SOLDIERING REMINISCENCES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 169, 4 December 1912, Page 6

SOLDIERING REMINISCENCES

MILITARY SETTLER'S STORY, INCIDENTS OF THE TARANAKI WAR. Many an interesting story of the early days of the colony are hidden in the brain of quiet-looking citizens, who, as Ihcy perambulate the streets of Auckland, do not give the impression of having witnessed stirring scenes during that exciting period, when the Maoris of New Zealand made a belated but gallant attempt to get rid of the pakelia, who had invaded their land. One of these is Mr. C. J. Hutchinson, the well-known land agent, who for many years carried on business as a gum merchant in Auckland. In the early days of New Zealand Mr. Hutchinson was a lieutenant in the Taranaki Military Settlers, and lie talks interestingly of the days of the war. The following are jottings gathered by the Star from, his reminiscences:—

Early in 1864 I joined the Taranaki Military Settlers (says Mr. Hutchinson) a few weeks after the regiment was formed. The first evening in the blockhouse some 'of my comrades told me it was a pity I hadn't been there at the first, as I might have been selected for corporal.or perhaps sergeant. I replied, "Never mind. T am going to jret a commission,' and we all laughed; but 1 meant it, and I did it. The first time I had a lance-corporal's stripe I lay awake all night and looked at it. Some of my comrades were very well educated, and mostly fine men; but like Uncle Toby's army in Flanders, the "Army used to drink terribly in those days," and I wasn't a teetotaller myself (worse luck). The first night I joined, 'one of the best,' full of beer, repeated many times to me, 'When you find yourself in juxtaposition with me you find yourself in juxtaposition with an Irishman and a gefttlemaa'—andl so he was. The first time I law the pageantry of a little war was when I was on picket duty near Potoko. The 57th Regiment passed our picket, going to make an armed reconnaisanse of Kaitake, —the nearest native pa. The swing of the men, with their old-fashion-ed pipe-clay belts underneath their bluo [ lighting regimentals, was fine to behold, and we all got the fighting fever as wc J heard the .firing, but had to stay where i we were. ' I remember well the two pictures, 'Morning' and 'Evening,' the swing of the mon going and their return in the evening. The return was with a few stretejiers with some wounded and dead, and' one gunner officer with his arm in a sling, on horseback. The next encounter ;I saw was when covering the Armstrong guns shelling Kaitake. Every man stepped to the front, and I was with those whoi went. But we were out of the,real attack. .Two other companies of our regiment made their way at night to the rear of the pa, and the 57th, with! some guns, took position in front in the early morning, while we were sent to 'cut off the. retreat.' We were wherq we could see the whole show, and : it was better than any theatre'. Rockets set fire to some of the whares, and a cheej - arose, which our men in the rear took (for the attacking signal, and they rusheji the pa, and you could see them running and firing and getting over the stockade. Then the 57th instantly followed with the dear old Union Jack—shots "and .'cheers. The native red flag was.hauled down, and the Union Jack ran up,' and then we went mad. There wa? another native village at the back 'of Kaitake; and we all simply took our officers with us, forced on:' way a mile or so through heavy fern (six feet high) and 'ljurncd the village and then went "home" to Kaitake, where we were then stationed for a month. \\ 7 ". heard afterwards that: the commanding officer told our captain that but for the success of the day he.; would have had him courtmartialled for exceeding his orders. Poor m'an; he couldn't have stopped us! In Kaitake we. had a fearful time. There was a steep gully alongside the redoubt and thick, heavy bush, and at the foot a beautiful running stream. The officer in charge was cautioned that the post would 1 probably be attacked, and was therefore terribly cautious. We became filthy ;for want of proper facilities for washing, although a sparkling stream ran quite close to our redoubt, and when the .poor .dear old .bombardier of artillery was found with his i head chopped off the offiper in charge became more strict. We were ordered to sleep in our clothes with ammunition belts and bayonets on, and.were continually turning out on false alarms, It became a joke; our m!en didn't believe they would be attacked, and to get some fun for our money, pretended while manning the rampants to' see imaginary niggers. Then bang, would go somebody's gun, and others would follow suit, and we would all laugh till we couldn't stand, which was very wrong for a corporal. When our month was up we were moved to Oakura,. and bought new clothes and almost lived in the river till we were clean. A ..curious adventure happened while I was stationed here. Ours was the farthest outpost on the coast except Kaitake, which; was directly inland. We had double ' sentries on the road, and one day when it; was: blowing a howling gale, one ran up and reported that men were coining along the beach, and that he had challenged and got no reply. I, as corporal of the guard, ran back with him, saw men coming, and yelled out, "Who comes there?" but the gale carried my voicb back and away from them and I got oh my knee, and covered one with a'rifle, but thinking it might possibly be from Kaitake, I did not fire. I left orders with the sentries and ran up to turn out the guard and to calf the orderly officer. On coming back with him I found tyie sergeant, who , was drunk and incapable, had fallen the men in and was "covering them oil'," \t'hile a shot had been fired. Then we heard loud voices from the men advancing (the wind coming from their direction enabled us to hear them) and we discovered they were poor shipwrecked sailors, whose coal-laden vessel, 'The . Marchioness,' had been driven ashore by the gale and they had come all day on foot through enemies' country. Poor chaps, I thanked God I had not pressed the trigger. My next little bit of experience of war was at the White Cliffs, past Waitara. A small Government. steamer taking stores had got on a rock and gone ashore. At low water you could get on board, and every low tiHe the natives came down to loot, and wc had to drive them oft*. I was by this time a commissioned officer in charge of ?0 men. Told to drive the natives in front were firing also. I could be attacked from the precipitous cliffs. I was told no, but while making my men keep extended order I studied the cliffs and saw they were overhanging. Then came, the first shot from an ambuscade above, followed by more, and the natives in front were firing also. I cheered the men and told them to get under the cliff, and we all ran, with the bullets peppering the sand all round us. There was a jutting point of rock between us and camp, so I told off the men in fives, with the doctor first, and gave them the word to get round that point five at a time. I was just about to start the last five, when I heard heavy shooting, and, turning round. 1 saw the doctor, my dear old pal, assistant surgeon Hulton Joseph Webber (brother of the late Mrs. Cowie) standing at the point with a smile on his face, emptying his revolver and yelling to the native l - on the cliffs above, ' you, you can't hit me.' I said, 'Come on, boys,' and quickly reaching the doctor, got him by the collar and yanked him round, asking him at the same time who the devil was to look after, us if

