Bush Fighting. Illustrated by remarkable actions and incidents of the Maori War in New Zealand ... With a map, plans, and woodcuts

Front matter

ATTACK ON A MAORI pah. Frontispiece BUSH FIGHTING ILLUSTRATED BY Sections anfo Jncibents OF THE MAOEI WAR IN NEW ZEALAND. BY M A JOE-GENE R AL SIE JAMES EDW. ALEXANDER, K.C.L.S., F.H.S.E. ; AUTHOR OF " A CASIPAIGN IN CAFFRELAND," " EXPLORATIONS IN AFRICA AND AMERICA," ETC. WITH A MAP, PLANS, AND WOODCUTS LONDON: SAMPSON LOW, MAESTON, LOW AND SEAELE CROWN BUILDINGS, 188 FLEET STREET. 1873. [AU Rights reserved.) LONDON : PRINT-ED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, STAMFORD STREF.T AND CHARING CROSS. BY PEBMISSION, MOST RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED TO FIELD-MAESHAL HIS EOYAL HIGHNESS THE DUKE OF OAMBEIDGE, K.G., G.C.B., K.P., G.C.M.G., COMMANDING IN CHIEF, By the AUTHOR. " The British Army, under whatever system, must always be the army of Maryborough and Wellington. It will ever, when the occasion requires and permits, inscribe new glories on the tablets of history and maintain its imperishable renown." — The Right Hon. Edwabd Caedwell, M.P., Secretary of State for War.

Introduction

. The incidents of the Maori War of 1860-61 were published by me some years ago. The events which occurred then, chiefly in the Taranaki, were very interesting, subsequent " actions and incidents " were sanguinary and exciting, and afford useful instruction in Bush Fighting. As no other military or naval man (though many were very well qualified to do so) had given a detailed account of the last operations in New Zealand, I undertook the task, for I thought that in justice to the forces engaged, Regulars and Colonials, soldiers and sailors, their gallant deeds, their labours and sufferings, should be recorded. Thus I have introduced the name of every officer, non-commissioned officer, or private sentinel, soldier, or seaman I

INTRODUCTION.

. VIII could discover, who is mentioned in any dis patch or report of a creditable action. I was liberally allowed by the Military and Naval authorities free access to all the documents at the Horse Guards and Admiralty relating to the Maori War, in order to produce a correct and authentic narrative, which I trust this will be found to be. J. E. A . Westerton, Bridge of Allan, N.B., March, 1, 1873. CONTENTS.

Chapter I

Bush fighting, where practised — Qualifications for it — Equipment of a bush fighter — Head-dress, and how one should be shod — Service in Africa, and in the American forest — Mounted riflemen — Americans appreciate them — Hants Mounted Rifles — First experience in bush fighting in the Andamans — Mounted Rifles at the Cape — The bush in New Brunswick — A sketch of the islands of New Zealand and the Maoris .. .. Page 1

Chapter II

The Tataraimaka block of land in Taranaki — Abandoned, aud to be reoccupied — Appropriation of the Waitara block the cause of the previous war — Is now given up, yet the natives assume the offensive by a deed of blood — A party of officers and soldiers surprised by an ambuscade and slain — Preparations for attacking the hostile natives — Their positions in strong ground — General Cameron forms a corps of cavalry — Lieut. Wallis's adventure — Tho troops march out of New Plymouth to engage the enemy at Katikara — The transport service — Dispositions for the attack of the enemy's position — The details of the fight — CONTENTS. X Loss of the enemy, and their gallantry— Their defeat— The troops thanked— The General returns to Auckland to engage in another campaign in Waikato .. .• •• Page 20

