COLONEL WHITMORE'S DESPATCH.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXIV, Issue 2785, 16 January 1869, Page 2

COLONEL WHITMORE'S DESPATCH.

We have been courteously furnished with the following by the Government : —

To Colonel Haultain, Wellington. Napier, 12.4 p.m., Jan. 7. The fortress of Ngatapa fell yesterday morning into our hands at 3 a.m.

Th^ troops and natives were over night in full possession of the outer wall and work.?, which were taken by assault in the afternoon ; and during the dark the advance was pushed on by rifle-pit and sap, so that when daybreak came the storm could not be resisted. Under these circumstances, Te Kooti shot the most influential of his prisoners and escaped down the cliff, which could not be prevented, owing to the cliff being so very high and steep, and as my force was insufficient to entirely surround the hill. I had trusted to keep the lower side safe. The women were first lowered then followed Te Kooti himself wounded in the shoulder, and still lame of his wound at Ruaki Ture,

apparently Laving been one of the last. This', was effected from 1 to 3 a.m., during which timeMajorFraBer, who was thenearestof the Force, fired heavily, and vrith some effect on the place, from whence the sound came. The last had barely escaped when our people entered. And however formidable the work looked outside it was still stronger to look at from close by. The JSTgatiporous and Arawaa division, who have behaved splendidly throughout, started at once iv pursuit. Te Kooti's followers spread out into the bush in small parties ; the pursuit was carried out in the same way. Throughout the day and till after dark, these returned with prisoners and plunder. Thelasthad engaged the "Uriwera Contingent, and killed Kangiaho, a chief of note. Previously to that, Nikorn had been killed and his wife brought in. In all, more than 120 of tlie enemy have been killed. These numbers are accurate, the bodies having been exhumed from the enemies ditches, found lying in or about the pa, or stripped of their arms and loads by those who overtook and shot them. I think very few women, and those only by accident, have been killed, and no children. The Cohorns appear to hare frightened the garrison very much and killed some. The number inside must have exceeded our estimate, for the escort carrying Te Kooti must be some forty men, and only eighteen out of the thirty Uriwera's were killed. I am despatching fresh parties in pursuit, and hope still to catch Te Kooti. Every man of note in his band is killed except him self, and he cannot be far off. I blew down a large portion of one of the walls and fired a Royal salute last night in honor of the capture. G. S. Whitmore. By kind permission of his Excellency we publish the following : — His Excellency Sir G-. Bowen — Ngatapi was taken yesterday at daylight. The Hauhaus had evacuated, a few of the rearmost running out as E. Hanilin and the Ngatiporou entered. Our men pursued all day. About 120 are killed including Nikora. I have offered £500 for Te Kooti. The place is beyond all comparison the strongest that has ever been besieged in New Zealand. I think the fighting garrison must have been about 200, perhaps a Uriwera party had joined. We have 80 prisoners, about 14 men, 50 women, and the rest children. Many of I the women and children are mere skin and I bones. There was no food in the place, and little ammunition on the dead bodips. Our loss is 11 killed and 9 wounded. One dangerously. All have worked cordially. They were four nights in the trenches, one steady rain, without huts. Ngatiporou are off on a long chase to day, bent upon exterminating the livi Kohn v. I have thought it right and in accordance with the wish of the Government and country, not to withhold their hands. Our commissariat and trimsport has been effective, and I hope we shall be able to feed the pursuers. This achievement is due to the energy and resolve of Colonel Whitmore, the mere labor of toiling through bush up this mountain would have quelled most men, unless supported by an unflinching spirit in the leader. Next to Whitmore I put Eopata. I am sure the colony will appreciate the labor, the risk, the courage and success of our efficient little army. J. C. Eichmond. ! Head Quarters, Ngatapa, Dec. 30, 1868. Sir, — In continuation of previous despatches I have the honor to inform you that having satisfied myself by reconnoitring expeditions on both flanks, that the enemy was not attempting any movement in force on either flank, I moved forward on the 25th instant, from Port Eraser, at Patutahi, and passed on my material and stores from that post and Fort St John, as far as I had been able to make wheel traffic good to my front, a distance of perhaps eight miles. Here my advanced parties captured two of the enemies spies, one an old man, whose insolent bearing so provoked the Arawas that they shot them. What little the elder one (whom I had hoped to save) said was to the effect that Te Kooti was in my front a few miles, with his men, having received large reinforcements from the XJriweras. He said "go back, go back, the land is full of Hauhaus, did you not see the ' star.' " I have since had reason to believe that all he said was untrue. However, I built a small redoubt to protect a tent of stores, with a garrison of a dozen men, and on Christmas Day moved on, making the road good for pack transport, and took post beyond the high range which terminates the valley. Here, again, I erected a small defensible post which I christened Fort llobercs, and collected all the burdens I could in two trips get from the pack animals. From the highest ranges I could obtain no sign of the enemy, but I found the trail of his scouts leading away from me. I this day learned the arrival of the Ngatiporo. On the 26th, I marched leaving the detachment previously sent on by the Ngatiporo to guard my artillery and stores, and to await the arrival of the rest of their tribe under Hopata. I reached this evening the late camp of the Ngatikahungunu and slept. Tlie enemy's position was now in full view, but he made no movement to oppose my march. Nevertheless I took precautions to prevent his surprising me on the inarch or lying ambuscades, in which the young Arawa division proved extremely valuable. On the 27th," having drawn the rations brought up by the packhorses the preceding night I pushed forward to within a mile of Ngatapa and occupied the ridge opposite the enemy's fortifications. Here I bivouacked and strengthened my position, sending back parties to improve the track which was.trying to the pack animals. I now learned that the Ngatiporo were marching, but delayed by the illness of their fighting chief Eopata. Although tho difficulty of supply was increased by every day's delay, and my arrangements did not contemplate any very protracted operations, I placed myself in tho hands of the Hon. Mr Eichmond, who had kindly consented to remain to assist me, and trusting to him the difficulty of the campaign I resolved to await the Ngatiporo and to make a simultaneous movement when I marched to cut off the enemy's retreat at the same time as I closed him in in the front. The position of Ngatapa is by a great deal the most difficult and strongest I have ever seen in this country, and of those in my camp none, European or native, hasevprmel with a stronger. Rising abruptly and of a confused and "tormented" mass of forest clad hills, a single cone shaped mountain rises conspicuous from its height and isolation. It is covered with bush which has been to some extent cut down and burned. The apex of the hill, which is perhaps 2001) feeet high is girt by a triple lino of fortification, and of these the two inner ones rise to a height of 12 feet. Eifle pits guard the water, which is distant some few chains, and a scarped ridge, said to be impractial for the

