graphic sketches the colonists are indebted, favours this impression, but the Herald's daily " Journal of Events" distinctly mentions the remainder of the 40tb, Captain Seymour's blue Jackets, and Colonel Gold's light company of the 65th and detachment of the 12th, as having all left New Plymouth on the same day, the 26th. The 40th and part of the blue jackets remained at the Bell Block until night fall when they proceeded to the camp at Waitara ; Colonel Gold and his force remaiued there all night, from whence, next morning (the morning of the attack) that officer telegraphed to town for 60 additional blue jackets and later in the day for two guns and 50 more soldiers of the 65th.

The pa intended to be attacked, is described by the Taranaki Herald as consisting of two Stockades ; one upon the entrenchments of the old pa of the same name, the other new. They stand on a ridge formed by gullies. These gullies meet a little below the pa, and on to swampy ground in the Waitara valley, forming a sort of long V, the stalk towards the rirer and the stockades in the fork.

The troops left the camp before daybreak od the 27th — a stormy and cold morniug — and the main body took up a position on the seaward orN Wside of the pa. This consisted of the grenadier and light companies of the 40th regiment under Capt Richards and 60 of the blue jackets of the Pelorus under Lieut. Battiscombe, 250 in all. Major Nelson and Captain Seymour were with this division, and by 7 o'clock the guns were brought to bear at about 400 yards. Two other divisions of 50 men each, under Captains Messenger and Bojydler were so stationed as to enable the troops to command the pa at all points. The howitzers did little damage on the simple but strong construction, and it was not until some time bad elapsed that a slight breach was effected. In the meanwhile the natives came out boldly from the pa and ocenpied some old entrenchments in the rear, and kept up a fire on Captain Messenger s detachment. It could be seen that this detachment was doing great execution on the stragglers who attempted to escape, the firing coutiouing briskly on both sides. The Grenadier Company of the 40th and the bluejackets formed the lijjht wirtg of the main party in front, and extended beyond the bead of the gully, facing partly round towards the S. W. side of the pa, as shown in the eye sketch (3). Here a distressing fire was maintained from a broad rlitch-, and the order was given to fix bayonets and charge. The natives lying down with loaded guns started up when the line was within a fewyardsand fired . their numbers were great their guns were double barrels, and they fiirly shook the advancing party. They closed, however, and a bund to hand light fallowed. The accounts here are somewhat confused, but from one given by an artillety-man, we learn that Major Nelson had determined ti» rush the pa, moved the ruaiu body into position 3 (eye

sketch), and now suddeuly found himself in the presence of a large number of natives who had come pouring out of the high fern and bush, on the summons of a messenger, who was seen to get away a* soon as the attack commenced. After holding out for some time, and not receiving'the supports he seems to have expected, Major Nelson ordered the retire, and the men took up position 11, (eye sketch) the natives swarming after them, when the artillery, which had been drawn off diagonally to cover the ret treat, poured a fevr rounds of grape into them, and caused them to abandon the pursuit. The Grenadier Company lost 33 killed and wounded chiefly in this struggle. One of them bayonetted six of the enemy before he was shot down. Amongst the natives was a white rain directing "their movements, he received the reward of his treason being shot during the engagement.

The gallant retreat of the detachments in the rear, is best told by the Nelson Examiners Correspondent. He says, " The parties in the rear had meanwhile been engaged with natives on the ridge on which stands the pa, and had cut off some who were endeavouring to escape on that side , there were part of them stationed in high fern and tutu, and the nativs crowded from inland ami nearly surprised them. When the bugle sounded the retire, they were sepevated from the main body by swarms of natives, and wete obliged to make the best of their way back by the low ground over which thsy had advanced. They had been taken to tbeit position by the celebrated chief |Ihaia : he is still suffering from some scorbutic complaint contracted in the long siege of the Karaka pa ; and being half lame and knocked up, had to crawl back to the camp, where he arrived at 1 1 o'clock, covered with mud, thorns, and thistle seed. He did his duty ; and it is fair to mention him here, as he might be forgoUen, and his whole fierce and energetic mind is bent on aiding our cause. His absence, however, left the rear party without a guide, and possi bly was in part the ieasou of the loss by this rearward division. Lieutenant Brooke was killed in a swamp, fighting seveial natives with his sword, till a cut on the wiist disabled him and he fell by the blows of their tomahawks. The learward party left thirteen men on the ground ; only one wounded man escaped ; tho whole retreat having to be hardly fought against great odds. The whole loss on our side, was

