THE MILITARY AT TARANAKI.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 266, 8 May 1860, Page 3

THE MILITARY AT TARANAKI.

On the principle of " Hear both sides," we make the following extracts from a pamphlet, signed Fairplay, entitled "ALetter to the Editor of the Nelson Examiner :—

Sir, —I have read your paper of the 4th April with much astonishment.

I am a non-combatant, therefore have no laurels to pick up for myself, and can afford to let each party wear what they are entitled to without envy. . . You seem very well aware of the numbers of men we have in N. P., by no means too many to protect the town and keep the natives out, should they be disposed to visit us, which it was well known to be their intention to do; therefore, every man uselessly j sacrificed is a loss at present irreparable to the com- j munity at large; and what, let me ask, was the use of arming men with an expensive rifle, if not to give them the advantage of long range. Better give them a tomahawk, if they are to rush into the jungle and fight at arm's length. I shall follow your example, and give " M's" letter the precedence He has asserted much that is false, suppressed much that is true, and the little truth he has written is so garbled and twisted, that even that puts on the air of falsehood Now it very well known that every man killed in Maori warfare is an advantage gained by them. Fancy, then, what a triumph it would have been to have 50 or 60 of the picked men of the Regiment put hors de combat, and the stockade left as strong as ever. Again, the object, I imagine, was to destroy the pah, not to exterminate the natives, who hitherto had committed no aggression or either settlers or property. " M " sneers at Colonel Gold's defences, but he has not the nobility of soul to do Colonel Gold the justice to say thac, whau a mounted express was sent to inform him that the town was threatened, in less than 4 hours from the arrival of the express at the Waitara, Colonel Gold, with 200 men, guns and ammunition, was in town. You, Mr. Editor, who don't know the beach road between this and Waitara, cannot appreciate this march; but all here, or rather all but " Ai " and his clique, can do so. ... Now for the expedition of Wednesday. [Waireka.l " To the civilians was assigned the post of honor.' Good. The civilians were sent as an escort to fetch home settlers (see Volunteer.) They were armed tor their own protection, with orders to march by the beach to the back of the block, bring home the settlers and meet Colonel Murray at the Whalers' gate. But they had no orders to attack. Nevertheless, the temptation of firing upon a small party, who were evidently scouts, proved too strong for them (see Volunteer) ; and when they had commenced, " they blared away like mad to use their own expression, till their ammunition was exhausted. They were soon surrounded in a gully, every flax bush being alive. "The Naval Brigadegaveexcellent assistance."—True for the nouce; but why suppress that the Naval Brigade under Lieutenant Blake, consisting of 25 men, were accompanied by 43 soldiers (half the force), under Lieutenant Urquhart, and 15 volunteers from the Omata stockade, upwards of 80 in all (see journal of events, Taranaki Herald, also see Volunteer), who delivered them for the time, and were recalled where they were more needed, about the time of the arrival of Captain Cracroft. Now, Sir, has it not struck you as singular the few casualties among the Maories who had to deal with this mostvaliant." M"? They are estimated at about 60 killed and wounded. It is well known that 15 were killed in the pah, 25 at least where Lieutenant Blake was wounded, and not a few by the soldiers. This does not say much/or the steady aim of " M," who used up all his ammunition in such a hurry. Then comes the false statement that" Captain Cracroft (see journal of events) returned on the troops by the road, and with them came into town, where they arrived about half-past six." The women and children of Taranaki go to bed early when their men are fighting, for when the soldiers arrived at their barrrcks they found not only the room but the beds so full that they wereo bliged to be content with the passages. No offer was uude£or«ign the comfortable beds which were so closely occupied at half-past six. But the fac;t is it was long after ! eight when the navy and military arrived, and they did not leava Omatji till'tha firing had ceased about wren p.m. Your corespondent says, "tot flank

tfl^ards the beach, was open." Why, then, not come home by that road ? Their orders were to return at nightfall, and by their own showing, they did return by that rbaa when they chose to do so, about midnight. ....... 7ou see, hitherto, I have said nothing of the party of soldiers with the rocket tube, who were posted in Mr. McKellar's field, which "M," being an "eyewitness "in " a gully," could not see. But as Igo on I must comment. It is fortunate for us in town, notwithstanding " M's " wise allusion to the " blindness of the chief of the party," that the commanding officer had his weather eye open. The tactics of the natives being, that while "M" was blazing away like mad" in the gully, they were to rush on the town. If, therefore, the commanding officer had shut his left eye when the Natives were trying to turn his left flank, and rushed into the gully to save " M," we in town should have been in a nice fix. ,

