PAGES FROM THE PAST.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 October 1922, Page 9

PAGES FROM THE PAST.

THE MAORI WARS. ADVANCE ON HUIRANGL (By “Juvenis.”) On Juno the 14th. 1861, General Pratt again advanced towards Hnirangi, throwing up No. 2 redoubt, about 570 yards from Kairau, and afterwards No. 3, a three-angled redoubt en echelon, and within three-quarters of a mile of the Huirangi rifle pits, whence ran the longest sap on record towards the enemy’s position at the foot of Pukerangiora. EXPEDITION TO THE SOUTH. In the hope of diverting the General’s attention from the north, the southern natives again occupied the Waireka and Burton’s Hills, forming an extensive series of fortifications and field works so as to command every road, and lock up the British within the town and the stockades. In a very short lime they had completed, in a direst line across the country, ten palisades pas. On Tuesday, January the 22nd, at about 3 a.m., 40 of the 12th, under Captain Williams and Lieutenant Dudgeon, 10 of the 40th, under Ensign Murphy, and 130 of the 65th, under Lieutenant and Adjutant A. H. Lewis and Lieutenant Chevalier, the whole under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Y°png, 65th Regiment, with one 24pounder howitzer, left town to take part in a combined attack on Waireka hill, a party of 120 blue jackets from H.M.S. Niger, under Captain Cracroft, R.N., having left in boats during the night to land on the coast in rehr of the rebel’s position. At daylight, firing having been heard in the direction of Waireka, the bugles of the Militia were sounded, and 108 Militia and Rifle Volunteers, under the command of Major Herbert, mustered, and followed by the road taken by the military. Abreast of Mr. La ns man’s farm, where the furze fences offered great cover to an enemy, the advanced guard' observed ihree or four natives running towards the road to fire at Maior Herbert, who was some 200 yards in advance with a few mounted volunteers, with whom he was riding alongside. The rising sun prevented the natives from seeing the approach of the men. who after giving a shout or two, pushed through the fence at every gap, and in skirmishing order, firing as opportunity offered, drove the natives from their cover off the farm, across the road into Mr. Stephenson Smith’s and Mr. P. Elliot's farm and finally into the bush, where they were left to themselves. This was evidently a partv out for live stock, and but for the check received would have fired into the backs- of the horsemen. No further incident occurred on the road. AT OMATA -STOCKADE.

On reaching the Gmata Stockade, where the troops were halted, it was ascertained that they had been fired upon by natives from John Wright’s house (near the Whaler’s Gate), and Hospital Sergeant Burnett mortally wounded. It is believed the natives suffered some loss from the fire of the troops, Sergeant Burnett died at the stockade. Large parties of natives could be seen crowning the Waireka hill, and whilst a signal of the whereabouts of Captain Cracroft was anxiously looked for in the direction, a telegram was received from town that the gallant Captain had returned to his ship, owing to a difficulty in finding the proper landing-place. The land force then started homewards, and struck off the Omata Road through W George’s farm to the beach.