40th Regiment 46 Naval Brigade 10 Artillery ... , 5 Of these, twenty-nine were killed, and tbirty two wounded ; two of the latter had since died. Ainjng the killed was Lieutenant Brooke ; and among the wounded was Captain Seymour, of the Pelorus in the leg. The ball was extracted and there was eveiyhopc of his speedy recovery. Where was Colonel Gold all this while and the 300 men under his command ? Halting within a mile and three quarters of the seem of

conflict. Although the|fire of the guns was heard, and a breach was observed through the glass to have been made in the pa, and he was urgently pressed by his officers to proceed to the Waitara, he gave the order to return to town — an order which was received with murmurs by his men.

The following remarks from the Examiner's correspondent will supply all the information necessary to enable our readers to estimate how deeply that order to retire affected the eveuts of the memorable 27th June —

" From the spectators of this fight, and the few who joined it of their own choice, we hear but one tale. Every one fjught with steady, active courage ; no one skulked ; officers and men alike did their duty ; under great odds, and a fire at times of a fierceness that astonished veteraus of the Indian service. The natives, it

is said, are warriors equal to the Sikhs. Ihea r the names Ferozesbah, Sobraon, the Redan' used to describe the sort of conflict. It was no disgrace, then, to be repelled. We may be proud of the 27th June, at Puketakauere. One man there was who could have made this affair a decisive victory. It was an enlarged repetition of Waireka". Succour was needed, and it was at hand, but. it was xvithheld. Not only are the rebels unconqnered, but the bodies of our dead lie unburied, or are indebted to the enemy for burial. Here was no divided responsibility, no orders to hamper. It lay in the power of the Commander of the Foices to co operate, to succour, or promptly to retrieve One after another he neglected or declined these opportunities as they passed. He did not create a diversion ; he dslayed when he should have hurried to relieve ; and he raarohed his eager men back to quarters when he should have pone forward to renew the strife. It is true that all was quiet when he left Mahoetahi; hut, for aught he knew, it might be the quiet j of death. I know something will be said about the town. But the town was not unprotected ; here is, roughly, the state of the force here on Wednesday the 27th : — At Waitara 500 With Colonel Gold 300 At Bell Block 50 At Omnta 70 ! At Tataramaka 200 T I In Town 800 1 .920. Reducing the number here stated by 100, for invalids, we have a force surely aUe to maintain itself and protect the Barracks, in which on an emergency, we should secure the helpless. Nor has war yet made us «o selfish that any one interested in the towr. can look on the brave soldiers at the outposta as strangers, or grudge some risk to ourselves that succour should be aff >rded them in their need. They i are British citizens and subjects as well as we, and entitled to the same support as we. Wher c the work is to be doae or the danger imminent '

a guernsey, and a pair of boots, sent down in the Airedale from Auckland. The other articles of necessary clothing will follow, not too soon, as both militia and volunteers have been compelled hitherto, from some unexplained omission of some one's, to provide themselves. Many from this cause have gone on night duty insufficiently clad at this severe season of" the year. They have 10.-it everything from the war, and to purchase winter clothing was out of the question. 100 rifles were likewise received from Auckland — longer in the barrel thau those used by the Taranaki Volunteers.

. Tataramaka. — The troops have been withdrawn from Tataraimaka, and all the houses have since been burnt, except the chapel, &c. The Omata stockade was still held at oar last advices by the settlers, &c. Strengthening the Pa. — We hear that 'the rebels have been seen very busy strengthening their position at Puketakauere, since the fight on Wednesday and the pah is described now to be a" very strong one. It does not appear by this that the rebels are dispirited at their losses. It is doubtful if we shall ever know what their loss was, and can only conjecture from the sanguinary nature of the engagement that it must have been very heavy.

the force ought to be. I see no justification of the course of Colonel Gold on Wednesday. I will not try to give it its proper name, for there is no pleasure in using harsh words, and mild ones will not express my opinions. It is fitter for me to he a mere annalist, and easier to leave the facts withoat further remark to yourself and the public. In the nature of things, it must surely be that some way exists of removing a person so unfit as Colonel Gold from a station of sucb great trust as he now occupies. I desire no more. And the emergency is too grave for me to hesitate about saying that this is absolutely necessary."

