The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1868. THE FATAL ENGAGEMENT AT THE FRONT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 215, 10 September 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1868. THE FATAL ENGAGEMENT AT THE FRONT.

The Sturt, which conveyed the intelligence of the disaster at Te Ngutu-o-Manu, having arrived at Wellington from Wanganui, almost immediately before the departure of the Phoebe, we cannot offer our readers any further details of the affair, beyond those furnished from an extra, published by the Wauganui Times, in the following words : — ' Yesterday (Monday), our force left Waihi at 4 a.m., and at 2 p.m. encountered the enemy again at Te Ngatu-o-Manu, but this time they were thoroughly prepared to give us a warm reception. Not only were the riflepits manned, but also the tops of the trees, and deadly vollies poured in upon our men, who bravely pushed forward, cheered on by their officers, and returned the fire with murderous effect. Twenty-seven Maoris bit the ground, how many of them wounded cannot be discovered. Retired in good order, and are preparing for another attack. Mo*t of our officers and men were killed by Hauhaus perched in the tops of trees. Particulars to-morrow.' The names of the five officers killed in the affair are then given, from which it appears that it was not Major Hunter,, but Lieut. Hunter, his younger brother, who had only lately been married, who has fallen. The names of the 14 men killed are not recorded in the brief intelligence furnished by the Wanganui Times. We understand that the sad intelligence has created the greatest excitement and grief in Wellington, and immediately on its arrival all the vessels in the harbor lowered their flags half-mast high.