descent of the garrison, terminates two if not i all three of the parapets. These latter are built as we build fortifications, with fern and sticks. I learn that behind the ridge the apex is descended by a ladder to a second knoll on which the women stand, and by this alone, I am informed, can the garrison escape to the rear. My place has, therefore, been to send a strong party to the rear to interceptescape, while, with the bulk of the force, I approach the main body of the place by flying sap, when necessary, or even by single sap, so as to render all attempt to burst out impossible. I have brought up the cohorns with the view of employing vertical fire, which I believe has never yet been used in Maori warfare, and with which they are possibly unacquainted. I now press forward small reconnoitring parties, but to all appear ance, the enemy's garrison consists of only 150 men, who are all employed iv adding to the defences. The 28tli pnssed without any tidings from Iherear, the pack horses bringing up report that the Ngatiporo would not march. las sembled the senior officers, and having ascertained their views, decided that, as the supply was difficult and expensive, and as we could not abandon the enterprise because we could no longer calculate on a complete success, we should ?end to the rear to ascertain for certain whether the Ngatiporo were coming, and if they were not lo attack the place in front only. The natural consequence of doing so would be, at be9t, but an imperfect success. But the spirits of the men were j flagging, and a movement was absolutely necessary; I employed most of the men in practising the single and flying sap. i Early on the 29th I heard that the Ngatiporo were really advancing, and were actually at Fort Roberts. I therefore com pleted a small redoubt for my stores, and j rode down to meet tho Ngatiporo, whom 1 met at the Ware Kopa stream. My rocep tion was most cordial. The tribe flocked round me, and appeared in the highest spirits. Ropata, however, was so ill as to be compelled to halt. He said he had feared I was impatient, and that Mr Richmond had given him permission to return, but he knew if he did so the tribe would be little use, ro that he had decided to come on as fast as he was able, however slow. He promised to come up next day. | Meanwhile under great difficulties the 1 pack transport was being pressed forward by Mr Richmond, and Captain Newland and Mr Smith, whom I had engaged for the ser vice. The deficiency of carrying animals was a considerable obstacle, but working with, a will it was going on favorably. The meat supply was also difficult, as animals could with difficulty be kept at night. To avoid this, I constructed sheep yards, and had small flocks of sheep driven up for slaughter. Mutton is inferior to beef for the field, but it possesses a great advantage in being a more manageable sort of stock. On the 30th, at 8 a.m., Ropata arrived, and soon after the Ngatiporo, who were very well received by the Aravras, of whom they speak in terms of admiration. I sent out this day another p irfcy to scout, and another road party to facilitnte the transport, and sent the pack train up to Fort Fraser to obtain further supplies and more ammunition. If Te Eooti does remain till morning, there is a very fair prospect of entirely cutting him off, and I trust some certainty that his strong hold will be taken, though the time occupied may be some days, possibly ten or twelve. The account of the scouting party is not as favorable as I could wish with regard to the road of the party sent round to intercept the enemy's rear; but distant views of country do not convey accurate ideas of loeajites always, and the guides seem certain they are right, so I shall make no change of plan. — # # # # I have, &c, G-. S. Whitmoee.