THE EASTER ENCAMPMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1016, 2 April 1883, Page 3

THE EASTER ENCAMPMENT.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —“Our War Correspondent at Wanganui” seems to have given as fair an p, account- of the sham-fight as* an i actual combatant could be expected to under the circumstances. We are alb liable to mistakes, the Captain of the Wairoas included. Captain Walkinton: was answerable for all. the Wairoa: Cavalry did at the sham-fight. The cavalry were the first to feel and engage the defending party, and just at the lime “ Our Correspondent ” speaks of, tlie ; Wairoas had succeeded in driving, back one troop of the ’Alexandra Cavalry, and in entirely..cutting one troop under Captain Somraerville off from the main body ■, but not wishing to put them ' out of the fight, they were allowed to regain their friends.; As soon as the Alexandras passed, through on to the racecourse, by the ; only gap available - to cavalry, the! Wairoas dismounted 25 men, and they,; with 60 Navals on their right, were; firing away from most undeniable cover' at these very 100 infantry men, placed; \yithput-the . least. shelter,; J.so*-yards; in' ■■front'" of them'.' Ceriantly/" if; men are to be shot in action,’ those who are shot first should’ be the first to die. The infantry,; for some reason of other, are able to totally disregard a fire, which similar; fire, on the other hand, is supposed to entirely annihilate another body of. troops* Twhence' this thusness.” ; 1 certainly reasoned that "the fire poured on the 100 men at 150 yards distance was sufficient to have disorganised twice; that number of men, or I should not; ;on my men.i.as;;! -did,' Perhaps “our own” will explain how; 100 men, in a most exposed position,; can sustain the fire of 8t) men in the; best of position and .not suffer from it;} but that, after sustaining such fire, they, are enabled to entirely destroy the troop; that has been pounding away at them; from a place of the greatest security. The Wairoas can suffer annihilation, blit not at the hands of dead men.; Will “ our own” kindly explain the useful and attractive movements which would so; greatly have added to the success of.the review.—Yours, &c., . ‘John B. Walkinton, Capt., Commanding Wairoa Light Horse.; . Wavefley, March 28. ; - ;