372
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

casualties to report, The Maoris, as usual,
fired high, their bullets passing through several
of the tents.

I have, &c.,
J. S. TALBOT, Lt.,
Commanding Detachment 65th Regt.,
Razor-back.

Lt.-Col. Carey, C.B.,
D.A.G.,
Queen's Redoubt.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 11th September, 1863.

IT is with very great regret that His Ex-
cellency the Governor directs it to be
notified that he has received from Lieut.-
General Cameron, C.B., the following des-
patch respecting the death of Capt. Swift, of
the 65th Regt., who was regarded by the
Lieut.-General as a very gallant and promis-
ing officer, and whose loss the Governor feels
assured will be deeply lamented by the in-
habitants of this Colony, in whose defence he
was engaged when he so nobly fell in the
discharge of his duty.

ALFRED DOMETT.

Head Quarters,
Queen's Redoubt, 9th Sept., 1863.

Sir, I have the honor to inform your Excel-
lency that about 4 o'clock p.m. on the 7th
inst., I received intelligence from Captain
Swift, 65th regiment, commanding the redoubt
at Tuakau, that the pah at Cameron Town, in
which a quantity of commissariat supplies had
been stored prior to their conveyance in canoes
to the Bluff by the friendly natives, had been
attacked, and the stores captured and destroyed
by the insurgents. Captain Swift stated also
that he had started with a party of 50 men to
scour the bush in the direction of Cameron
Town.

As I foresaw the probability of this small
party being beset in the bush by superior num-
bers, I arranged with Captain Sullivan, R.N.,
that a force of 150 men, under the command of
Colonel Murray, 65th regiment, should be
embarked without delay in boats at the Manga-
tawhiri, and proceed to Tuakau, with instruc-
tions to move in support of Captain Swift's
party.

I herewith enclose an account of the engage-
ment, given me by Lieutenant Butler, 65th
regiment, who is now in the Queen's redoubt,
having been severely wounded at the com-
mencement of the action.

No report has yet been received from Color-
sergeant MacKenna, on whom the command
of Captain Swift's party devolved when both
officers were disabled, as that non-commis-
sioned officer is still at Tuakau. He appears
to have acted with great judgment and courage,
and to have secured the confidence of the men
at once by his admirable conduct.

Your Excellency will, I feel sure, share in
my admiration of the conduct of the whole of
the detachment, animated as they were by the
noble example of their commander; and that
you will join me in lamenting the loss which
the service has sustained by the death of so
gallant and promising an officer as Captain
Swift.

Colonel Murray, whose report is enclosed,
returned with his detachment this morning;
and as four men were still missing when he left
Tuakau, I ordered a detachment of 100 men of
the 40th regiment, under the command of Major
Blyth, to march there this morning and occupy
the post during the temporary absence of an
equal number of its garrison, who were to pro-
ceed in search of the missing men.

I forward herewith a copy of the return of
the casualties on this occasion.

I have, &c.,
D. A. CAMERON,
Lt. Gen.

To His Excellency Sir George Grey,
K.C.B., &c., &c., &c.,
Governor of New Zealand,
Auckland.

STATEMENT MADE BY LIEUT.
BUTLER, 65TH REGIMENT.

The firing at Camerontown was heard at
Tuakau a little before 11 a.m. on the 7th, and
the friendly pah could be plainly seen in
flames. Not long after 5 friendly natives of
Kukutai's people arrived in a canoe, who said
they were on the beach near Camerontown
when the rebels attacked the pah. Captain
Swift then determined to proceed in the direc-
tion of Camerontown with a party of 50 men.
We left Tuakau about half-past 12, and after
a march of two hours over a very difficult
track, a distance probably of 7 miles, we
reached a clearing and passed through it to
the top of a hill, where we got a view of a few
detached whares. Here the track led through
some bush. After penetrating this for about
200 yards, we heard the Maoris talking. We
fancied they were approaching by the track
on which we were, and prepared an ambuscade
for them, by extending on both sides of the
track. Finding the Maoris did not come on
as we had expected, Captain Swift ordered the
men to fix bayonets. We pushed on from
12 to 20 yards, led by Captain Swift, when at
a turn of the track they opened fire on us.

They were evidently ready for us, and must
have seen us from the pah a long time before
we reached them. Captain Swift fell at the
first volley. I asked if we should charge. He
said-Yes; and when I was doing so about 10
yards in advance of the men, I was brought to
the ground. I drew my revolver, and they
say that I shot two men with it. Color-Sergt,
McKenna, who was very cool and collected
throughout, then took charge of the party, and
a skirmish ensued which lasted about twenty
minutes, during which he stated that he saw
7 Maoris fall. The enemy driven back
200 or 300 yards. The men remained all
night on the ground from where the natives
had been driven, excepting the advance guard,
which had become separated from us before
the engagement. It appears to have shared
in the attack, and rejoined the main body
shortly before we arrived at the Tuakau.