"THE SIEGE OF ORAKAU.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 231, 14 February 1885, Page 9

"THE SIEGE OF ORAKAU.

" We published on Friday a letter from -an eye-witness of the fight at Orakau, .which contained many- interesting particulars,' and .we supplement it to-day by two other letters from another correspondent which will also be found to be very interesting. What with the official despatches, the ' letter of our own correspondent, and those we have now referred to, our readers will be fully informed of the details of this last engagement. We are very pleased to see that, as regards the colonial forces and the officers of them who distinguished themselves at Orakau, His Excellency the Governor has lost no time in carrying out the recommendation of General Cameron. This appears clearly by the list of promotions which we publish in another column. The presence of so mairy of the colonial forces, at the siege of Orakau and the gallantry they displayed there are a very notable feature of the engagement, and it was one which could not well have escaped the notice of the General. Not only at Orakau, but wherever they have been engaged against the rebels they have shown an amount of courage and daring which are very creditable to them, and the list of promotions which we publish affords ample proof that their services will not be overlooked by General Cameron. We are glad to see by one of our correspondent's letters that all our wounded with two or three exceptions where the wounds had been very severe were progressing favourably. Rewi's body had not been found, although it is fully believed that he suffered in the escape. This distinguished rebel, it apjjears, was the means of preventing the garrison at Orakau from surrendering, for when the proposition was made he threatened he would tomahawk the next native who renewed the subject, and it is even said that he carried his threat into execution in one case. We have been shown a sketch of the Orakau Eedoubt, and the position of the troops round it, as drawn by Mr Stratford, a son of Dr. Stratford, who was present at the engagement, and it gives a very clear idea of the difficulties of the assault and capture of this stronghold. Had the rebels not deserted it when they did, the loss of life would no doubt have been much more severe than it has been on our side, while in all probability it would not have been greater than it has been on the side of the enemy." I introduced my description in the Southern- Crow, of the 11th April, 1864, as follows: — "I am now going to endeavour to give you a detailed account of the three days' desperate fighting at Orakau, the sharpest and most sanguinary affair that has ever occurred in New Zealand. While fully recognising the difficulty of doing justice to all who took part in it, I shall endeavour to furnish an impartial narrative of the most important events." The present description, however, is fuller and more reliable than any former account, as it will be supplemented by official details, and other facts carefully from the reports furnished by contemporary correspondents. .The first intimation that the. Maoris wore in force at Orakau seems to have been 1 given

