THE WEREROA PAH.
[From the New Zealand Spectator, July 29 ] Among the papers laid before the General Assembly are those relative to the capture of the Wereroa pah, which as our readers are aware, was taken by the Colonial forces and loyal natives under the direction of his Excellency Sir George Grey, on the night of the 21st instant, just a week ago. It will be useful to call attention to some of the circumstances connected with the capture of this pa and with what has been called the Wanganui campaign. At the close of the last session of the General Assembly it was proposed as part of the Ministerial policy to open the communication between Wanganui and Taranaki by means of road making. The two strong holds of the rebels were Pipiriki and Wereroa; it was generally believed if these were taken rebellion would be crushed on the West Coast; it was also believed that this might have been done with comparative ease by General Cameron with the large force at his disposal, and that the “ campaign'” might have been brought to atriumphaut close in the course of a few weeks. It is needless to recount all the circumstances connected with General Cameron’s operations during the last few months. It is sufficient to remind our readers of his application for 2000 additional troops for the Wanganui campaign, which in his opinion would last some, years, his statement that he would require a force of 6000 men to attack the pa, and his refusal to undertake this duty on the plea that... the attempt would be attended with so great a loss of life as would be equivalent to a defeat. What General Cameron has publicly admitted in official documents he could not . do with a force of 6000 British troops, who Englishmen with pardonable national pride are accustomed justly to regard as the finest troops in the world when under an efficient commander, —what General Cameron could not do with such a force and the additional : aid of Armstrong guns and all the appliances of warfare that the wealth and civilization of England aould supply against a few half :
joftked -savages, has been done by Sir George Ofey with a force of 473 mea, —three hundred natives and 173 settlers, —while her Majesty’s forces gave their moral support by footing on, this being the utmost that General Cameron’s instmctiuns allowed them to do. For it must be borne in mind that before making the attack the Governor addressed an urgent representation to General Waduy, the officer commanding, asking him to attack the pa. His Excellency says -
If steps aie not at once taken for the capture of the pa, 1 am sure tUS result will be renewed rebellion on the part of the fanatics iu many parts of Hew Zealand. In fact they have -already risen to assist the fonaifos hr broken out into revolt in several places* Under these circumstances, before determining What steps should be taken for the immdiate capture of the pa I wish to know whet her the instructions under which you are acting from Lieut.General Sir IX A. Cameron, K.C.8., will permit of your proceeding to invest that place, audio carry out regular operations for. its immediate reduction, without the delay of a reference to him at Auckland, or whether such reference must first be made.
To this earnest appeal a direct refusal was given. We print below General Waddy’s reply, from which it wiil be seen be was unable fo do anything without orders. The crisis was immediate and argent, Besides the loss of life that might have occurred in the attack on the Wereroa, the fate of 250 men at Pipiriki (settlers and loyal natives), were probably depending on the issue, as they were threatened by a large body of hau hau fanatics, and were in immediate want pf supplies and ammunition. Happily the movement undertaken by Sir G. Grey has been attended with the most complete success, The Wereroa Pa which General Cameron passed hastily by at night in his march along the coast, which be has admitted he could not take with an army of 6000 British troops without the certainty of a Joss equivalent to a defeat, has been taken by the Governor with a force of 473 men, natives and settlers, a contingent which General Cameron has been accustomed to esteem somewhat lightly, while Captain Brassy, the gallant commander at Pipiriki, has defeated his assailants without loss. It must also be borne in mind that the pa was taken without the Joss of a single man on outside, and that we captured fifty prisoners. City stand of arms, and two kegs of powder, some of the prisoners being ini plicated in Mr \ olktier’s murder. General Cameron is about to leave New Zealand, and wil! be the bearer of the news of the succesful termination of the Wanganui campaign, not by himself with the army under his command, but by the colonial forces under the direction of the Governor, The history of the Wanganui campaign under General Cameron may be told in a few words, ft is somewhat like the campaign under the Kiug of France, who. We are told. With twenty tliousantj mea Marched up the hill, and then—marched down again, AH that has been done of importance has been done by General Mete Hingi or by Sir George Grey, aud the settlers are becoming every day more convinced of the soundness of Mr Weld’s policy, which teaches selfreliance, and they look forward with confidence, and not with apprehension, to the departure of the troops from the colony. BBIQAbIES-GENERAI, WaDDT TO HIS EXCELLENCY THE GtoVEhJSOSt Camp Hukumaru, July 19, 1865. Sir, —t have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency’s letter of this date requiring to know whether the intructioua under which I ant acting from Lii-ut.-Gen. Sir D. A. Cameron will permit of ray proceeding to invest the Wereroa pa, and to carry out regular operations for its immediate reduction without reference to him, and in reply I have the honor to inform your Excellency that I pannot undertake this operation against the pa unless I receive the orders of the Lieut -General commanding the forces to do so ; J wifi of course forward your Excellency’s communicatioii without delay to Sir D. A. Cameron, and 1 will hold the troops in this district ready to move at the shortest notice should the Lieut.Geiseral commanding the forces direct an immediate attack on the pa. 1 have, Ac, R Waxkdt, Brigadier-General commanding Field Force. Bis Excellency Sir G- Grey, K. 0. B.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HBT18650810.2.2.3
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 296, 10 August 1865, Page 1
Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,105THE WEREROA PAH. Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 6, Issue 296, 10 August 1865, Page 1
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.