DISTURBANCES AT PATEA.

37

A.—No. S.

desirous of bringing to your favourable notice the names of the men marginally noted,* and would strongly recommend that they receive the Victoria Cross for their indomitable pluck in holding the outer angle of the redoubt, although taken at a disadvantage, and against such fearful odds. I have, &c, The Hon. the Defence Minister, Tnos. McDonnell, Lieut.-Colonel, Wellington. Commanding Patea Field Force.

Enclosure in No. 64. Copy of a Letter from Inspector Yon Tempsky to Colonel McDonnell. Sic,— Waihi, 12th July, 1868 : 11 a.m. I have the honor to report, for your information, that this morning, au hour before daylight, the sergeant of the guard reported heavy firing in the direction of Turu Turu Mokai. I turned out No. 5 Division ready to march, and I listened but could hear no sound, as the wind blew against Turu Turu. The rest of the garrison I ordered to stand to their arms. Seeing, shortly after, some flashes of shots, I proceeded at once with No. 5 Division on a track between Turu Turu Mokai and the bush, to endeavour to cut off the enemy. We met, two miles from camp, two men in their shirts, who stated that the redoubt was carried by surprise and most of the garrison killed. I proceeded with all speed and caution onward, and when within a mile of the redoubt saw the Natives coming out from a hollowin the rear of the redoubt. We doubled at full speed, and got within 800 yards of the Natives. I gave orders to fire, and gave chase. There were about 100 or 150 Natives —I numbered 50 men. The Natives, however, having a good start of us, gained the bush shortly, and I considered that under these circumstances a stern chase was a useless and dangerous operation, and therefore proceeded back to Turu Turu Mokai. The question now arose whether Natives were holding the redoubt or not; however I soon found that this was not the case. I found about seven effective men in tho redoubt; eight men killed, including Captain Boss (bis heart cut out and lying beside him) ; six men wounded, two of them dangerously; three men missing, who however turned up at Waihi. There is no doubt that my moving between the bush and the redoubt saved the rest of the garrison and tho redoubt. From the confused statements of the survivors I made out the following report of the disaster : — Some time before daylight the sentry saw the Maoris close to the redoubt and fired upon them; the latter, howrever, seem to have got into the ditch of the redoubt at once. Captain Boss, who slept outside the redoubt, managed to get into the redoubt, and defended the entrance most heroically. He was shot, however, and some of the Maoris must have got into the redoubt, as Captain Boss was found with his heart cut out, the heart lying however close beside him. Three of tho survivors held one angle of the redoubt to tho last, and must have even prevented the Maoris from getting far into the redoubt, as none of the arms lying about that angle were touched by the Maoris. Three of the garrison in the onposite angle were found dead with their arms in their hands ; the remainder of the killed of the garrison were found outside near the ditch. Three dead Maoris were left behind by the enemy, and there was a good deal of blood on their line of retreat. I ordered Lieutenant Boberts, with eighteen men of No. 5 Division, to take command of the post, leaving also Sergeant Macfarlane and some fifteen men of No. 3 Division at the post. I then returned with the rest of my division to Waihi to send carts for the wounded fit for transport, also provisions and blankets for tho garrison. I forward a list of the killed and wounded. In conclusion I have to state that two of the Maoris killed belong to Araukuku, and were, in the capacity of friendly Natives, at the redoubt only yesterday; the third Maori is a Waikato chief, f I have, Ac, Colonel McDonnell, G. F. Yon Tempsky, Commanding Patea District. Inspector, A.C, No. 5 Division.

KILLED. WOUNDED. Sub-Inspector Boss, Constable A. Beamish, Sergeant McFadden, Constable T. Beamish, Lance-Corporal Blake, Constable Connors, Constable Boss, Constable Kershaw, Constable Shields, Constable Tuffin, Constable Holden, Constable Flanagan. Constable Gaynor, Mr. Lcnnon, Canteen-keeper, killed in his whare outside.

Supplementaet to Bepoet No. I. (No. 2.) Sic,— Waihi, 13th July, 1868. I feel it my duty to recommend for your special consideration the conduct of the three men who held the last angle of the redoubt: their names are Milmore, Johnson, and McLean. The first two are Volunteer Militiamen, and their bayonets were of great use to keep the parapet clear without expending ammunition; McLean is a constable of No. 2 Division, and his revolver proved of great value on the occasion. The circular form of the flank which these men defended permitted even of a defence towards the entrance of the redoubt, where tho Natives, under cover of the smoke of Captain Boss's burning whare, managed to kill him at last, and effect a hasty entrance. About that time it * Volunteer Militia: Lawrence Milmore, Coslctt Johnson. So. 2 Division, A.C.: Henry McLean, Michael Gill, Wm. O'Brien, Stewart or Connor, late 57th Eegt. t I have been told by Tukino that this was a mistake.—T. McDomell, Lieut.-Colonel. 10