536

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Camp Pukorokoro,
November 24th, 1863.

SIR,—I have the honor to report for the
information of the Lieut.-General Command-
ing the Forces, that the troops under my
command reached this place at half-past six
o'clock last evening, after a very harassing
march over a most difficult country, having
left Hauraki at eleven o'clock.

The men were all ashore by half-past eight
o'clock a.m., and the horses at 10.45,—each
horse had to be landed separately.

The boats of the Royal Navy, under com-
mand of Captains Jenkins and Hamilton,
with the provision cutters, arrived off the
mouth of the stream about the same time.

On landing it was found that the natives
had recently held the position. The mouth
of the river is staked across, and the entrance
strongly defended by rifle pits (traversed), and
others partially dug: these were at once
occupied by Blue Jackets, Royal Marines, and
the baggage guard of the troops; and the dis-
embarkation of the camp equipage, &c., &c.,
commenced, and is now being continued.

On reaching the settlement here, fires were
found still alight in the whares, boxes locked,
furniture, cooking utensils, a bell tent, a bag
of bullets, &c., giving evidence of a hurried
departure.

A whale-boat, a war canoe, and other canoes
were also found in the neighbouring creeks.

Owing to the deep mud, and the impracti-
cability of the creek for ships' boats, except
at high water, the landing of the baggage will
be very tedious.

I would strongly recommend two flat-bot-
tomed boats of very light draught being sent
here at once.

The site for the post has been chosen, and
the Redoubt will be commenced as soon as
the "materiel" is landed, and carried up the
hill to the encampment.

The Redoubt will require a small open
work on a hill a few hundred yards to the
southward, which will command it; but
which being very steep and more distant from
the landing-place, would not be a suitable site
for the Redoubt.

I purpose establishing the Commissariat
Store immediately below the Redoubt on a
flat spot, round which the creek runs, and on
which supplies can be landed by small boats
at high tide.

Being commanded by the Redoubt, the
Commissariat Stores will merely require a
small guard over them.

The s.s. "Corio" will return to Auckland
to-night for the baggage horses. In the
meantime, I purpose reconnoitering the
country towards Paparata, and fixing the site
of a post, if necessary, midway.

I take this opportunity of bringing to the
notice of the Commander of the Forces the
very efficient manner in which the disembar-
kation of the troops and horses was effected
by the Royal Navy, under Captains Jenkins
and Hamilton, without loss or accident, and
beg to testify to their extreme kindness
and attention to the wants of the officers
and men during the week of our detention off
Waiheki Island, on board the "Miranda"
and "Esk."

I have, &c.,
GEORGE CAREY,
Colonel Commanding Thames Force.

The Deputy Quartermaster General,
&c., &c., &c.,

Camp, near Paparata,
December 5, 1863.

SIR,—I have the honor to report for the
information of the Lieut.-General commanding
that the remainder of the force under my com-
mand(after establishing posts at Pukorokoro—
"Miranda" Redoubt, and at Maiapu, "Esk"
Redoubt) reached this yesterday evening, and
encamped within a few hundred yards of the
Paparata Stockade.

A portion of the force marched to the latter
place this afternoon (having been prevented
from doing so by heavy rain in the morning),
cut down the stockade and set fire to the
whares, which were capable of holding some
700 Natives.

The enemy must have evacuated the place
some time since.

The position is not one suited for a redoubt,
being commanded by a hill in rear, with a
deep wooded gully intervening; it is likewise
out of the direct line of communication from
the other Thames posts to the Waikato posts,
and not visible from the "Esk" Redoubt.

I have therefore decided on building a
redoubt on this hill, which commands a fine
view of the country as far as Waikari Lake,
including the Queen's Redoubt and adjacent
posts on the west, and "Esk" Redoubt and a
portion of the Thames Firth on the east, thus
a system of telegraph by signal may be at once
established between the Thames and the
Waikato.

Subject to the approval of the Commander
of the Forces, I have named this redoubt
"Surrey," having the head quarters of the
70th Regiment encamped here.

As Captain Greaves, Deputy-Assistant
Quartermaster-General, is sending you a re-
port of the nature of the defences of the late
Paparata stockade, it is needless for me to
do so.

The rifle pits I purpose having filled in on
Monday next.

I forward to the Deputy-Adjutant General
a state showing the present distribution of
the Force under my command.

A party of the Defence Force, under Mr.
Macdonald, proceed with this mail to the
Queen's Redoubt, from whence I have to
request some oxen may be sent to this camp,
so that the troops may obtain some fresh
meat, having been on salt provisions since they
left Auckland on the 16th of last month, with
the exception of one day's fresh meat procured
at Pukorokoro.

I have, &c.,
GEORGE J. CAREY,
Commanding Field Force.

Colonel Gamble,
Dep. Q. M. General,
Head-quarters.