Chapter III

Apprehensions of an attack on Auckland— Preparations for carrying the war into the enemy's country — Disaffected Datives near the settlements— Murder of settlers— Boats built for the Waikato— Colonel Wyatt's march to Tuakau — Conversation with a Maori chief — The natives entrench themselves in defiance of the troops — Lieut.-Colonel Austen (14th Regt.) turns out his command and engages the enemy on the heights of Koheroa — General Cameron gallantly leads on to the rifle-pits — Difficult ground — The enemy defeated — Their loss — Their arms— Captain Ring's convoy attacked in the bush near Drury — Repulsed — Captain Ring attacks the enemy at Kiri-kiri — Reinforced by Colonel Wyatt — Account of him — Valuable services of the Navy — The " Avon" steamer on the Waikato .. .. .. 40

Chapter IV

March on Paperoa and Paparata — The New Zealand Bush — Cleared along the Great South Road — A party of woodcutters surprised, and lose their rifles — Ensign Dawson's skirmish — The enemy takes up a strong position and fortifies it at Merimeri — The chief Wuremu Tamehana — The enemy's position reconnoitred — The Maoris attack and plunder tho Cameron post — Captain Swift's party — Engages the enemy — Captain Swift killed and Lieut. Butler wounded — Gallant and skilful conduct of Colour- Serjeant McKenna — Non-commissioned officers and soldiers who distinguished themselves — Forest Rangers engaged Major Lyons' and Captain Inman's parties engage natives plundering the settlers .. .. .. ., ., CONTENTS. XI

Chapter V

The scene changes to Taranaki — Ambuscades planted by the troops Skirmishes with the enemy — General Galloway — The Maoris advance to attack Poutoko — Major Butler and Captain Shortt engage the enemy — The wounded nobly assisted — Activity of the officers of the Rangers — A repulse in the province of Auckland of Lieut. Lusk's party — Expedition to the Thames, and its object — General Cameron reconnoitres the enemy's position at Meri-meri — The works there are abandoned and occupied by the troops . . . . . . . . . . Page 80

Chapter VI

The Waikato river — Rangariri — " Angry Heavens " — Maori entrenchment there — General Cameron reconnoitres the enemy's position, and directs troops to land in rear of it — Arrangements for the attack on the works — Description of them — Difficulty in landing part of the force — The assault ordered — The enemy's lines carried — The 40th Regiment drive the Maoris out of their rifle-pits — Determined resistance of the Maoris in their strong redoubt — Heavy losses sustained there by the troops — Assaults by the infantry, artillery, and the seamen — Operations suspended during the night — The Maoris hoist the white flag and surrender next morning — Account of some of the officers killed and wounded — The war continued . . . . . . 94

Chapter VII

Ngaruawahia, the residence of the Maori King, occupied by the troops — Ascent of the Rivers Waikato and Waipa — Taupiri — The Queen's flag hoisted— Its effect — The granddaughter of a Chief left as a hostage — Difficulties of the commissariat — Soldiers should be willing road-makers— Colonel Warre arranges CONTENTS. to surprise a pah in Taranaki— The party unsuccessful — " We cannot always command success " — Thanks to the Forces— Sir Duncan Cameron a K.C.B. — Captain Greaves, Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General, with tho expedition of Colonel Carey to the Thames— Posts established there— Troops march up the Waipa — Wise precautions — Arrival of fresh troops Page 112

Chapter VIII

Movement on Rangiawhia — A bathing party attacked by the Maoris — A sharp skirmish ensues — Officers engaged — Captain Heaphy earns the Victoria Cross — March to turn the flank of the enemy — Maori sentries— Desperate resistance of the natives — Colonel Nixon killed — The action at Rangiawhia — The Maori position — Brilliant dash of the 50th Regiment — Defeat of the Maoris — The troops are thanked — Devoted services of the Bishop of New Zealand — The military telegraph — The important results of the late movements .. .. .. .. .. 128

Chapter IX

A settler, Mr. Paterson, murdered in the Taranaki — Major Butler sent to reconnoitre the strong position at Kaitake — And skirmishes with the enemy — Artillery despatched to the Taranaki — Outposts destroyed — Considerations on the destruction of crops — Attack on Ahu Ahu — Colonel Warre's preparations to assault Kaitake — The place is carried — Services of the officers and men acknowledged by Colonel Warre 149