by Lieutenant Hurst, who came into Te Awarnutu at about 9 a.m. on the 30th March and reported that they had been seen a,short distance in front of Kihikihi. The inlying piquets of the 18th, 40th, and 65th Regiments and Captain Von. Tempsky's Forest Rangers turned out and marched a short distance on the road to Kihikihi, but were met and ordered to return to camp by Major McNeil, Military Secretary, who had arrived that morning from P'ukeriinu, having been fired on by a party of natives lying in ambush neai ; the road from the latter i>lace to Te Awamutu, fortunately escaping by a narrow shave from the trap After the return: of the piquet and Forest Rangers various rumours were in circulation in the camp, some asserting that no natives had been seen, but that a party of Militiamen who had been out foraging for potatoes had been mistaken for .the enemy. These doubts were, however, shortly afterwards set at rest by Colonel Haultain, who was in command of the post at Kihikihi. About midday he observed the enemy in force at the village of Orakau, about 2,V or 3 miles from his post, and. reported the circumstance to Brigadier- General Carey, who at once rode over and made a reconnaisance. He found that the natives were erecting a pa, and at once returned to the camp at Te Awamutu, to make arrangements for a night attack. It soon leaked out that an expedition would set out at 1.30 a.m. next morning, and orders were issued to cook one day's rations. But about 5 p.m. a second order was issued for the troops to parade at midnight. ' The services of two guides named Grage and Astle, who possessed a good knowledge of the locality, were secured. The plan of attack . was to advance with the main body along the dray road to Orakau, to detach 250 inert, under Major Blyth (40th) by a circuitous route through some difficult country, crossing and re-crossing the Punui River, and inarching on the right flank of the main body so as to take the enemy's position in rear. Captain Blyth's orders were to await the attack by the main body, and then to so dispose his men as to intercept the retreat of the enemy. Anotheivforce of 100 men from Rangiaohia and Haerini, under Captain. Blewitt- (65th),. was to take up a position on thp left of the pa. The route taken, by this division was very difficult, lying ihrqugh deep swamps and thick. bush. The following was the. actual strength of the attacking forces : — ■. . Ist Division, . under Major Blyth : 40th, 1 field officer, 1 captain, I subaltern, 1 staff, 3 sergeants, ,2 drummers,. 100 rank and file ; Goth, t captain, 3 subalterns, 6 sergeants, 3 drummers, 125 rank and file ; Forest Rangers, 1 captain, 2 sergeants, 25 rank arid file ; total. 8 officers, 1 staff, and 2G9 of non-commis-sioned officers and men. 2nd Division, under Captain Blewitt '(65th) : 2 captains, 1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant, I drummer, 53 rank and file,, of the 65th ; 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant, 1 drummer, 52 rank and file, of the 3rd Waikato Militia; total, 3 captains, 2 lieutenants, 2 sergeants, 2 drummers, 105 rank and file. ! Main body, under Brigadiei -General Carey: Royal Artillery, 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants, 1 drummer, 31 rank and file, with 3 guns; Mounted Royal Artillery, 1 lieutenant. 1 staff, 1 sergeant, 1 drummer, and 28 rank and file ; Royal Engineers, 6 rank and file ; . I.2th, 1 lieutenant, ; 18th, 1 captain, 3 lieutenants,! stuff, 5 sergeants, 3 drummers, 140 rank and file ; 40th, 1 field officer. 4 captains, 2 lieutenants, 1 staff, 14 sergeants, 5 drummers, 258 rank and file ; 65th, 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants, 1 drummer, 38 rank and file ; Militia, 1 field officer, 3 lieutenants, 8 sergeants, 3 drummers, 137 rank and file ; Forest Rangers, 1 lieutenant, 2 sergeants, 1 drummer, 22 rank and file ; total, 2 field officers, 5 captains, 13 lieutenants, 3 staff, 34 sergeants, 15 drummers, 660 rank and file. This was the composition of the three attacking parties as shewn in the parade states. In recording events of this character I like to be as strictly accurate as possible. The first' division, under Major Blyth, inarched off' in perfect silence at half -past twelve at night, taking the road to Kihikihi ; but after proceeding about a mile and a- half, diverged to the right along a track leading to a mill, a mile and a-quarter to the right of Kihikihi redoubt. After passing the mill, the force reached the right bank of the W.aipa River, which they crossed in a depth of two feet of water, and proceeded about four miles along the opposite bank, recrossing and following the course of th.c river for a short . distance, and then diverging \ sharply to the left along a horse-track leading in the direction of the Maori pa at Orakau, the Forest Rangers leading in .skirmishing order. The latter came suddenly upon the native sentries, upon whom they fired a volley, killing one and wounding another, the third escaping unhurt; By this time it was broad daylight. Thirty men of the 40th were extended on the right and left of the Rangers with the remainder of the force in support. On reaching a house about 700 yards to the rear of the enemy's position, the Rangers were directed to remain there, and they afterwards rendered ' good service throughout the three days fighting in proventing the natives in the bush from reinforcing the defenders of the pa. The remainder of Major tilth's division crossed a creek and extended in skirmishing order on the top of a steepjrise, within 300 yards of the enemy's defences, two companies of the 40th taking up a position directly in rear of the pa. The main division, under BrigadierGreneral Careyi paraded sit' S'.aan., . ariH , took