When regulars and civilians are under one command, it is always arranged that th© regular shall be the senior, else what is the use of soldiers at aU ? . , "M" tells you the. military We tq go- by on* roatt, the civilians by another. How was it possible for tho commanding officer to bring off people who' have effectually separated themselves from him; to get to whom he must have disobeyed the strict injunctions he received, to keep the town road open, besides dragging his men, with rocket tube and ammunition, through a dense bush, much more difficult of access than the beach road, through the tery savages "M" complains of, and while the beach road wm open—the road they came by. But enough of " M." It certainly is a new feature in military warfare for every man to judge for himself; but I do think it a pity that you should have taken the trouble to print such bosh, or to write a leader drawn from so flimsy andezparfc a statement as " M's" letter. Now for the Volunteer. The Volunteer informs you that they were sent 09 an expedition, the object of which they guessed. Evidently the authorities omitted to inform them,—a great pity, but clearly showing they were expected to obey, not to command. He sings to the same tune as "M" till he observes that Colonel Murray said his men were tired. He should have added that he guessed that also; for it is not likely the Colonel informed him. Observe, his version of what took place between Colonel Murray and Major Herbert does not coincide with " M's," thereby throwing a doubt upon one, if not both. While animadverting upon the actions of his commanding officer, he goes on to cay, I foolishly got over a fence, and " when ordered to retire, had some difficulty." " Volunteers were called on to fetch in the settlers," not to fight, mind ye, or, in the words of " M,' 1 "to take the post of honor." (See « M.") No; "to fetch in the settlers." A few natives showed. We commenced firing, and drove them before us!!! About an hour after this, we saw the Blue Jackets; shortly after the military; both did great execution, being about 100 yards from the Natives." «M " does not admit any of this. But the Volunteer should have added the hearty cheer which greeted them as they came round a corner.

I*ow, Volunteer, you sent a messa^o to Colonel Murray for ammunition, where was he to get it? Why did you not rather send to towa ? Your stragglers found no difficulty in keeping the beach road. Note, the messenger contrived to reach Colonel Murray, and return. Your messenger, who reported the answer of Colonel Murray, was a mendacious one. He did not Bay you had got into a mess without his orders, <fee. I have been credibly informed by thosa who are more to be relied upon, that his answer was he had no ammunition but what was in his mens' pouches, and observed that Captain B. had taken up a false position, and led him much farther than he was authorised to go, to extricate him from its consequence?. Observe with what malice prepense Volunteer relates that they were left to their fate without food or water. Water!! on the banks of a river! " How Captain Cracroft took the pah at dark •' (Volunteer had good eyes to see the flag taken in the dark.) Why not detail the events as they occurred ? First the taking of the pah, then the return of the army and navy (see "M.") Why, sir, then there would have been no case. Considering that, on the 28th of March, it is scarcely dark at seven, when he goes on to say they commenced their retreat, having five miles to march into town; now, then, he forgets to mention what they were about, and why they took five hours to march five miles (which, By the bye, is another exaggeration, as they were in town by eleven, or soon after.) Look at the Battle of Waireka, Taranaki Herald, in the same number of your paper, and you will see what they were about; " partaking of the poor refreshment it was in our power to offer. Then, he lays, "carrying our wounded." Why not the whole truth at once. Two wounded were left at the Omata stockade, one left in the gully where he fell, till next morning, one in a cart with the main body, and two rode in on horseback, reducing the number carried considerably. His observations on the conduct of Colonel Murray are nuworthy of notice. Colonel Murray was in command of the party, and acted as he saw best. That is sufficient.

Now for the Volunteer's version of Colonel Browne's speech.

What he twists into a compliment is known by those upon the spot to be a polite censure. Some vainglorious boys and a few half-mad old women worked themselves and one another into inch a state of rage, talking of their wrongs and their prowess, that a second edition of the affair at Aldershatt, (I mean the recent collision between the regulars and the militia,) was dreaded, and H. E. recommended them to "shut up. 1' This is the generally received opinion of the purport of the Governor*! speech

" In last Sunday's expedition, you wore & pair of new shoes clean out" crossing rivers!!! between this and Omata. Where are the rivers? Were tho shoes dancing pumps ? In concluding, you do right to apologise for your style and orthography. There is an old saying, rather vulgar, but very applicable, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

It is well for Taranaki that all the Militia are not like you and " M.'»

And now, Mr. Editor, having condemned your able (?) correspondents out of their own mouths, I must hay« a word or two in conclusion. Are your correspondents avare that, by the Queen's regulations, officers and soldiers are forbidden to write in newspapers P They have made an attack which they are afraid to publish here. They shield themselves under a fictitious name; they send their lucubrations to & sister settlement, whose sympathetic feeling has evinced itself so handsomely towards our women and children, there to get up * sensation which they would fail to do to any extent here. They attack men whose hands are tied, and attempt to take away the good name all over the world of those who have spent toilsome days and sleepless nights seeking what way best to provide for the safety of the settlers of Taranaki. FAIB PLAY.