THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

205

carrying one day's cooked rations, and a
greatcoat each, on the 28th ultimo, at a
quarter to 7 o'clock P.M., my object being to
get in rear of the enemy's position by means
of a flank march round their right. To
accomplish this it was necessary to cross a
mud flat, at the head of a bay, about three
quarters of a mile long, only passable at low
water, and then nearly knee deep, and within
musketry range of the shore, in possession of
the enemy-rough, high ground, covered
with ti-tree and fern.

2. At the point at which I got off the mud
   flat, there is a swamp about 100 yards broad,
   covered with ti-tree about 5 feet high, on
   the opposite side of which the end of a spur
   -which runs down from the high ground in
   rear of the pa-rose abruptly. This was
   also covered with heavy fern and ti-tree.

3. It being of the first importance that
   this movement should be accomplished with-
   out attracting the attention of the enemy,
   my instructions were to gain the top of the
   spur alluded to during the darkness, and
   remain there until there should be sufficient
   light to move on.

4. The regiment was all across, lying down
   in line along the crest of the ridge, with
   picquets posted round them, at 10 o'clock,
   which was two hours before the moon rose.
   I beg here to state that to the well-timed
   feigned attack made by the Lieutenant-
   General commanding, on the front of the
   enemy's pa, I consider myself indebted for
   having been enabled to accomplish this, the
   most difficult part of the march, without
   being attacked at a great disadvantage, and
   exposing the movement to the enemy; for
   when we reached the top of the ridge, the
   remains of their picquet fires were discovered,
   the picquets having no doubt retired to
   assist in the defence of the pa.

5. About half-past 1 o'clock A.M., I ad-
   vanced, and at 3 o'clock I reached a position
   about 1000 yards directly in rear of the pa.
   I was guided in selecting this position by
   hearing the Maoris talking in their pa, and
   the sentries challenging in our Head Quar-
   ters Camp. It was dark and raining at the
   time.

6. I immediately sent Major Shuttleworth
   forward with three companies, to take a
   position on the left rear of the pa, and I
   placed picquets round the remainder of the
   rear, about 700 yards distance from it.

7. At daybreak I detached three companies
   to the right, under command of Major Kir-
   by, and posted a chain of sentries, so that no
   one could come out of the pa without being
   seen. Up to this time the enemy did not
   appear to be aware that they were surround-
   ed; they were singing and making speeches
   in their pa. Later in the morning, Lieut.-
   Colonel Gamble, C.B., Deputy-Quarter-
   Master-General, visited my post, having an
   escort with him of 30 men of the Naval
   Brigade under Lieutenant Hotham, R.N.,
   and seeing that I wanted a reinforcement on
   my right, he left his escort with me, and I
   received valuable assistance from that excel-
   lent officer and his party. About the same
   time Major Shuttleworth moved more to his
   closer to the pa.

8. Those positions were not altered during
   the bombardment, except temporarily, when
   the Maoris showed a disposition to come out
   at one or other flank, or when it was neces-
   sary to move a little from a position getting
   more than its share of the splinters of shell
   which kept falling about all day during the
   bombardment.

9. When the bombardment ceased, and the
   signal of a rocket let me know that the as-
   sault was about being made, I moved up
   close round the rear of the pa in such a
   position that the Maoris could not come out
   without being met by a strong force.

10. About 5 o'clock, P.M., the Maoris made
    a determined rush from the right rear of
    their pa. I met them with three com-
    panies, and, after a skirmish, drove the main
    body back into the pa; about twenty got
    past my right, but they received a flank fire
    from Lieut. Cox's party (68th, 60 men,) and
    Lieut. Hotham's (30 men) Naval Brigade,
    and sixteen of the Maoris were seen to fall; a
    number of men pursued the remainder. By
    the time I had collected the men again and
    posted them, it was very dark. My force
    available on the right was quite inadequate
    to cover the ground in such a manner as to
    prevent the Maoris from escaping during the
    night; in fact I consider that on such a wet
    dark night as that was, nothing but a close
    chain of sentries strongly supported round
    the whole rear and flanks, could have kept
    the Maoris in, and to do that, a much
    stronger force than I had would have been
    necessary.

11. During the night the Maoris made
    their escape. I think that, taking advantage
    of the darkness, they crept away in small
    parties, for during the night every post either
    saw or heard some of them escaping, and
    fired volleys at them. The Maoris, careful
    not to expose themselves, never returned a
    shot during the night, but there were occa-
    sional shots fired from the pa, no doubt to
    deceive us as to their having left it.

12. I cannot speak too highly of the con-
    duct of the 68th during the march on Thurs-
    day night; it was performed with the most
    complete stillness and regularity. I have
    also the greatest pleasure in being able to
    state that during the whole of their fatiguing
    duty they were always ready to obey cheer-
    fully any order they received, and after dark
    it was most difficult to move about from the
    way in which the ground in rear was swept
    by the musketry in front.

13. I am much indebted to the officers
    and non-commissioned officers for the ac-
    tive intelligence and zeal with which they
    performed their duty. I beg to mention par-
    ticularly Major Shuttleworth, 68th Light
    Infantry, who, with the guide and six men,
    went feeling the way to the front during the
    night march, and afterwards commanded on
    the left, repelling several attempts of the
    Maoris to get away in that direction.
    Capt. Trent, 68th Light Infantry, who,
    with his company, formed the advanced