CHAPTER IV. Native meetings in the North...
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CHAPTER IV.
Native meetings in the North--Natives engaged in building fortifications--Expedition to Warea--Camp formed at Tataraimaka--Waikatos reinforce Kingi-- Conspiracy to murder Mr Parris--Richard Brown mortally wounded--Natives continue burning the settlers' dwellings--Troops withdrawn from Tataraimaka --Major Nelson attacks Puketakauere--Town intrenched--The whole country in a state of siege.
TO prevent, as far as possible, the war from becoming general throughout the Northern Island, meetings of the natives, attended by Government emissaries, were held in the Waikato and other districts, when an attempt was made to cement the good understanding yet in existence between the greater portion of the two races, and, at the same time, tend to prevent the evil that might arise from false and unexplained reports.
At Lower Waikato, meetings on the subject of the King movement were likewise convened, but attended by the Maori alone; the Taranaki question appearing at the time to excite but little sympathy.
At the seat of war, with the exception of the mischief effected by marauding parties, who roamed over the country, killing and maiming the cattle and stock, burning homesteads, and filling up the wells with the carcases of dead sheep and pigs, all remained in apparent quietude; the greater portion of the natives, both to the North and South, finding full occupation in building fortifications, so as to be enabled to retire from one stronghold to another. We, on our part, finding similar employment in strengthening the few positions we yet held.
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By the arrival of reinforcements in April the Colonel commanding was enabled to take the field on the offensive.
Friday, April 20th, a military and naval force of 500 men left the town for the South, with the intention of invading the territory of the insurgents, and at the same time give an opportunity to the Tataraimaka settlers of saving corn, or whatever might have been left unmolested by the retreating rebels after the battle of Waireka. The numerous guard requisite for the extensive baggage-train would effectually have prevented this small force from acting to any great extent aggressively. The 500 men were accompanied by 6 field-pieces and 40 carts, besides ambulance accommodation, requiring for their draught no less than 250 bullocks.
The force, without any occurrence worthy of record, reached Mr Greenwood's farm at Tataraimaka, where, on rising ground, they pitched and entrenched the camp. The next day working parties were sent out to thrash the wheat and save the root crops.
On Sunday, April 22nd, three companies of the 65th, supported by two field-pieces, started to reconnoitre the country towards Wareatea. The party sighted Komene's pa three miles inland, but saw no natives.
Three days later the camp removed to Wareatea. The Naval Brigade, after along search, succeeded in discovering the mill belonging to the natives of this district, which they did not burn, but rendered useless by removing some of the iron-work. The pa in the neighbourhood was destroyed; the wheat and other grain being given to the winds. By degrees the expedition reached as far as Warea, burning and destroying all that they came across, a vain search being made for the Warea mill. In the progress the only natives seen were about 80 near the Wareatea pa, who appeared lamenting the loss of their property. On the approach of the troops they fired, and rapidly sought the shelter of the scrub and bush.
The stronghold visible inland was not attacked. With the small force at his command, and an extensive frontier to guard, Colonel Gold did not deem it advisable to risk the loss of life that must be incurred by attempting a pa so well situated as to frustrate any endeavour to surround it. The rear being open to the bush and swamp,
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the natives, if hard pressed, could have left the pa, and in small groups found shelter in the many gullies and ravines that intersect the heavy timbered and rugged country, interwoven, as it was, with thorned and tangled creepers of small and large dimensions. Had the pa been taken, it would have been a mere reiteration of the old tale--found empty.
Having destroyed much property of the natives, the troops returned to Tataraimaka; and from thence, leaving 200 men to protect the houses still standing, on to town, bringing with them a large quantity of wheat and many head of cattle.
In retaliation for this destruction of their property the natives commenced firing the settlers' homesteads in all directions. Most of the burnings to the North of the town were effected under the guidance of Tamati Teito, one of the prophets so much believed in by the superstitious Maori.