On their arrival in town, it was stated that in Mr. George's house was concealed a party of 50 or 60 natives, who probably not deeming it altogether safe to attack so large a force, remained out of sight until the road was clear, and they were seen from a hi|l top to leave the premises and go in the direction of Rat-apihipihi. This party was probably on the look out for the Omata escort, which needed sufficient strength to repel attack. Whilst the force bivouacked at the Omata Stockade, Major Lloyd’e house at Waireka was burnt by the. rebels, and shortly afterwards Mr. W. C. King's large barn of hay, near the site of his house, was burned. MAORIS ATTACK HUIRANGI REDOUBT. The 23rd of January, 1861, was a fortunate day for the settlement, for at its earliest dawn a blow was struck which virtually turned the tide of battle in the favour of the British, and led to the relinquishment of the struggle, of-Wi Kingi and his allies of the, north, for the possession of the Waireka district. Before daylight on the morning of this day, about 140 natives of the Waikato and Ngatiawa tribes, headed by Remi, Epiha. Hapurona, and others, contrived to creep jnto the ditch of No. 3 redoubt, which had not been completed on the previous evening. It is said that the officer in command had given orders that the cry of “All’s well” should not be made, and that the greatest silence should be observed during the night. This, with the fact of the men having worked very hard at the entrenchments during the previous day, possibly led the enemy to think that the garrison was tired and asleep, anrt that the opportunity for attack was favourable. While in the ditch, in the darkness, the rebels were engaged in cutting steps in the embankment with their tomahawks. Tn the grey of dawn a sentry perceived one Maori —the last of his party—creeping to the brow of the ditch; he fired on him. and was immediately shot dead himself. The garrison, consisting of the greater part of the 40th Regiment, under Colonel Leslie, met the attack with great promptitude, and a scene ensued which baffles description. Sapper Chubb, striking a match in order to see to lace his boot, revealed himself to a Maori who was posted in the unfinished part of the redoubt, and was shot dead. FRIGHTFUL EXECUTION. Gut troops, as fast as they could load their rifles-, fired down over the parapet, and the artillerymen, with great coolness. ent short, the fuses of the shells, and lighting them pitched them over into the trench with frightful execution. | Lieutenant Jackson. 40th Regiment, > while <in the act of firing at a native over the parapet with his revolver, was i shot through the head, and fell mort.

ally wounded. Some of the natives succeeded in getting so far up the parapet that they were bayoneted by the garrison. A soldier in the act of bayoneting a Maori overbalanced himself and fell in the trench among the rebels, but escaped alive; and a Maori on the embankment, transfixed by a bayonet drew himself up and tomahawked the soldier who had bayoneted him. This sanguinary conflict was prolonged till daylight, when the support came up from Kairau. A party of the 65th. under; Colonel Wyatt, attacked the rebels on their right flank, while the 12th attacked them on the left of the redoubt; here they met the rebel reserve who rose out of the fern, it is stated, like a flock of birds. These were charged by the 12th at the point of the bayonet, and those of the natives who could, turned and fled, leaving many behind them. It was- all over before 6 a.m., and in the trench of the redoubt and airound lay 49 bodies of rebels, 5 only of whom were alive, 41 were buried in a grave between Nos. 2 and 3 redoubts, others were buried by the friendly natives. Thirteen chief men were said to be amongst the slain, but many of the bodies were beyond identification. The wounded natives were all dangerously so. Our casualties were 5 killed and 11 wounded, viz:—

Killed—Royal Engineers: Sapper George Chubb: 12th -Regiment: Private Edward Archer; 40th Regiment: Lieutenant Jackson, Private AV. Gilbert, Private Edward Gorray. Wounded—Royal Artillery: Daniel Bushell, slightly; 12th Regiment: Captain T. E. Miller, slightly, Private Patrick Cahill, severely, tomahawked; Private Edmond Power, slightly; 40th Regiment: Private Henry Wakefield, severely; Private John Officer, dangerously, Private John Mullins, slightly; 65th Regiment: Lance Corporal James Howard, dangerously, Private Edward Smith, dangerously, Private Joseph Robinson, dangerously, Private Samuel Hamilton, severely.

On the same day as this memorable and decisive engagement occurred* the first instalment of the gallant 57th Regiment arrived from India, via Auckland. This Regiment had Seen active service in the Crimea, and under its brave commander, Colonel Warre, was destined to render very important service to Taranaki in the guerilla warfare which was maintained by the southern natives for years after the capitulation of Wi Kingi‘s allies at Waitara. The detachment of this Regiment arrived in the ship Star Queen, Captain Barbar, from Bombay, and consisted of Major Butler, Captain Brown, Lieutenants Baynton, Hasted. Thompson, Cox and Waller; Ensigns Clarke, Murray, and Clayton; Assistant-Sur-geon Davis, 16 sergeants and 314 rank and file.