The Easter Encampment.

Manawatu Herald, 14 April 1903, Page 2

The Easter Encampment.

Tho racecourse presented a vtery animated scene on (Sunday afternoon. The Wanganui battalion have nearly eighty tents pitched on the south-west corner of the course, near the railway windmill. Advantage of a waste space belonging to the railway by the mill was utilised for a cooking ground, on which were placed three tents for those necessary members of all camps, the cooks. The canteen was also close handy. Up the course, near the seven furlong post, the mounted men had their tents, the horses having the advantage of shelter under the trees. The Wellington battalion had their tents erected on tho inside of the c urse close to the Wanganui camp, but separated from it by course and track. There were on Saturday night some 800 to 1000 men in camp. SUNDAY. In the morning at 9 o’clock divine service was held in the Wanganui camp by the Rev H. F. Wilson, the Garrison Band playing the hymns. In the afternoon a very large number of settlers paid the camp a visit, and both Garrison Bauds enlivened the pcoeordings by playing, in turns, in their own camps. The playing of the Wanganui Band of the two test pieces elicited great approval. The mounted men, under Captain Pringle, went through some fancy riding. THE FIGHT. The N.Z. Times correspondent thus describes the fight, from the 'defenders view of the contest;— At 9.30 a m, on Saturday a march was made in the direction of Foxtoa, it being understood that the Northerners would oppose the Wellington men after two or three miles had been traversed. The weather was again calm and bright. The enemy was in strong force on the southern side of the river, where the main range juts up from the river bank. Along the base are sandhills about 70ft high, with excellent cover of green bushes dispersed around. Here the College Rifles captured two unwary scouts. Previously the two scouts of the Cycle Corps fell in with a patrol, party of the Wanganui half-battalion marching with rifles slung, but the cyclists lost a chance to take the northerners prisoners Boon afterwards two companies of mounted infantry crossed the bridge, and made a wide detour to the right, with the object of passing round the big sand dunes and harrying the Wellington men in the rear, but Colonel Collins circumvented this attempt by extending the City Rifles and the Guards to meet them. The result was that the mounted men had to retire into a swamp, whence they were unable to escape until they were adjudged prisoners. The crown of the hill was held by the Wellington Battalion. This spot dominated the whole position, The Post and Telegraph Rifles and the Highland Rifles afforded timely support. There was an anxious time towards the end of the engagement, for the company'on the part of the hill which was the key of the posi-

tion had run short of ammunition. The ammunition van was some distance away, but the signallers saved the situation by flag-signalling for it In response to their urgent telegraphy the van was brought up at a gallop and the danger averted. Apart from the companies of mounted infantry that had-got into the morass, the men of the north conducted their manoeuvring very well. It was, however, the opinion of the umpire-in-chief that the Wanganui commander might have made' hia stand to better advantage oii the Foxton aide of the river, where sangars could have been thrown up, and in case of actual warfare a most stubborn defence ofiered to the passage of the bridge. As events turned out, the Wanganui ra«n were obliged to retire across the bridge which -would have been absolutely Impassable in actual warfare. Two Wellington privates were captured by the enemy, and a captain on each side was ordered out of action by the umpire-in-chief. . After the Wellington * nien had passed over the bridge, the colonel commandeered a steam launch, and sent twenty-five men of the Kelburne Rifles (under Lieutenant Cowles And JoneS), plus five from the College Rifles, down the river to make an attack on the camp of the invading force at Poston. This marauding band got away at about 1 p.m., Just after the Wellington Battalion had moved on for the game objective, With a, view of harrying the retiring enemy. ft THE AFTERNOON ENGAGEMENT. After a mile had been traversed there was more firing, and soon the City Rifles were seen to be in contact with the enemy. The latter had lined oht in the shape of a letter L at the point where the main road changes its direction sharp from north to west; The contact was at the extreme end of the letter L, the Companies representing the upright portion of the letter be'ing evidently held for flanking. To meet this the officer commanding threw out the Civil Service Rifles and the College Rifles to make a detour. , The result of this was a brisk fusillade) which continued for a long period) but eventually the “ bnllrushers ” drove their opponents back. At the same time the right half battalion worked up along the lower arm of the L, and the Northerners again retreated back. A few mounted men under a sergeant and some infantry from Wanganui under a lieutenant were captured in this incident. This dozen spent the remainder of the afternoon explaining that the capture was unfair. Meanwhile the ambulance waggon of the Wellington Rifle Battalion had been Seized. This had been lent to a mounted corps from the Wanganui district, so that a man who had fallen from his horse and been very severely shaken might be taken to the hospital. The Wellington Battalion not having two sets of waggons had been using the ambulance waggon for an ammunition one also, but this was held by (hem to be quite permissible under the circumstances, especially as no red cross was on the vehicle. The Northerners, however, seized the vehicle on it? way back from the hospital, and the result was that the battalion’s reserve of ammunition was lost. This, however, did not interfere with the aftc-ruom’s operations. The Northerners had now spread into a long thin line, and they fell hack, stubbornly contesting the way. The inhabitants of Foxton came out to meet the troops as they passed. Apples and smile were the portion of many a combatant; wherefore it follows that the troops were passing through a friendly country. ■ The'final stand was made about/ 2 pan. on a series of small hills. I-rom these the Northerners could not be shifted. At 2,35 the sound of “ cease firing” was heard, and at the same time an excited townsman rode hot from Foxton with the news that the camp had been seized by a gang of marauders who had arrived by boat and were threatening (he town. The men of the West Coast Battalion, however, had been posted with such good effect that the umpires conceived the position to be impregnable. On these grounds, therefore, the West Coast party were given the benefit of this second engagement. Yesterday morning the W an fl anu i battalion did scouting work, and (he Wellington men bad a sham fight amongst their own companies. In the afternoon the Wanganui men had a review at which there were present a large number of spectators. In the evening the Wellington men lett by special train at 9 o’clock, and the Wanganui men followed at 10 o’clock.

The camp is over, ancHit is a matter of very much pleasure to compliment the volunteers on their splendid behaviour both in camp and out._ The men behaved very well, there being no drunkenness and they caused no annoyance. The police report that they were an exceedingly orderly crowd. Their conduct- causes one and all Jedr m- of seeing them seb-ci F x; . again as a camp.