384
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

Captain Mace and three (3) of his men were
proceeding to Warea on duty, on the morning of the
20th instant, to communicate with the Lieutenant-
Colonel regarding an ambuscade which had been
planted in the very same place two days previously,
which resulted in the capture of "Jim" a friendly
Native, attached to the troops at Warea, whom the
rebels robbed of his gun, clothes, and about £25 in
money, his saving for many a month past.

On Captain Mace arriving at the spot, about 15 or
20 Maoris jumped up and fired upon him, wounding
two of his men very severely, and inflicting a slight
wound upon Captain Mace, whose horse, as also
those belonging to the other two men wounded were
shot, but the whole party were able to reach the
redoubt, from which Lieutenant-Colonel Colville, 43rd
Light Infantry, immediately took out a party, with
which he scoured the country, endeavouring to cut off
the natives in their retreat to their temporary places
of residence, in rear of the position at Te Puru and
Kekena, destroyed on the 12th June last. In this he
partially succeeded, but the natives dispersed, and
sought safety in the dense bush.

This is the boldest attempt the rebel natives have
made to seek "Utu" for their killed on the 2nd August,
and shows how entirely useless the Ngamahunga
Natives (who have lately been placed near Moketuna
near where the ambuscade was formed) are to secure
the free communication with Warea. Indeed their
presence in the district throws Europeans off their
guard, as it is difficult to tell the Ngamahunga
Natives from the rebels, and they have no European
Interpreter or Native Officer living with them.

I have, &c.,
H. J. WARRE,
Colonel Commanding Troops Taranaki.

The Asst. Military Secretary,
&c. &c.
Head Quarters.

New Plymouth, N.Z.,
23rd October, 1865.

SIR,-I have the honor to transmit the accom-
panying report from the Officer Commanding at
Warea, for the information of the Major-General
Commanding.

It is with much regret that I call the attention of
the Major-General to the great loss the troops in
this Province will experience by being deprived, I
hope only for a time, of the valuable services of
Brevet Lieutenant - Colonel Colville, 43rd Light
Infantry, who was very severely wounded, and I fear
thigh-bone broken, by musket ball, when in command
of this very cleverly planned ambuscade, by the other-
wise successful result of which I trust the rebel
Maoris have severely suffered.

I am assured that the conduct of the officers, non-
commissioned officers and men of the 43rd Light
Infantry, and the Taranaki Mounted Corps under
Captain Mace, who was slightly wounded on the 20th
instant, was excellent, and the fact that the Maoris
retired into the dense bush, leaving the troops, who
were forced to remain for two hours while convey-
ance for the wounded was sent for to the Camp, in
possession of the ground, shews that they must have
suffered severely, although it would be useless to
hazard a conjecture as to their loss, which the thick
scrub and nature of the country so often enables them
to conceal.

I enclose one Return of Casualties, and I have
given directions for the wounded to be brought into
town, as soon as practicable, for further treatment.

I have, &c.,
H. J. WARRE,
Colonel Commanding at Taranaki.

MOUNTED CORPS.

Nominal Return of Officers and Men of the above
corps wounded by Rebel Natives in ambuscade on
the Coast Road, 20th October, 1865:---
Captain Mace, gunshot wound left thigh, ball grazing
the skin; slightly wounded.
William Oxenham, gunshot wound of all the toes of
left foot; very severely wounded.
William Bullot, gunshot wound back of head, ball
grazing occiputal bone; very severely wounded.

Camp Warea,
22nd October, 1865.

SIR,-I have the honor to report, to you for the
information of the Officer Commanding that a party,
as per state herewith forwarded, left Camp this morn-
ing at 2.15 a.m., to lay in ambush for the Rebel
Maoris at a place called Ngakumikumi, about 3 miles
from Camp. The force was concealed in the old pa
on a hill at the point where the track, along which
Major Russell's ambuscade was posted on the occasion
of taking Te Poru, joining the main road.

Captain Mace, as previously arranged, left Camp
with his mounted men at 7 a.m., with a view of draw-
ing the rebels down past our position; he proceeded
leisurely about half a mile beyond us, and on his re-
turn two parties of Maoris, the one consisting of
about 30, the other of about 20 men, were seen
coming down the track from Te Poru.

The smaller body which was in advance passed some
distance from where a detached party of 25 men under
Lieutenant Longley was posted, he opened fire upon
them, which they at once rushing into the bush and
taking advantage of a gully in the rear, returned
briskly.

The other party advanced in skirmishing order
across the level taking advantage of the flax and dense
scrub towards the side of the hill occupied by Bt.
Lieut.-Colonel Colville, and heavy firing ensued on
both sides. The Natives' fire slackened by degrees
and the two parties withdrew, gradually firing and
retiring, the one in direction of Te Poru, the other
across the river. The Native loss has not been
ascertained, as taking advantage of the irregularities
of the ground and the protection afforded by the
underwood they withdrew their killed and wounded
under cover of a heavy fire.

I much regret to have to inform you that Lieut.-
Colonel Colville was very severely wounded in the
thigh early in the skirmish.

I annex return of killed and wounded.

Being hampered with wounded, I did not consider
it advisable to follow the enemy even had it seemed
probable that it would have been advantageous, and
owing to the scattered way in which the Natives
retreated it did not appear likely it would lead to any
result; so on the arrival of the stretchers I returned
to Camp.

I have shewn this to Lieut.-Colonel Colville who
entirely agrees with this report.

I have, &c.,
ARTHUR E. HARRIS,
Captain 43rd Light Infantry.

Detachment 43rd Light Infantry.

Marching-out-State of the above detachment:—
Marched out—1 Field Officer, 1 Captain, 2 Subal-
terns, 6 Sergeants (including 2 Lance Sergeants)
2 Drummers, 83 Rank and File.
Mounted Corps—1 Captain; Rank and File (number
not stated, about 10.)
Officers Names—Bt. Lt.-Col. Colville, Capt. Harris,
Lt. Longley, Ensign O'Brien.