THE NATIVE WAR.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 353, 17 September 1868, Page 2

THE NATIVE WAR.

THE ENGAGEMENT NEAR TE NGUTU-O-TE-MANTJ. (From the " Wanganui Chronicle ") September 12. The following letter from our correspondent at Patea, published by us on Thursday, and which was eagerly sought after, gave the latest information we had then to haud from the Front. A few additional items have since reached us. The p.s. Woodpecker arrived from the Patea last night, bringing nine of the wounded men from Waihi. Some of the officers attribute the late disaster to the fact of the Kupapas coming across the native picquet, which led to firing and yelling on both sides, thereby giving the alarm the enemy, who had thus time to prepare. Buck's men also come in for a share of censure ; they are reported to have fled in disorder, after their captain fell. There is no doubt that our defeat was both crushing and complete, and but for the conduct of the Wanganui natives scarcely a man would have left the bush.

One of the wounded men, Kelly, is dead. Lieut Rowan is in a very dangerous state, but may recover. The force made a long detour to the right of Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu and at 2 p.m. found themselves in rear of Ruaruru. Here they cane across an outlying picquet who were fired into by the Wanganui Natives. The force then advanced and took up a position in a small gully about 200 yds distant from the rebel position, under a heavy fire from all sides. They remained here about ten minutes without any casualty when trooper Hogan was hit in the thigh, and soon after Lieut. Rowan dangerously in the face. The men then began to fall rapidly, Major Von Tempskey was shot dead, then Capt. Buck, and Capt. Palmer, and Lisut. Hunter. The Colonel then ordered the forces to retire. The Wanganui Natives led the retreat, supported by about 70 Europeans ; then the wounded ; the rear guard followed under the command of Lieut. Hastings and Ensign Hirtzel. Lieut. Hastings was killed in the retreat.

The men and officers beha7ed woll The Wanganui natives especially so, it as reported but for them our casualities must have been much heavier. I subjoin the list of killed and wounded, it may not however be strictly correct. All the dead were left on the field, and all the wounded who could not walk. The first men arrived at Waihi at about 2 p.m., and they kept on arriving in small parties until 10 a.m. the next mo rning.

The list of killed we have already given. The wounded (some of whom must now be daed) are: —Lieut Rowan and Surgeon Best; Privates Houston, O'Brien, O'Hogan, and Waldron of Armed Constabulary ; Privates O' Connor and Burke; Segt. Tovey, Privates Shanigan, Harris (W.R.), Caldwell,, M'Minnis, Waldron, Griffiths, Quincey, Melvin, and Loder ; J. Wells, J. Hamblin, Holloway, Hoyland, and Flyn, (Taranaki) ; missing—Darlington (A.C.), Downes.

LATEST FROM THE FRONT

[from the cokrespoitdent of the WANGAjnJI CRONICLE.] Patea, 11th Sept. I am still unable to furnish further particulars in reference to the late disaster at Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu, owing to the contradictory nature of the accounts of those who were engaged there, and it will probably be some time before the whole truth will be

known. There are two very strong and distinct accounts given, the one throwing the whole blame on Colonel MDonnell, and the other entirely exonerating him from blame. The truth probably is between the two. The number of the enemy killed, is, I fear, under the number reported, from the best information obtainable. There were not more than five of the rebels killed, namely, three men, and two children.

The Ketionetea (Ahitana's people) were present at the fight; it had been hoped that they would remain neutral. Titokowaru thus gains an accession of some 60 or 70 men to his force.

Last night at about 10 p.m., the rebels advanced to within about 400 yards of the Waihi Camp, and fired a very heavy volley into it, and again this morning, at 2 a.m. They were no doubt of a party who had been searching the bush for the poor fellows left there.

Patea, Sept. 13, 1868. # I find on enquiry here that the Hospital is well supplied with medicines, but that my remarks in my last letter were generally correct. 1 take great pains to send you correct news, but it is a very difficult process, and occasionally I may, notwithstanding all my care, be in error. I find now that a portion of the force did not behave so well as I first heard. There was a want of obedience to orders, and a great deal of random firing, but I do not attribute their conduct to a general want of courage, but to their being raw levies, very partially disciplined, and totally unacquainted with bush fighting. Col. Whitmore's observations on this subject are very pertinent. I have heard from a gentleman, just in from Waihi, that Mr. Rowan is getting on well, and that the doctor has hopes of his recovery, also that the firing at the camp, alluded to in my last special, was not correct. The natives fired about thirty rounds on the other side of the Waingongoro, some two or three miles from camp. Mr. Booth's arrangements in re the public houses, have had a good effect, to-day and to-night have been the quietest that we have had for a long time.

The natives (neutral) still remain quiet, several have joined the enemy it is true, and they may possibly gradually drift away in this manner, but I hope for the best. This morning one of the men left in the bush named Dore came into camp at Waihi, he was very much exhausted, having been without food all the time he was in the bush, one of his arms, I do not know which, was broken, and his feet were much bruised and swollen. He says that after he was wounded he tried to keep up with the retreating force, but found he could not as he was getting faint from loss of blood and pain. Mr Livingston saw him and gave him some brandy, but could not help him further. Soon after, hearing the natives coming, he lay down behind a tree and feigned death. There, after the natives came and stripped him with the exception of his shirt, and though they twisted his broken arm, he had sufficient nerve not to call out, they did not stop long, being in a hurry to follow the force. He then got up and went further into the bush and remained there a day and a night, close to the pa. He then searched about and found the track and eventually reached Waihi. He says when he was crossing the Waingongoro that he was seen by the enemy and fired at, and hid himself in some scrub near to the river for a time. Whilst he was hiding in the bush he heard the natives dragging two wounded men into the pa, one he recognised by his voice to be Corporal Russell, of the Taranaki volunteers, he heard him say, " Why don't you kill me at once you wretches." The other was calling out in broken Maori, and he could not understand what he said. When, as he supposes, they had reached the pa, there was a great shouting and yelling, and soon after he saw a great deal of smoke, as if large fires were being made and then he heard the most dreadful screams. There is too much reason to fear these poor men were roasted. Corporal Russell leaves a wife and large family in New Plymouth. We left about 44 stand of arms in the bush The Wellington Rangers arc stationed in Patea, their time of service expires on the 16th. I hear most of them will claim their discharge, this, with our casualties, which up to the present are over 80, will make a reduction of about 150 men.

[We have been favoured with a slip from the " Wanganui Cronicle " office and other files, courteusly furnished us by Captain Daniels and officers of theWallibi. "We extract the above latest prrticu'ara.]