LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

Marlborough Express, Volume III, Issue 144, 14 November 1868, Page 4

LATEST FROM THE FRONT.

Disastrous defeat of our Forces at Otutuku. 1 Officer, 1 Sergeant, & 5 Privates Killed. 21 Wounded and 12 Missing. On Sunday morning, the 1 st instant,. Colonel Gorton sent out 35 of the Wanganui Cavalry, and 43 of the Ist Class Militia—the former to reconnoitre and occupy £fukumuni, the latter to strengthen Wereroa. He left the same evening, sleeping at Kai Tui, and arrived at Wereroa the next day. The rebel natives were supposed to be about the district, their fit es having been seen in various directions. . On Monday afternoon the smoke of some tires was distinctly seen not very far from the beach on tin* Patea side of the Waitotara, The Kupapes said this was the enemy, but it turned out to be Whitmore on his route to Patea fiom Wereroa, where he anived oh Tuesday, having proceeded via -Wai'roa, where lie slept ~on: Monday night, returning there the next day. c 300 of the Kupupas came as far as Ipnka, and proceeded to Wairoa--on the 4tli inst. The European force, under-Colonel-Whitmore, numbered unly, 7U effective men,' hut since his return to Wairoa 32 men have joined him from Wereroa. With the 102 Europeans andl the natives ho may possibly have attacked Okoutiko /upon the sth, where Titq Kpwuru t'Y-ua Bupposed(to be*- ’ : 3 1 u j Tlje rqprnitß from Auckland were-hourly expected,-but up, to theutime of- the couch leaving the Wanganui hud not arrived. - Major Frazer is left in command at Patea with at least 100 effective Europeans and a'tev? natiyefi,i - ; „... .w.,.... '*.< ...vu ai. Hunia is said to be anxious to leave with several of his tribe, in order to attend the Uaiive Lund Court at Hangitikei. i V."'~ — i/Vr-pI ClUXi*OCi. The s.s,' Wunganuip-Captain Linklater, from Wungan»iip-arrive(l im Wtdiingion on : Monday mpi ning, .bringing disastrous news r from tht fi FiontJ rkridlii-iwiiig is tbie I Van~ bn fSatutday evening lust, at 10 p.tu.-i —- * i Captain -.X o?ak» i: has nTd&nndfrbm. Wairoa ‘pipynjng fij-f jColomd'Whitmbw, with a force about SOIL iiiiiopcuas lhcj,piujt»ii»y)Of thitiuuvvaHoD when requited.■— -* Vp !**£*« r i .The ( eaemy was >in: very, strong foroe,* ahd strongly -ppstsdrj iAaiadj^iralde-'foovtmfeab 'wtw‘Rjade.VycCofoiid;WhitjiiU < d. Whilotbtf

advance forces' were iMlclahg the enemy, hir resßrye' threw up' an earthwork for. |he advkh6y to' hehihit, in case, it should be required;to: do? sb if eve&ViiaJlly proved of essential service. - _ r r , ' r 4 Aftbr ja ifiSrce contest’,- finding l ; tfiat |ia casualties. Were* very- heavy, arid : rio prospect pfigqiqingtany advantage by continuingthh a|taok,' (yoloueli Whitmore'- retired-’ cdrryihg away allothe wounded‘that cbtild be seeni The Europeans,: including the reinforcement landed in Wanganui on .Thursday last;:'behaved’noblyi and' about’ 5U or 60 of hiS' iiie'n' fdught Well/iihd elicited well-merited' praise from their European cbrfifaU&f : - - ' ' s ‘'

Major Hunffeibiwas'i rifertfilly wounded, and died, whilst being carried off i the field on a stretcher. Nearly all our casualties occurred iwhilfife; attacking the- pa. After a hard cbatCate:thertf out- riien were on the point of taking it; and made certain-of doing fib, when the enemy received a strong reinforcement, ‘ affd”6W“,tnep ’ were com polled -to «itirfe.- ' TbbTbtreat Waft’covered by a"’strong party, who did’gbbd execution upon such of,the enemy.as joined in the pursuit. The our - men to, within la short dirtancepf the Wereroa redoubt; .when two. rounds from the Armstrong guns compelled them to retire. i.x - J

The wounded, men were forwarded to Patea, and ,would arrive there to-night. The: jj.S.’Stutt leaves here about 12. o’clock to* night to bring such of the wounded mens to «uihganUi as are lit to be removed. ij Jl The reinforcement under Capt. Roberts (No.°6 CWiptihy) was tired upon about two : mites'tVOar AVauda*redoubt .whilst on their froh/ 1 Wahguriui ‘td' J j 6i n the Force. They attackecTaiid drove off their asittilahts,' kil irig'oiie Hauliiiu without anycarnality f 6h theif 'side., ".V ’ - Golonei Whitmor6 was preparing to renew tho'battlb next mpfnihg; ' ' ;j . 4 ,, / The follbvVlng is'a list of easualilies. It isdi'heavy oiie,' and Will bring sorrow to many a home:— /, z , , KILTED, WOUNDED, AND-MISSING-Major Hunter, shot' through femoral artery; Constable Charles Lees, Constable G. Sutler,.and three other names not correctly known. WouNDKD.—Sergeant Eirwan, wounded, missing 4_di. J„ .(Jule, wounded-;- Constables Dolan, Monk, Eastwood, Thompson, Welsley, Williams, Cpoksley, Kelly, Foot, McDowell, Vance, Keane,-all Wounded; and Kepa, Lyndon, anu<s|Wauganui natives.

Missing.—-Constables A, Kennedy, 11. Thompson, T. Poole, Norman, Savage, Nogas, J Devon (Pttk u^TVO.),‘Nicholls, Path,. Urcjuhart, Drown (Patea Rides), left ; Kciinuiiy. - ' -