At Waitara, Hapurona had rendered his pa extremely strong, and had sent a message to Captain Barton, at the camp, that he was ready to fight whenever the English felt inclined. So long as their white ensign was flying he should imagine that they were not ready, but directly the red flag was seen up he would meet them in battle.
Some of the wild and unsettled amongst the Waikatos had joined King, with a proposal to attack the town. This movement of the Waikatos was evidently not from a general impulse, but arose from the desire amongst the young and reckless to obtain plunder and enter into the excitement of battle.
In the Maori we find a people content to live upon the simplest diet and in roughly constructed huts, with no occupation that demands any great energy, either physical or mental. The result is, that, similar to other nations, the tales of deeds of bravery of their forefathers have excited a feeling within them to go and do likewise. The human mind, whether that of savage or civilized men, cannot remain in idleness, and it is upon the internal condition of man that the visible condition of society depends. From childhood have the deeds of bravery of a past generation been instilled into the Maori mind, and thus fitted it to think and speak of war not only as a means of revenge and punishment towards an aggressive enemy, but
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as an ennobling practice, worthy to be followed by the great on earth. It was not until after many of the Waikatos had been slain that a general ill-feeling against the European began to evince itself; and this arose in great part from the excitement created by the many tangi, or crying meetings, that were held in memory of the fallen, "blood for blood" being the Maoris idea of justice.
A section of the Waikatos, with feelings awakened by the means I have described, without any special cause of hatred to the European, arrived to join in the conflict. In their marauding expeditions and trapping of the unwary they were but acting up to their instincts as savages, such as undoubtedly they are. I care not who states to the contrary, no race of beings who live amidst dirt and filth, and on meagre diet, when the means of plenty exist around, can be considered in any shape as connected with true civilization. If a race cannot comprehend the increased value of property by interchange, they are unfit occupants as independent rulers of so important a country, both from climate and geographical position, as that of New Zealand.
Whilst on this subject I would here state, that in the purchase of lands from the natives the English have been blameless. The North Americans had real grounds of complaint, inasmuch as the white man's clearings in their forests drove back the game upon which they chiefly relied to support existence. In New Zealand, on the contrary, the Europeans have alone taken such lands as the Maori has shown a willingness to part with: he received, in return, in the article of agricultural implements alone, that which has increased a thousand-fold the value of the lands retained.
The weather at this period was excessively inclement, exposed to the severities of which, night after night, were the outlying picquets of civilians and military. The sufferings of the former were pitiable, many of them having lost their all, being indifferently clad. No warm, or even clothing of any sort, was served out to these extemporized soldiers, who, notwithstanding their privations and discomforts, have boldly and continually adhered to their duty.
Mr Parris, who had been requested by the Rev. Mr Morgan, of Otawhao, to meet the Waikatos that would return with the party
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of Ngatiruanuis and Taranakis who had been visiting Potatau, and endeavour to persuade them to go home in peace, and leave the Government to settle matters with King, whilst endeavouring to carry this into effect was nobly rescued from being murdered by the Ngatiruanuis and Taranakis by the determined conduct of the Waikatos. Epiha, their chief, after placing Mr Parris in safety, in reply to his thanks, told him to attribute his deliverance to God; that he would yet meet him as an enemy by daylight, but that Mr Parris had seen he would not consent to his being murdered. It was the intention of those forming the Taranaki and Ngatiruanui deputation, on learning the presence of Mr Parris, to have shot or otherwise deprived him of life; but the timely protection of the Waikatos effectually prevented the carrying out of this conspiracy.
With the exception of the excitement attendant on the appearance of a few natives in the distance, at this period nothing worthy of relation was occurring.
May 22nd, a party of natives advanced towards the Bell Blockhouse and endeavoured to cut off a working party engaged in the preparation of timber for building purposes.
