THE NATIVE OUTBREAK.

Southland Times, Issue 993, 27 July 1868, Page 3

THE NATIVE OUTBREAK.

By Cobb's Coach the following Extra 1 of the " Wanganui Chronicle " was received, dated Thursday, the 16th inst : — "We have received some particulars — not full or complete — but authentic as far as they go, of the melancholy and terrible affair at the redoubt near Waihi. There is a melancholy satisfaction in saying that the number of the killed was much exaggerated, as very often happens in such cases of excitement. The exact number, as now reported by Mr Donovan, who has come direct from Waihi, is eight men, and among these Capt. Boss, who was in charge of the small force. The redoubt is three miles nearer Fatea than the Waihi, where there is another and the most remote of the whole. The place is and will henceforth be more widely known as Turo Turo Mokai. Here, then, on Saturday last, there was a band of 25 men ; Capt. Ross lived in a whare outside the redoubt, indicating apparently a false security in their position as regards the natives, Iruir so it was. Two sentries kept watch in the redoubt, and at grey dawn on Sunday morning one of those fancied he saw a Maori crawling . among the fern outside the wall. It turned out to be no fancy* as he was immediately sure of its being a fact by observing the moving forms of several more. Objects were but dimly and imperfectly observed in the gloom, still there was no mistaking the dangerous proximity of an enemy, and the sentry challenged and fired. This was the signal for a wild yell and a rush; the sentry was fired upon and fell. The redoubt was at once in the hands of the Maoris ; the men were asleep ; and instead of making a defence, it was simply a scramble to get over the walls and escape to a hiding place in the fern. It was in making their escape in this way that the men were killed, with the exception of Captain Eoss, who, as- we have already said, was sleeping in a whare outside the redoubt, and who, on hearing the report of the sentry's gun, at once got up and ran to the redoubt, where he was encountered by the Maoris, and fired at. It is said that the ball pierced his heart, and he was found lying a few yards inside the gate. The men who made their escape contrived at length to reach Waihi, and report the disaster, when an immediate muster was made of the force there, and the country scoured to Turo Turo Mokai, but not a trace of the enemy could be seen. On reaching the redoubt the desolation was found to be complete. Tents and heavy articles were all burned, but none of the bodies were mutilated or cut in any way. After a search, the report is that Captain Eoss, Sergeant M'Fadden, and six men are killed ; one man is missing, and six are wounded. There is a rumor that three Maoris were killed, but there was no trace of the bodies, and we are driven to the conclusion that the aggressors escaped scot-free. The redoubt is a place of some strength, placed on a knoll, and surrounded by a ditch or bank — the former of some depth and breadth, we have not learned the dimensions, but it is of such extent as to necessitate a plank as a crossing or bridge to gain the entrance. And another proof of ill-judged security is to be found in the fact, as we have been informed, that even this plank was not withdrawn during the night. Of course it would have been no adequate defence, but the time required by the enemy in clambering up the side of the ditch would naturally have been of importance to the men within the redoubt. The dead bodies wer^ brought down to Waingongoro and interred in. the graveyard there.