Latest Intelligence from the Seat of War.

North Otago Times, Volume I, Issue 4, 21 April 1864, Page 6

Latest Intelligence from the Seat of War.

Deafeat of the Troops at

Taranakai,

and decapitation of the Dead.

160 Rebles Killed,

and a large number wounded

and taken Prisoners.

The correspondent of the New

Zealand Advertiser at Auckland

writes as follows:-

Auckland 2nd April,lB64 .

Asuasual after the mail leaves

for Wellington, we generally get

Startling news from the Front.

Last night news arrived here of

an attack made by Brigadier-

general carey at Orakau Pa

on Thursday morning last at

day break.As it was found

strongly defended he commnenced

sapping to blow it up.The loss

occassioned by the attack has been

severe ,four then having been

killed and 14 wounded ; besi-

-des the latter is Captian King,

dangerous own by and captain

fisher of the 40th Regt.Highly.

some of the 65th have been killed

but all the particular are not

yet known;profably the Wai-

-kato Volunteers have been also

engaged as No 10 company of

the 3rd waikato Reqt. and No

1 company 65th reqt.were garri-

-soning a Redoubt at Rangia-

-whia.The rebel post attacked

was situate about four miles

from Kihikihi and seven from

Jelwa-malu .General Cameron

has sent a rain for events to

Orakau of 500 men.

The great Ngamaniopolos have

been assisting their allies the

waikatos m the way of lying

ambuscades for our orderlies

and troops m the route from Puke-

-rimu to Je Hwamatu.Lately

Major mr.Neill very narrowly

Escaped with his life and had

to send for a dehachment of the

65th to Enable him to return to

his camp at head quarters.

A position is new therefore to be

taken by a dehachment of our troops

to protect this line and keep the

communication open between

Rangiawhi and Maungatau-

-itri or from the river Hortui to

the river Waipa.

4th April

Telegrams arrived yesterday from

the front relative to the assault on

Orakaupa, where some of the hard

-est fighting has taken place .

The 18th Regt.rushed the works

twice and were repulsed with great

Loss for their rashness: during the

might the natives danced the war

dance inside the Pa, Sapping

was going on,and on the 2nd April

the rebels made an attempt to

Escape from their works, but were

driven back into it again ,as we

had them surrounceded. On the

General arriving on the 2nd of

April,at Orakau,word was

sent ot them that if they would

surrender their lives would be

spared:they refused.Our

Casualties are reported to be 38

wounded and 4 killed ;Captain

Ring is dead ,captain Herforth

of a Waikato Regt. Is dangerously

wounded: :Lieut carey Red.also

wounded m a addition to captain

Fisher.Another telegrams arrived

to say the rebels escaped out of

their entrenchments at about 4

O’clock p.m. on the 3 rd instant.

and fled m a south-westerly

direction some of them were killed

on their retreat.ln all it is said

the rebel loss is 50.The rebels at

the Front have taken a mail

from us-horse , native ,mail

bag and all.

sth April 1864

From Januray a we had news

yesterday that 400 of the Na-

-tives assembled last Saturday

and fired several volleys at our

troops without any serious result

a 12 pounder was fired amongst

them which made them quickly

“obsquatulate”. The natives have

thrown up their several rifle pits

and earthworks.

At the Front it is said since the

engagement at Range a whia

no less than 103 dead Maories

have been found .It is also

said the natives acknowledge

a loss of 400 men,not killed

but missing. Since the Troops

advanced from Te Awamutu

and Kihikihi a number of dead

bodies of the rebels have been

found concealed m the form One

man of the Waikato Regt.has

been killed but as yet we have

not received a list of killed

and wounded,which friends

and relatives are anxiuosly

looking for.

At Maungatautari, or rather

the head quarters at Pukerimu

the troops are also busely engag-

-ed securing maize, and other

green crops for winter food for

the horses and cattle,plough-

-ing the land and building

Whares for the winter,so there

are no idlers m the camp.

It was rumoured yesterday

that Mr. Thompso n sent m a

lette r to his excellency stating

he would surrender and lay down

his arms on condition that he

would not be made a prisoner

of.Unconditional surrender is

I belive the only terms that

will be accepted, except they

make the maore Prime Minister’s

a special case.

6th April

From the Front now we hear

that the slaughter last Sunday

At Orakau Pa was fearful ; at 11o’clock the Pa was Blown up

but the maories did not them abon-

-don their position and they made

a charge on the opposite side

against the 65th and other troops

It is said to have been a fearful

hand to hand conflicts where

numbers fell on both sides.lt is

said our loss is from 56 to 60

killed and wounded and that

160 of the maories must be killed.

The natives are said to be Nga-

timania potos ,500 strong and

where they made the rush out of

the pa the 40th Regt.had sentrees

8 yards apart , through whom they

cut their way. The great Rewe

is said to be wounded and

lying hid m a swamp, and a

reward has been offered for his

body dead or alive.The list of

casualties are very heavy,

including all the Waikato Regi-

as well as the Waikato Regi-

ment, my aged m this fearful

conflict.