the road to the Kihikihi redoubt, where the force was. halted for about two hours, resuming the march at daybreak, having been reinforced „by a , party of the Waikato Militia, from Kihikihi,,, under Colonel Haultain. Twenty-five, -of , the 40th and a like number; of the Militia under Captain Cook formed a covering party for the guns which proceeded, in rear ; of the column. On arriving within half-a-uiile o£ the enemy, the force ; diverged to, ; the \eit. along a track, 1 crossing a swamp, , where tpie 18th were .extended ;in skirmishing order, supported by; 100; of. ; ;the^ 4pth, ; , advancing through high fern and, tirtree, and scattered peach treesi where, they exchanged .shots with the enemy. . . s : ; .. ... • •■.< Captain Blewitt's.. division., crossed, the river twice, got into the Ngatimaniapoto country, and came back upon Orakau by a track leading in a northerly direction. . Up to this time the enemy's position .. had been screened from observation to the attack in front by a thick grove of peach trees. , In fact it seems doubtful whether or not the military authorities were aware of the existence of a fortified position. The skirmishers had advanced to Svitbin 30 or, 40 yards of a thick impenetrable grove of acacia bush.es, when they suddenly received an unexpected volley from the enemy concealed among them, several soldiers being struck down. Captain Ring, of. the 18th Royal Irish, at once led forward 120 of, that regiment in skirmishing order,- with 100 of the 40th in support, and, charging round to the right so as to avoid the acacia grove, described a semi-circle, and arrived opposite the proper right flank of the enemy's position, where ue turned sharply to their left up, a slight rise covered with fern and ti-tree, getting within 20 yards of the Maori earthworks. The Maoris received the 18th, skirmishers with a chorus of yells and a withering volley. Captain Ring, '■ however, gallantly ' led his men to the Charge, but ■ wafe struck down ™ with a dangerous, wound in the abdomen within four yards of 'the pa. ' At the same time Capt. Fisher. '(40th) : was; severely woundedinthe attack, and seVeral of the force fell either killed or wounded;, >,The -x>a consisted of a square redoubt oi ;gag|at. strength, rifle-pitted, defended • with flanking angles, and surrounded with' a strong three-railed fence within a fewfeet' of'theouter edge of the ditch, thus forming aii;' : alni6st insurmountable obstacle , : -to' .the stormers, who dm*ing their advance were expbked'to a close, and deadly fire. In : order, to escape totpl annihilation, they took covpr behindisome thick flax bushes^' which had been partially burnt, and then retired in : obedience ■ toithe bugle call to a ' rising ground. ' while ' ;the guns co v.ered them with a well- aimed fire from a. grove of peach trees,' about three hundred yards distant from the 'proper left front corner of the pa. The sheJl and shot; struck the breast works,. knocking -up clouds of dust, and checking the f fire' of the defenders. The Maoris, however, responded with a v. heavy musketry fire, by : which several of the men round the guns, were 'wounded. The first assault having been repulsed, the stormers were reinforced With 'another company of. the 40th, and a- second attempt was made on the works. Captain Baker (18th Royal. Irish), who was acting as' A.D.C. to Briga-dier-General Carey, galloped up to the storincrs, dismounted, and joined in the assault, which was not more successful than. the former attempt. ', ' - It was about this time that Major BlytTx arrived at ,the appointed rendezvous,' and on neariug a house in which the ' Forest Rangers were afterwards , posted, ' some soldiers observed a few Maories in its vicinity, who fell back on the approach of the troops. Brigadier- General Carey, finding that the retreat of -the enemy was cut off as he had planned, determined to open.-a ■flying- sap, which was accordingly .opened . by Lieutenant Hurst, 12th Regiment, at- 1 tached to the Royal Engiueers. At 8.40 a.m. Ij ordeilies were desxiatcliod to To Awamutu to order up the, Transport Corps with loads of gabions, which had. been previously prepared for. the operations at Pukerimu. The flying sap was at first opened in front of the guns, but was afterwards condemned, as from the nature of, the ground this line of approach was too much exposed to : the fire of the enemy. About 6p.m. a second sap' was opened, under cover of the acacia grove from, which the skirmishers of the Ist division had received the destructive voliey in the. morning. After breaking through this grove the Artillery was formed on the right, the sap being driven to the left, and afterwards turned to the right in a. -zig-zag form. - Lieutenant Carre, R. A., endeavoured to make a breach, in the enemy's earthworks, but found that he' could not make any impression in the defences^ which were of great strength. In fact, throughout^ the Avar my experience was that Armstrongtfieldpieces were of little use in battering strong earthworks, especially at short range. The velecity' of the projectile carried it right through without doing serious damage. On the other hand, the heavy' mortars did great destruction to the Maori breastworks and rifle-pits, and were . much, dreaded by the enemy. . ■'„'"•" During the afternoon a reinforcement of 100 to 200 Maories oanie i'roni the direction, of Pukerimu, and advanced to a busb. about and seeing that they could not force a way 900 yards in the left reax* of the. main division* through the ling of ; steel and fire which, held the pain a ; vice-like grip, began dancing the war-danco, but ,>yere pi'oinijtly silonoed and dispersed .by.^a fe>x. weil-^iined shells thrown into their midst by Captain,

Betty, E.A. A reinforcement of 2 officers and 9,6 non-coimnissioned officers and men of .the 12th... Eegiment, and 2 officers and 48 ion- commissioned officers -and men of the Forest 'Bangers had been despatched from head-quarters at Pukerimu on the previous day, 'under Captain Inman. .- Unfortunately, however, they lost their way in the darkness of the night, and reached an abandoned native village, whe'rethey camped till morning, starting' again at day light, recovering tHe track'to'Te Awamittiv, -vvhieh they reached at 7.30 7 a.in.','arid Orakau at ! 3 p.m. • •• As Evening came ori'thej r tr6ops were disposed round the pa sd-as to cut off the retreat of, the garrison, the sap was pushed forward, the- men: sheltering themselves' frbiri the'enenry ? s ; fire; with temporary xMe-pits' 'diig -put; -vvith 1 their bayonets and such other ' implements ■■ as weve at> hand. 1 Th^ey : were i exposed ■ to 1 i the : icold : with no 6if;her : covering' than -the serge uniform.' Heavy ( firiiig on" both^ sides '■ Hvas up "diiriiig^ 'the night, and a few: of the enemy attempted' to ; escape, but - were driven in. The wounded were conveyed tp Te Awamutu in lamlbulahce! waggons ' ahd-bullock drays, returned with provisions and ammuiiition.'; "-' r ''■*> - : ' ■■'- '-•'■ '■'.■"' '-""As 1 1 have reached. 'the' limit for this issue, I 'must reserve a' description of the subsequent operations' for the- next chapter. ■ (To be continued:)