At the Waitara an old settler--Mr Richard Brown--whilst seeking for a horse, was fired at by the insurgents and mortally wounded. The Waikatos expressed themselves highly indignant at this attack on Mr Brown, and King repudiated the act and all connected with it, asserting that three men only were concerned in the plot. If this was the case, what a state of society would exist in New Zealand if the natives had alone their own laws to govern them? In poor Brown's loss we have an instance of a chief holding power over the material interests of the individual, without the slightest moral check upon the people.
For diplomatic reasons it was deemed advisable not to attack the natives unless they first recommenced hostilities. It seemed hard for the settlers to be locked up in their forts whilst the rebels roamed with impunity over the country at large, burning and destroying all before them, moving in small bands here, there, and everywhere, in such a rapid manner as to put a stop to all communication with the Waitara by land.
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The troops were now withdrawn from the South. As they marched towards the town the whole country in their rear burst into flames; the homesteads being defiantly ignited as a retaliation for the native pas previously destroyed.
Up to the unfortunate 27th of June all was still very monotonous; the British resignedly awaiting an opportunity, whilst the enemy, who had received extensive reinforcements, were insolently taunting them with inactivity and cowardice.
At Puketakauere the insurgents had been suffered unmolested to erect very strong fortifications, in a position where the physical structure of the country would offer facilities for covering a retreat. The hills on which the pa had been erected were situated about 1,700 yards higher up the valley of the Waitara, beyond the military camp. The country to the south and west of the position was tolerably level, covered with fern and tutu bushes, for the most part exceeding eight feet in height; and intersected with innumerable small gullies and fissures, which conveniently supplied the enemy with naturally formed rifle-pits. Immediately in rear of the hill, between the pa and the river, was a deep toetoe swamp--a very dangerous obstacle in the way of troops not conversant with the country. This was flanked on the north-east by a plateau, ending in a precipitous cliff of considerable height, from which the flat beyond the swamp could be swept by concealed marksmen.
The troops at the Waitara consisted of a detachment of the 40th, under Major Nelson; and a Naval Brigade, under Captain Seymour, of H. M. S. S. Pelorus.
On Saturday, June 23rd, a reconnoitring party of the 40th were fired on from the enemy's now completed works at Puketakauere. This act of aggression loosened the hands of the officer commanding, who determined at once to make preparations for an attack on the pa. Reinforcements of the 40th having arrived overland, on Wednesday, June 27th, he marched the troops from the camp in three divisions. The main body, consisting of the grenadier and light company of the 40th, and 60 blue-jackets, under the command of Captain Richards, supported by the artillery, approached in a direct line with the pa. The second division, of. 50 men, under the command of
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Captain Messenger, was stationed on the Waitara flat, in order to prevent the possibility of escape on that side. A third division, under Captain Bowdler, advanced up the river bank, with the intention of taking the pa in the rear. 1
The natives, from their exalted position on the plateau, could observe every movement made by our troops, who, on the contrary, could see little or nothing but the palisading in the distance and high fern before them.
The conflict commenced by the enemy firing on the troops in the rear; the natives, at the same time, leaving the pa and seeking the shelter of the gullies and broken country, from whence to pour forth deadly volleys.
For a time it appeared that the determined attack on the rear would succeed; but a short time only elapsed ere reinforcements poured in from King's inland settlements, the men creeping through the high fern deliberately, unseen, and taking silent aim at the advancing soldiers; the enemy, in all probability, being enabled to fire twenty barrels to the attacking party's one. The main body was within 150 yards of the foe, a deep and dangerous gully intervening between them. The greatest loss that this division experienced was when the right wing overlapped the gully, which was filled with rifle-pits held by a strong force. The same reinforcements that supplied men to support the defendants of the rear rapidly spread themselves, under the shelter of the fern, so as to completely outflank Captain Richards' division.
Major Nelson, after awaiting some time, being disappointed in the arrival of the expected reinforcements, ordered the retire to sound. The divisions during their retreat were much harassed by the enemy, losing an officer and many men. This was, in great measure, owing to the difficulties of the ground over which they had to pass, it being both swampy and covered with scrub.