any of ua got kit. Then a support of' an officer and 20 men arrived with orders 1 to retire at once. I obeyed, but in my own way. I told Van Rotter to extend along the beach and retire slowly, trying to look as if he had 40 men with him, while I waited behind that point with my first twenty men. The natives came down from the cliffs, and, joining those in front, danced and jeered. But when they got in a clump I stopped their dance and then we went home. Captain Messenger told me I had shown the greatest ••olmess and judgment, and I was a veryproud man. During this time our men were moving the stores to camp, but it took time. There was rum in barrels. One night a poor man evaded pur sentries and went for a drink. He overdid it and died, poor chap! Other nights'we spent on the steamer hoping the natives would come, but they didn't. Every day when the tide was low we had little skirmishes. Then unexpectedly an orderly arrived with a message from headquarters and a proclamation from the Governor, Sir George Grey, to be delivered, if possible, to the rebels in the vicinity. I volunteered to take, and did take it, but that is another story. Two other poor men delivered this proclamation elsewhere, but did not come off so well. One was Chas. Bi'oughton, native interpreter. He was invited to carry the proclamation to a camp in Patea and went, ; but, arriving there, he was received in a silence that was ominous. No calls of welcome were extended. -He knew his fate, but stooped for an ember to light his pipe to cover his natural feelings, and was struck on the back of the head and killed. Another man was invited, and the natives welcomed him with an ambuscade and a volley on the way to the meeting place. A truce for a few weeks resulted from this proclamation.

It was some time later, and after duty in New Plymouth that we went t® Patea ' via Wanganui, to replace two companies who were discharged. These two companies had done Pine service on the East Const and had a,sked one day's leave »n arrival at Wangimni. The commanding officer there refused and paraded them. 'Fours right!' lie commanded. Not a man moved. 'As you were; those who refuse to obey ground arms.' Every rifle was thrown down, and the colony lost 200 splendid men. When we arrived we needed no holiday. We had had easy work in New Plymouth and were ready for anything, but the commanding officer gave us one day's. leave—which we didn't ask for or want—and the men immediately proceeded to paint the town red.

At Patea we had a little fighting, and among other things burned the pa where poor Von Tempsky was subsequently killed. We had one of the finest officers to serve under whom we all loved, Lieut. Col. McDonnell, N.Z.C.

The war being apparently over, I resigned, and being .young .and foolish I sold my Hawera land. 210 acres, at thirty shillings per acre. When I was 'a corporal wanst,' like Mulva'ney, I could live on my pay, but when an officer I could not, and so I sold my land and paid my, debts. About 1805 two companies of 1 my regiment were besieged and surrounded by the enemy at Pipiriki. They had i run out of ammunition and the officeff commanding, Major Brassey, did a very clever thing, lie got a friendly native I to undertake to take a despatch, and lest I the messenger be caught and the English [ message read, to the encouragement of i the attacking force, he sent 'his despatch in Latin, 'Siimus sine rebus "Leila causa' —we are without munitions of war. There are other stories it" .you want them; and, oh! for the young days of long ago when we marched along the country roads singing verses not adapted for drawing-room and-a -chorus with a swing. Dear old'comrades! I would like to meet you all after the 'Last- Post,' wherever the Supreme Governor lias designed for old sailors ami soldiers.