THE NATIVE WAR. ENGAGEMENT B /rWEEN MAJOR YON TEMFSKY'S CORPS AND MAORIS. (from the wanganui chronicle.)

Evening Post, Issue 87, 20 May 1865, Page 2

THE NATIVE WAR. ENGAGEMENT B /rWEEN MAJOR YON TEMFSKY'S CORPS AND MAORIS. (from the wanganui chronicle.)

Major Yon Tempsky, with liis men, have been encamped for some days at Kakaramea. a few days ago some of his men fell in with a party of Maoris on the left bank of the river, and thinking their \m was on that side Major Yon Tempsky went over and reconnoitred, when he found from the fires he saw that they were lying on a small flat in the bush on the right sid? of the Patea, surrounded by high wooded hills. lie explored a patli for some distance to this pa, and on Saturday morning last, the 12th instant, at one o'clock he set off with 48 Forest Rangers and 16 Waikato Militia, Captain George, Lieutenant Westrupp, and Ensigns Whitfield and Erwin, for this Maori settlement. He left Lieutenant Malone, with 20 additional men, to guard a pass over a \iff about 150 feet high, which the men had to descend by means of supplejacks and flax ladders. When the party had advanced a^out two-thirds of the way they lost the track and tritd two different paths ineffectually. At last after long de lay, they struck a track which led them to their destination. This delay', however, seriously interfered with Major Yon Tempsky's plan, which was to attack the settlement by night; and, in consequence of it, they did not arrive at the end of their journey till half-past six io thj morning. After atrikinj this track they found several ltt£ whares, which had been recently occupied, as the fires in them were still warm, but they were deserted by their recent occupants. Presently they saw large volumes of smoke rising from a neigh homing hill. They crossed a gully, and after ascending a hill covered with dense bush came to a gate, looking through which they saw a native encampment in the m ddle of a clearing in the bush. There were about eighty natives. The small force exte ided au.n^ the edge of the clearing, but lou id that it was barricaded, and in breaking through this fence they made such a noise

that the attention of the Maoris was directed to them, and the distance between them and the whares gave the Maoris time to pour in upon them a heavy volley, w' ich, however, did no injury. The Bushrangers and Militia advanced and drove the natives from the whins into the bush on the opposite side At this moment Ensign Whi. field was hit on the right arm by a bolt which went through it, and received a bullet in las side which pem-troted to h.s liver. Private M'Bean, No. 1 CMiipany Forest Hangers, was shot in the head, and Capt. George had the tip of his right thumb blown off. From six to eight of the natives were here killed. The rangers and militia extended within twenty yards of the edge of the bush, from under cover of wh.ch the na ives kept up a coiitinuous fire returned by our men at this short range, the Maoris having greatly tne advantage in their superior cover. Two atiempts to outflank them failed in consequence of deep gorges through which it would have be.n iiecr-.ssary to lorce a way in order to get round them. The naiives were evidently in one of their natural fjrtresses only acce>sible ly tlie track along which the rangers had advanced. While fighting tlity sang " pai niarire " hymns and danced tiie war dance. They were harangued by chiefs and encouragid to advance on our force, which they attempted, once or twice, but when they had advanced a litt c distance retreated before the fire, in the meantime they were continually calling to various quarters, and their cat Is t eing answered, it was reared that t'e nlorcetnents would arrive and that the small lorce might be taken at a disadvantage, and Major yon Tenijisky decided to draw off his men. Tne wounded were carried back to the gate, ami then the force' retired to ttie same place. This inauosutre was s<> well executed that they h.id readied the top of a neighbo'UMng hill before the Maoris knew they hid retired. They had been in the clearing iroin halfpast mx to past nine. From consideration for the wounded they struck into a new route, apparently a much easier one than that by which they had advanced; but after procteding about a mile they lound that ii ended in a precipice. A; eleven o'clock they returned to the old ro.ui, but found that a party of Maoris (pro a ly a part of the reinforcements so urgently demanded) ha I taken possession of the large whares on the top of the lull. Three Maori scouts peeping round the corners of these lints were here shot by tlie aUanced guard. It was nqu stion whether to loice a passage through the old way ; but the consideration that doing so might add to his wmiuded without giving him any connterbalancinu advantage induce I M ijor Yon Temi'Sky to send forward an cxplor ing party to a-utrtain whether uno'liei route could not be lound. w ile lie hold the Maoris in check. On its beuig reported that the passage ol the gaily was practicable by another ro id, a |>iotK'<.r pirty was sent forward, nnd h cc dvea l ( ul forest gorges were traversed, ilie Maoris not attempting to follow. Here Private M'Bean died. II was bu ied there temporarily, but next ilay his reniiins were brought into the camp and interred there. The party arrived at Kakarainea at four p.m , having ben out fit teen hours and gone through their hard work vithout food or diink ; and yet not a murmur hid escaped the lips of any of the men. tlie wood behaviour of tlie whole of whom cannot be too highly spoken of. Tne gallantry qf Ctpt. Ge»gc, Lent. \Wstrupp, ami . nsigns Wiiit field and J3nv.ii is also hijhly spoken of by their jiave and distinguished commander. We believe it is the first time lie has had tins c -rus under his command, although -ome of bis old men are among them, and he feels highly satisfied with their behaviour. Although his plan of making an attack by nuht could not be carried out, he did not like to go back on this his first expedition here without engaging the enemy, ami therefore proceeded although aware of the risk he might run. We regret to add that Ensign Whitfield, who was brought down to Uanip Patea, died on Saturday evening, at hnll-p ist eleven. We understand that when the fir'ng was h a.d a: the camp at Kakaramea, Lieut. Dovcton, of the 50th, went out with 20 men, but did not proceed further than tlie cliff, expressing his ;ts'oni»hinent at Major Yon Tempsky's men being able to pass such a place during the night, which appeared quite imuass ible during the day. We understand that Ensign Whitfield will be buried here to-morrow at three o'clock, his remai s having been brought down yesterday in t c Gundagai.