AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 140, 18 September 1863, Page 6 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND.

[The following appeared in an Extra issued on Tuesday last for town circulation.] CAPT. SWIFT AND TWO PRIVATES OF THE Cstii KILLED. FORTY TONS OF STORES TAKEN BY THE NATIVES. Times Office, Tuesday morning. The s.s. Corio, Capt. A. C. Turner, arrived last night about 8 o’clock from Auckland, en route for Otago. By her we have four day’s later news, bringing our dates up to the 11th iust. We extract the following from' the New Zealander's correspondence from the Waikato, dated 9th September. I returned to Queen’s Redoubt this afternoon, and find that several movements and engagements have been going on during my absence. On Monday morning at about half-past ten a.m., firing and smoke were seen and heard at Tuakau proceeding from the friendly native pa at Cameron, and at twelve noon four natives arrived, who shouted to the garrison that the Waikatos were at Cameron attacking the pa. This pa is used as a store for the provisions before being brought up the river in canoes. About 1 p.m. Captain Swift started, in command of 50 men, for the scene of action, and arrived, after crossing several swamps and rivers, in a piece of bush near the pa. Whilst proceeding through this, some natives

were heard conversing close by, so the men were planted in ambush, thinking that the enemy were meeting them on the track, but after waiting some time, as they did not approach, the order was given to fix bayonets and proceed along the track into the open, when suddenly a volley was fired into them, and Captain Swift fell, being hit below the heart; almost immediately afterwards Lieut. Butler, who was second in command, fell also, and was instantly surrounded by the enemy, two of whom he levelled with his revolver.

The command now devolved on Sergeant M’Kenna who led the men on to the charge, assisted by Sergeants Bracegirdle and Meant; the Maoris now showed themselves on a hill, but were repulsed three times. It being by this time dark, our men retired into the bush, two staying to guard the body of Captain Swift, whom they afterwards hid in the- bush. The casualties in this affair on our side were — KILLED. Captain Swift Private S. Grace Private 11. Bellringer WOUNDED. Lieutenant Butler, dangerously Private F. Powell, severely Private M‘Lean MISSING. Private J. Whittle Private J. Gearn Private M. Brian. On Monday night a party of 50 men of the 18th and 100 of the 65th, under the command of Colonel Murray, started from Queen’s Redoubt and proceeded down the river in the steamer and flat boats, and arrived at Tuakau early in the morning, from whence they proceeded overland. (Only a small party, under Captain Ord, went by water, with orders to co-operate with the force on land.)

When arrived at the before mentioned bush, they met the party from Tuakau, who gave them three cheers. From them Col. Murray learnt of the engagement, for when he started from Queen’s Redoubt, only the news of the native affair had been received. Being directed by this party (who were thoroughly worn out, and were therefore directed to return to Tuakau) where to find tiie body of Captain Swift, a search was instituted which was at last successful. The party then proceeded onwards, but on arriving at the pa found it quite deserted, a vast amount of provisions destroyed, and many whares burnt to the ground. Returning to Tuakau, fifty men, under the command of Captain Ord, were left there, the remainder (100) with the wounded and dead embarked on board the Avon, and, after a slow passage, in consequence of the high gale blowing straight a-head accompanied with torrents of rain, anchored opposite the Bluff at 1 a.ra., this morning, from whence they returned to Queen’s Redoubt overland at daylight. This morning a party of 150 men of the 40th Regt., under the command of Major Blythe, started from here for the scene of conflict, but have not yet returned. The men who were in the engagement state that they shot several Maories who were perched in the trees and heard them fall to the ground, and from their accounts it appears that the enemy did not get off without at least a dozen dead.