GENERAL PRATT.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 360, 5 April 1861, Page 3

GENERAL PRATT.

There is every reason to believe that the war in New Zealand has by this time passed its culminating point. On the 21st January, as the latest intelligence informs us, the grand assault on Huiraugi was to take place. At that spot the rebels bad concentrated all their force and had so strongly fortified their position that it was actually necessary foir our troops to advance upon it by regular process of siege. Huirangi, ia fact, was. the Badajos of the campaign ; and it :s to be feared that its capture was not effected except at the cost of a 3erious sacrifice of life on the British side. The next despatches from the scene of action will, we fear bring sad tidings to many of the friends and relatives of the gallant soldiers engaged there. But these gloomy personal apprehensions are relieved by the clear assurance; of a complete victory, which springs from our entire confidence in General Pratt's skill and bravery. We have not a misgiving that ; at the moment we write these lines, the capture of the Huirangi pah stands inscribed as another memorable exploit on the brilliant record of British valour. And if this be so, then is the strength of the insurgents utterly broken, the rebellion crushed, aud the war virtually at an end. •

The merit of this single achievement will, in the first instance, be justly accorded to MajorGeneral Pratt. The noble veteran has amply vindicated his reputation both as a commander and a strategist in the course of this trying campaign. He has shown throughout that the two qualities which above all others are requisite in conducting an almost guerilla warfare against savage tribes, —namely caution and courage,— are precisely those which he possesses in a conspicuous degree. They are qualities not frequently found in combination even in great generals. Julius Caesar iv an cient times aud Wellington iv modern days are the two most splendid illustrative examples of their rare union in the same character. Even in the great Napoleon the balauce of the two qualities was not always preserved. But without caution and courage in equal degree it is next to impossible to conduct a war successfully against a race like the Maoris upon their own territory. Had the fust leaders on the British side in the present war possessed them both, it is far from unlikely that the rebels would have been long since brought to submission. At all events, that disastrous episode of the Puketakauere pah would certainly never have occurred. General Pratt on the othor hand has never needlessly risked the life of a single man under his command, while he has steadily advanced upon the enemy, gaining post after post. He knows the great military art of accomplishing the largest results with the smallest expenditure of force. His admirably planned movement against the Waikatos, on the 29th December, was successfully executed with a loss of only three lives against 135 lives on tbe side of the rebels. It is also worthy of notice that the redoubts weie thrown up against the HirraDgi

position, in the' face of a marderou3 fire from the enemy, without a single casualty occurring, excepting two men wounded. All these circumstances lead us to entertain the most hopeful convioliona of the result of the great engagement of the 21st January.— Melbourne Herald.