TARANAKI.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume III, Issue 168, 1 April 1864, Page 5 (Supplement)

TARANAKI.

SKIRMISH WITH THE NATIVES. The Taranaki Herald of March 12, gives the following details :

The alarm was given in town yesterday, by two settlers who had been out to Dingle’s to get in catlle, that the Maories were about, indeed, they had ridden within 200 yards of them, but happily the bullock they were after turned off, or they would have gone close by where the ambush was lying. They saw one or two natives; and as they turned to come away, looking back, they saw eight or ten more show their heads. One of the natives coo-ed, as if warning another party at Billings’ to cut off their retreat, but they saw no others and got safely back. When this was known in town, the two bush parties started (in parties as they could be got together) in pursuit, but the Maories had disappeared. Colonel Warre also immediately signalled to Omata to Captain McKeller to send out a party of thirty up to Burton’s Hill, and to Captain Garthew, at Poutoka, to send a party up the Hurfurd.road ; the Colonel himself then proceeded to Oakura, and directed Major Butler to advance towards Kaitake fur the purpose, we believe, of' shelling it. Captain Corbett with his company and some of the Victorians, left Pahitere and made his way inland to the left side of the Kaitake ridge. Major Butler’s force consisted of 84 of the 57th (Capt. Lloyd’s Company), with a few men of the Royal Artillery, under Lieutenant Larcom ; the guns being a 241 b. howitzer and a cohorn mortar. An advance was made to within about 500 yards of the lower pa (or rather palisading, for it does not seem to be exactly a pa), and fire w r as opened on it and on the rifle pits, some of the shots going wide and some where they were intended. The natives replied with an occasional fire from their different positions, but did not seem to be in any great numbers, and the force advanced to a slight rise in the ground about 200 yards in front of the palisading, and here the gun was got into position again. But this had hardly been done, when the Maories opened a heavy cross fire from three different directions—from the front, from the hill on the right, and from the rifle pits on the ridge to the left, on which the upper pa stands. Captain Mace, who has seen as much as most people of the war in Taranaki, says it was about the hottest fire that he has been under ; coming from three directions it was perplexing as well. It is thought there were 200 natives there, and this is probably not an over estimate ; they would never have ventured to come upon our country as they have lately, unless they had been largely reinforced. They were then nearly three times as numerous as the force opposed to them, and had moreover the advantage of a strong position, and Major Butler therefore no choice left but to retreat. This was manaued in excellent order, the men retiring skirmishing without any confusion, notwithstanding the heaviness of the fire and the loss they had sustained, which was severe considering the nature of the action. The greatest part of the casualties occurred in the neighborhood of the gun, at which the Maories seemed to direct most of their fire. Private Kennedy was killed some little in advance of it, whilst in the act of capping his piece. Lieutenant Larcom was wounded whilst Superintending the howitzer practice, and fired once or twice even after he was hit. The gun, which had been previously

short-handed, could now no longer be properly served, and was therefore limbered up. The natives seeing this, came down in force to the palisading, ran up their red flag which they had taken down on the near advance of the troops (fearing probably that it might be cut away or taken), and commenced a very heavy fire at short range; and it was due mainly to the fact that they are such wretched marksmen, that our loss was not much heavier than it was, but partly also to the steady front that was shown them. When our troops had got to a safe distance, the natives, we hear, came outside and danced the war dance. They also fired guns occassioeally till late in the afternoon, with what purppose is not apparent. What there loss has been is, of course, impossible to say. One man fell, ad rolled down outside the rifle pits, and he may therefore, be considered as at least disabled, and, as a great deal of the firing was good, there are, no doubt, others in the same condition. Our own loss was as follows: Royal Artilleey. Wonnded. Lieut. Larcom, R.A., severe—right shoulder 57th Regiment. Killed. Private Michael Kennedy, No. 1 Company. Wounded. “ Wm. Henry, severe—left eyebrow & forehead “ Martin Stagpool, severe—lett elbow James Adley, severe—left thigh John Chamberlain, slight—left thigh Charles Kean, slight—right side of abdomen J. E. YOUNG, M.D., Staff Surgeon. We should mention that Antonio, one of the mounted orderlies, received the thanks of Colonel Warre, for the gallantry he displayed in bringing away two of the wounded men on his horse. Major Butler’s coolness and courage are spoken of very highly, and we have no doubt there are many others deserving of honorable mention whose names we have not as yet heard. We have thought it our duty to coonfine ourselves to a simple statement of the facts as nearly as we could ascertain them.