AFFAIR AT HUIRANGI ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 350, 26 February 1861, Page 3

AFFAIR AT HUIRANGI ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10.

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The correspondent of.the Taranahi Herald gives the following account.

Huiraugi, Redoubt, Monday Evening, 11th February, 1861. Late on Saturday evening the troops stationed here received orders to be in readiness for the field and under arms at half-past fonr a.m., on Sunday. Punctual to the appointed hour the General was observed approaching with a rein, forcement ef the 14th from Waitara, and the troops instantly formed column in rear of the HniraDgi Redoubt. The force consisted of a party of Royal Artillery under Captain Strover and Lieut. McNaugh tea, a party of royal Engineers, under Col. Mould; a detachment of the Naval Brigade, under Commodore Seymour; two divisions of the 12th Regt, under Major Hutchins; 100 of the 14th; four divisions of the 40th, under Col. Leslie ; and four divisions of the 65th under Col. Wyatt. Four field-pieces, and two cohorn mortars, and a 24-pounder rocket tube, accompanied the force. Lines of skirmishers were thrown out by each corps—those of the 40th had the honor to cover the advance, and the whole force was quickly on the route towards Pukerangiora, by the avenue leading through the Huirangi. A few minutes' inarch brought us to the open ground behind the Huirangi bush, and we advanced without meeting the slightest opposition until we arrived on an extensive flat thickly covered with high fern, about 500 yards from the range of hills where stands Hapuroua's pa. Here we received a sudden, but not unexpected, volley of musketry from the natives, who were totally concealed in riQe pits within a short range. The bullets whizzed harmlessly over us, and our skirmishers instantly returned the fire. The guns and rocket tubs were at once brought into position, and the pa, the hills, and the gullies all around, were scoured with shell and rockets. The 8-inch gun also opened fire from the IJuirangi redoubt, and threwseveral shells into the very centre of the pah. This gun was manned by a detachment of the Naval Brigade, and their practice is always execellent. But the Maories held most formidable positions; they had long expected our attack, and spared neither, labor nor ingenuity in preparing to resist us. -Every avail v able spot that a musket could be effectually fired from was entrenched and manned; their defences formed a grand semicircle, extending from some ravines of the Waitara valley on our left, to the dense bush on our right. They had also trenches dug around their pab, and the whole ridge of bills in front of us bad tiers of pits one qvm (he other, from

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which the Maories fired on us as from so many ltttle batteries. What was most annoying, we could see nothing of our antagonists but the smoke of their fire, though in some places (on the low ground) they were so near that a mirthful exchange of repartee, relating to warfare, passed between them and our skirmishers. When the firing commenced the site for a new position was selected, and an excellent redoubt planned by Colonel and Captain Mould. The Royal Engineers superintended its erection, and the men of each regiment worked at it, under a heavy fire, with a zeal highly creditable, for the working parties and the gunners are generally selected by the Maories as marks best worth aiming at: but seeing that they could not interrupt the progress of our works, nor silence our gunners, they endeavored by stratagem to turn our right flank. To facilitate this, a lieavy fire was frequently showered upon iis from the hills, and, when our attention would seem fully directed to this, a sudden fire would be opened on us from the bush in our right rear. Every pass, however, was so well guarded by the skirmishers of the various regiments, that the Maories were always frustrated in their attempts to cut off any part of our men, and driven back every time they tried to advance on our lines. A few hours of the morning passed over before we suffered any casuality ; but the enemy everiy moment measured our distance more and moje accurately until 9 or 10 o'clock, when, I regret to say, Captain Strange, of the 65th Regt., received his death wound. The ball, in passing through his thigh, cut an artery, and after several hours of agony he expired from loss of blood. In Captain Strange the British army has lost a brave, zealous, and efficient officer, and the 65th Eegiment a true friend. He was beloved by officers and men. In the field he always distinguished himself by his coolness and daring, and on all occasions he envinced the greatest c&rh for the safety of his men, whilst he considered no danger too imminent for himself. He wfes instructing and assisting the men of his company (who were skirmishing) to dig pits, for cover, at the moment be was shot. Although the enemy's fire was not so heavy. as on the 29th Dec, yet owing: to their superior position, their bullets fell round us with more| precision yesterday. They did not fire, at ran-! dom, but each time selected some group to shoot at. When the skirmishers were called in ouri casulties were— ■ . ■ Killed. Captain Strange, 65th Regiment. Wounded. ' 12th Eegiment 2 40th „ 1 65th „ 3 Eoyal Artillery 2 Militia (a bullock driver) .. .. 1 Total .. 1 killed—9 wounded, i Besides these, there were several men wouhdedj so slightly that they may be considered" narrow! escapes." For instance, a man of the 65th hadj his ear pierced through with a bullet, and one of! the 40th was touched on the crown of the head,; the ball passing quite through his cap. Six of; the working bullocks (poor creatures! unconsci-; ous and undeserving of having an enemy) were; wounded. ? About 6 p.m. the fort being nearly completed,, a force of 400 men, composed of the 12th, 40th, < and 65th, were left to garrison the position, under j command of Col. Wyatt; and the remainder of| the field forces marched back to their camps,! —not to rest, but to mount guards and pickets j until the morning's sun should call them again I to labor or to figut. The troops that remained i iv the new redoubt had no tents. During the ! night it required all their vigilance to; keep ; the natm.3 in check, and firing .was kept up till moruin-T. Early this morniug-(Monday) a division oi' the 57th, ami two divisions of the 65th, advanced again to the new redoubt, and formed working parlies and coverers. The whole of the 40th were also removed from No. 3 redoubt, and Col, Leslie's regiment alone now garrisons the important and dangerous position that was established on Sunday. The firing was kept up all day, and I am sorry that our casualties were increased by the death of a corporal of the 40th, •who was shot whilst inside the breastworks. "When this nun was struck he placed- his hand on the part of his body where the ball entered, aud, walking outside the fort, sat down to die before any one knew he had been hit! Anotherof the 40th was wounded ; and the captain of the Light Company had his clothes perforated With a bullet.