162
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

from which a heavy fire had been kept up on
the centre and right parties, who with a
tremendous cheer for the Queen pushed
rapidly forward. The party under Captain
Schomberg, 57th, led by Major Butler,
mounted the high ground to the right, also
taking the rifle pits on that side in reverse;
and Captain Russell's party, under my imme-
diate direction, forced their way through the
very formidable double line of palisades
which extends across the valley, backed by
rifle pits, from which the Maoris had been
driven by the fire of the parties above, and
were escaping as rapidly as possible.

Captains Atkinson and Good's Rifle Vo-
lunteers had found the bush track so over-
grown, that they were, unfortunately, a few
minutes late, but they did good service by
appearing at the very top of the clearing, by
which line they prevented the Maoris
escaping, and killed one, Kati Ruaturiwhati,
the chief owner of the land in the Oakura
and Tapuae district.

With the exception of Captains Atkinson
and Corbett's men, who had a very fatiguing
night march-and to the latter it is with
much pleasure I give the credit of taking
possession of the pa on the top of the hill,
which is, as I always imagined, the key to
the whole position-the troops generally only
took up their positions at 10 o'clock, and in
twenty minutes they were in possession of
the whole line of works, extending for at
least half a mile from the high ground on the
right, which Major Butler gained by his
successful flank march up a very steep in-
cline to the pas taken by Captain Corbett on
the left.

The Maoris made one attempt to recover
their prestige by creeping through the bush,
and firing a volley upon Captains Schomberg
and Page's companies, in which one man was
severely wounded and one horse shot. Ano-
ther Maori was captured in the fern, after
deliberately attempting to shoot one of the
Mounted Corps, who upon this, as on every
occasion, rendered me most valuable assis-
tance. It is surprising even after the place
was taken, that more casualties did not occur,
so many Maoris concealed themselves in the
fern and standing crops of Indian corn,
which, with potatoes, &c., covered the cleared
ground around the pas to an extent of 30 or
40 acres, and from which and the adjoining
bush the Maoris kept up for some time an
ineffectual fire, until driven away by a few
rockets and shells from the cohorn mortar.

Although the wounds are severe, we did
not lose a single man.. I need hardly dwell
upon the importance of this success, and the
Lieutenant-General himself is well aware
how impregnable the position appeared.

I am sure the Lieutenant-General will give
the officers, non-commissioned officers, and
men of the small force under my command,
the credit they so truly deserve for their
gallantry and willingness to undergo the
fatigue of the four days' operations they
have brought to so successful a close. I
have taken the liberty of transmitting a
nominal and a numerical Return, by which
the Lieutenant-General will see what officers
were engaged on this occasion.

I at once made arrangements to occupy one
of the pas, within which I directed Lieuten-
ant Ferguson, R.E., to construct a redoubt,
leaving the stockade to prevent the rebels
from attempting to scale the parapets, as the
nature of the ground obliges its construction
very close to the edge of the bush; and I
also directed the whole of the stockading
across the valley to be levelled, and the rifle
pits filled in.

To Major Butler, 57th Regiment, I am
most especially indebted for the cordial co-
operation and assistance he renders me on
every occasion, and in this for the gallant
manner in which, on seeing the place taken,
he not only conceived the idea, but led the
men under Captains Schomberg and Page to
the top of the range on the right, from which
he partially intercepted the retreat of the
Maoris.

The firing of the Armstrong guns, and
especially of that in charge of Sergeant
Spink, was most excellent; but it is very
evident that such guns are of little use in
breaching native pahs.

My own Staff officers, Lieutenant C. M.
Clarke, D.A.Q.M. General, and Lieutenant
E. Brutton, Gar.-Adjutant, were unremitting
in the execution of my orders. Captain F.
Mace, Taranaki Militia, volunteered his ser-
vices, and as on every occasion, rendered me
very good service.

Staff-Surgeon Young was on the ground,
and attended promptly to the wounded men;
and I would wish specially to bring to the
Lieutenant-General's notice, the very con-
siderate manner in which Staff-Assistant-
Surgeon M. Jones volunteered to proceed,
at 5 o'clock in the morning, with Captain
Atkinson's party, and at a moment's notice,
undertook the five hours' long and fatiguing
march through the bush, rather than allow
them to proceed without a medical officer.
All the officers and men speak loudly in his
praise, although his professional services
were not actually required.

The native prisoner, who is a returned
slave from Waikato, and of no tribal impor-
tance, awaits the orders of the Government
in the civil prison. He states that Kaitake
was defended by 200 Maoris, under Parengi
Kingi, who was the first to run away on
hearing the cheers which preceded our ad-
vance; a sudden panic seized the whole of the
rebels, who, after the departure of their chief,
lost no time in effecting their escape.

Two tiahas (spears) weretaken at Ahu Ahu,
and two native flags from Kaitake. The
latter I forward by this mail, one to His
Excellency the Governor, and one to the
Lieutenant-General Commanding.

The capture of Kaitake has given the most
lively satisfaction to the inhabitants of this
place.

I beg to forward a return of casualties,
which I am happy to say are very small.

I have, &c.

H. J. WARES,
Colonel Commanding at Taranaki.
&c.
Deputy Quartermaster-General,
&c.
Head Quarters.
&c.