Chapter X

Orakau — Remarkable in the history of the Maori war — Brigadier- General Carey joins the troops on the Waikato— Major McNeil, CONTENTS. XIII A.D.C., gains the Victoria Cross— The Maoris strongly entrench themselves at Orakau — Plan for attacking the pah — The enemy opens fire — Death of Captain Ring — Gallantry of Captain Baker, Deputy Assistant-Adjutant-General — A sap determined on — A breach attempted — A native reinforcement is shelled — Desperate resistance of the Maori garrison — Summoned to surrender — Refuses to do so or to send out the women— Sudden abandonment of the pah — The column of Maoris pursued and scattered — Casualties — Remarks by Sir Duncan Cameron Page 159

CHAPTER XL

The Maoris retreat to Mangatautari — Their works there are abandoned — Surrender of a party of natives — Captain Lloyd's party surprised and scattered — Precautions in bush fighting — The Gate pah — Preparations for attacking it — Composition of the force — Colonel Greer's night march — 68th Regiment posted to intercept the enemy — Feigned attack — Disposal of the troops round the pah — The assaulting column is repulsed — Heavy losses — Particulars of naval officers and men — Maori letters and 175 messages

Chapter XII

Proceedings on the west coast — Major Butler's flying column — Deserted pahs burnt — Feuds between tribes on the east coast — The post at Maketu — Narrow escape of Major Colville — The enemy invests the redoubt — Are fired on in their retreat by ships of war — An Amazon — The troops are hutted for the winter — The Pai mariri superstition — The priest Te Ua — Conflict at Motua Island— Extended operations proposed— Remarkable attack on Sentry Hill— Gallantly repulsed by Captain Shortt— Maoris prepare for an attack at Tauranga— Entrench CONTENTS. themselves at Te Rangi — Action and success there under Colonel Greer — Distinguished services of individuals engaged — Tribute paid to the troops . . . . . . . . . . Page 205

Chapter XIII

Some native warriors surrender — The forests about Auckland cleared of the enemy — Discussions about the disposal of the land — The Governor addresses the Maoris at Tauranga — An unexpected event occurs — The prisoners sent from the hulk in Auckland harbour to Kawau island — They break their parole and escape — They take post on a mountain — Unsettled state of the south-west coast — Commissariat arrangements — Successful operations in Taranaki — Te Arei pah — Mr. Parris — Great meeting of chiefs — A road to be opened along the south-west coast .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 225

Chapter XIV

Movement to Wanganui — Advance of the troops to the west — Nukumaru— Pickets attacked— Death of Lieutenant Johnston- Bold attack of the enemy — Charged by cavalry— Officers conspicuous in the action — Geneial Cameron requires reinforcements—Home authorities wish to reduce the force — Supplies abundant — Advance on the Patea river — A smart action with the enemy— His flank turned — Manutahi— Extensive Maori cultivations utilised by the troops .. .. .. 241

Chapter XV

Sir Duncan Cameron asks to be relieved from his command— His distinguished services— The Commissariat— Loss of lives in surf boats— Murder of Mr. Hewitt— Chiefs surrender to Brigadier- General Carey -Mr. George Graham's services — Unarmed CONTENTS. XV soldiers surprised in Taranaki — Colonel Colville's expedition — Fight at Okea— Dreadful fate of the Rev. Mr. Volkner— The Rev. Mr. Grace — The strong pah of Wereroa to be attacked — It is described — Colonial troops and native allies, assisted by the Regulars, to attempt the attack of the pah — Sir George Grey directs — 14th and 18th Regiments co-operate — Garrison, harassed by riflemen, evacuate the pah — Services of the forces recognised — Notice of Sir George Grey's career . . . . Page 257