SUBSEQUENT EVENTS. Our latest dates from Taranaki are only to the 9th of July, received via Auckland. The follow* ing extraordinary particulars are related in a private letter.

After the late repulse at Pukotakauere ho Airedale returned to Auckland for more troops, and one hundred odd were immediately sent down. The reverse which our arms had suffered, and the serious effect it was likely to produce upon the natives generally, rendered the Auckland authorities exceadingly anxious to retrieve tho lost prestige, and a large force of naval volunteers was in a few days collected together. The Iris contributed one hundred of her men ; the Victoria sent twenty five, the pick of her crew ; which, together with those left behind by the Elk and Niger added to the crew of the Cordela, made a total of about 300 men. With such a reinforcement immediate success atTaranaki was confidently looked for. The Cordelia left the Manukau on tho 7th, with Commodore Loring in command of the expedition, and on the Bth or 9th reached Taranaki. The Commodore forthwith landed and reported, himself to Colonel Gold ; told him without more ado that he had brought 300 brave fellows to his assistance, and wished to know when he intended to comence busitiosa. Colonel Gold replied that he had no intention of fighting until much larger reinforcements arrived, and that in j the meanwhile he should, only act on the defensive ; if the town were attacked ho would defend it and that was all ho should do. Thereupon Commodore Loring said that it was no use landing hia men, they would be of more service elsewhere, and wishing the Commander of the Forces good day, went on board the Cordelia and returned to Manakau on the 10th to the surprise and, (when they heard of Colonel Gold's conduct) to the disgust of every one, from the highest to the lowest. The inexplicable conduct of Colonel Gold in refusing to take advantage of this reinforcement, more effective than a much larger force of soldiers, — not because they possess greater bravery, but because of the slajidash daring stylo they are allowed to follow — and his expressed intention to do nothing for another month or six* weeks, so upsets all calculations and overturns all probabilities, that it is impossible to look forward to tho future without considerable apprehansion. The Government have sent off the steamer Victor in to Australia requesting further reinforcjmonte and it is generally believed that General Pratt or some other Commander will arrive speedily to supersede Col. Gold.

Capt. Brown. — .When we last heard of Captain Brown, (who was shot by three natives while searching for a horse) he was still in a dangerous state. lie had recovered a little, but the firing of the guns on the 27th June greatly excitsd him, and he was delirious for two or three days.

Lieut. Brooke axd the Killed. — It is painful to record that during the retreat on the 27th. , the dead and those who were disabled wore obliged to be left on the field. Two or three managed to reach the camp, .but the rest wore searched for during the next three days and tomahawked by the natives. Major Nelson wont out the day after the fight to bring them iv but had to retire from the fire of the enemy without accomplishing his object. Twenty of the rifles were recovered. The Numbers Engaged. — Tho number of natives engaged is variously stated. We believe it" wa9 not more than 700, and perhaps loss. The killed and wounded are generally supposed to bo about 100, though the natives say there wore only 5 killed and about 20 wounded. Tbe number of fie British force was 347 of all ranks. Some of the wounded have since died, making 32 killed and 29 wounded. The officers engaged were — Naval Brigadb. — -Ist Lieutenant Battiscombe, Midshipman* Wadlow, Midshipman Garnett, Lieutenant Morris, Royal Marino Artillery. Royal Engineers. — Lieutant Mould. Royal Artilmuwy. — Lieutenant MeNattghten. 40th Regimgmt. — Major Nelson, Lieutenant Brooke (killed), Lieutenants Dowman, Jackson, and Reea, Ensign and Adjutant Whelan. Destitute State op the Militia. — The Militia and Volunteers have lately been seryed with clothing ; each man received a blanket, blue shirt,