240
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

ing out your orders by the steadiness and
ready obedience of the whole force under my
command, as shown in the margin.
I would also observe that Lieutenant
Clarke, 57th Regiment, D.-A.-Qr.-Master
General in carrying out the duties of his
department, Mr. Parris, Assistant Native
Secretary, and Ensign Arthur Bayley, Tara-
naki Militia, who accompanied me as guide,
afforded me every assistance.

I have, &c.,

H. BUTLER,
Major Commanding
57th Regt.

Colonel Warre, C.B.,
Commanding Troops, Taranaki.

NOMINAL RETURN OF KILLED AND WOUNDED OF THE TROOPS AT KOPUA, ON 20TH
APRIL, 1864.

H. J. WARRE, Col.,
Commanding Troops, Taranaki.
Corps.
Regtl.
No.
Rank and Name
Age.
Service
Years of
Nature of Injury.
Result.
Remarks.
57th Regt. 2757 Pte. John Dowling. 28 10 Gunshot wound of left Severe. Ball ex-
tracted.
(With Flying Column un-
der Major Butler,
57th Regt., Kopua,
Taranaki.)

J. E. YOUNG,
Staff Surgeon.

that they had, with a courage proved by
their severe loss, boldly advanced to the
attack. I immediately ordered reinforce-
ments* from town, and proceeded towards
the scene of action. On reaching Mahoetahi,
I was informed by Major Butler, commanding
the outposts, that the attack had been most
successfully repulsed by Capt. Shortt and by
the small garrison at Sentry Hill under his
command; and that although Major Butler
with a reinforcement † from the Regular and
Militia Forces at Mahoetahi, and one 12-lb.
howitzer, had immediately proceeded to Capt.
Shortt's assistance—the rebels were already
driven back, and it only remained for Major
Butler to give directions to collect the killed
and wounded, (34) thirty-four of whom scat-
tered at different distances, and one within
fifteen yards of the Redoubt, were brought
in, and nearly double that number, as is
stated, were wounded, and carried away by
their comrades.

On reaching Sentry Hill, I had much
satisfaction in 'witnessing the result of this
most successful engagement, in which we
had only one man wounded; and as I had
taken on the friendly Chief Mahau and one
or two other influential natives, I was able
through Mr. Parris to identify several of the
principal Chiefs killed, among whom, by the
enclosed Report, the Lieut.-General will be
glad to observe the names of Parengi Kingi,
Manaihi, and some of the most troublesome
and warlike of the neighbouring tribes.

On Captain Shortt hearing the Maoris in
the adjoining bush, he, without the
slightest noise or evidence of his watchful-
ness, fell in the men of his detachment at
their appointed stations, and made them sit
down on the banquette with strict orders
not to show themselves or to fire until they
received the order to do so. The Maoris
(reported by the prisoners as over 300 in
number), advanced to within 300 yards of
the Redoubt. They hesitated, evidently
startled by the unexpected silence, then
approached a little nearer, and some more
bold than the others rushed forward. Captain
Shortt called upon his men to stand to their
arms, and a succession of volleys, with an
occasional shell from the 4-inch cohorns by
which the Redoubt was defended, stopped
the Maoris in their advance; they hesitated,
broke, and fled, leaving, as above stated, up-
wards of thirty killed and several wounded,
while numbers were seen to fall and to be
dragged off by their comrades. Major
Butler with the reinforcement from Mahoe-
tahi followed up the pursuit, but the bush
offered facilities of escape, and the weakness
of his force prevented his attempting to gain
any further advantage.

It was too late to do so upon the arrival
of the 200 men from town (nine miles

• 100 of 57th Regt., 100 Taranaki Rifle Volunteers.

• 112-lb. howitzer, 25 of 57th Regt., 80 of Militia.
  ‡ Lieut. Larcon, R. A., Ensign Douglas, 57th, Captain :
  Brassy, T.M.
  Drummer D. Hurley, 57th Regt.

New Plymouth,
1st May, 1864.

SIR,-I have the honor to report for the
information of the Lieut.-General command-
ing, that at an early hour yesterday morning
I received information by Telegraph from
Sentry Hill that the rebel Maoris were in
unusual numbers dancing their war dance
within a short distance of the Redoubt, and
shortly after another telegram informed me