Captain Seymour, who had, with Major Nelson, accompanied the main body, received a bullet in his leg, which fractured the bone; and Lieut. Brooke, 40th Regt., when with the party in the rear, was
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killed in the swamp, but not until a wound had rendered his sword-arm powerless.
During the engagement, so heavy was the fire of the enemy, that an Indian officer compared it with that of Ferozeshah and Sabraon, and a soldier of the Crimea declared it to be hotter than that of the attack on the Redan. The Maoris could load much quicker than our men, their arms, for the most part, consisting of double-barrelled guns, down which the bullets easily rolled, thus avoiding the loss of time attendant on the use of the ramrod.
Colonel Gold, with the intention of co-operating with Major Nelson, left town early in the morning with a large force and two 24-pounder howitzers; but from the state of the river, or from some other as yet unexplained cause, after passing the Bell Block some two miles marched back to town. Had this force continued the march by the inland Kairau road, it would have been enabled to have passed above the pa and headed the small gullies from which the enemy incessantly fired with such deadly effect, they could easily have reached the plateau and co-operated with Captain Bowdler in his attack on the rear.
The British casualties were 29 killed and 33 wounded. Of the loss of the enemy, as usual, nothing of sufficient correctness for publication could be learned (7 killed is the Maori report). However, reinforcements must have joined in sufficient numbers to fill up any blanks in the garrison, whilst further levies were on the road for the scene of strife.
The next day Major Nelson proceeded with 50 men to recover the bodies of those that had fallen, but the fire of the rebels falling heavily on his small force, he deemed it prudent to retire, not having effected his object.
For days after the affair the natives were busily engaged in repairing the damage caused by the cannonading on their works. Mr Whiteley, one of the missionaries, visited the pa, but was not permitted to enter. A chief told him that they had buried the bodies of eight soldiers; and if Major Nelson would hoist a white flag, indicative of a temporary armistice, they would bury the remainder. Subsequently
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some of the skulls of the poor fellows were found frightfully cloven with the tomahawk.
At this, and in most of the expeditions that followed, the friendly natives, who had been organised and armed for the occasion, were present, but as their deeds were never of sufficient brilliancy to attract attention, I need not again allude to this useless part of our force.
At Puketakauere a fighting flag was constantly flying, and oftentimes the war-dance was performed on the outside; many of the natives being dressed in the red coats of the fallen 40th; Major Nelson occasionally reminding them of his presence by a shot from the nine-pounder gun.
Two of the Iris's 8-inch guns, with ammunition, having been brought from Auckland, were placed in position, so as to command Puketakauere; towards which, at indefinite periods, shells were thrown, which soon caused the pa to be too warm for occupation.
In order to make the best disposition of the force under his command, Colonel Gold entrenched the town, reducing the limits of the pretty scattered village-like appearance to the size of a 50-acre section. The now circumscribed dimensions of the town rendered necessary the removal of all who were unfitted for active service. Consequently, many women and children left for Nelson; some willingly, and others with great reluctance.
Closer and closer did the insurgents crowd around, gradually hemming in the already limited space that could be travelled in safety.
The Bell Block was literally surrounded by natives from Mahau's pa at Mahoetahi; to check whom skirmishing parties were often sent out from the garrison.
From the South the news was still more exciting. Large bodies of natives had congregated and erected no less than ten strongholds on the settlers' grounds at Tataraimaka, and were on their way with the intention of attacking the town, or of destroying all that was yet left in the country. This last threat, to the letter, they have fulfilled.
In order to counteract this movement on the part of the enemy, a force, consisting of detachments from the 40th and 12th, under the command of Major Hutchins, marched out to the Waireka, on to
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the summit of the opposite hill from town, where they formed a permanent camp.
Stirring events began now to remind us that the natives were in real earnest. Corbyn Harris, a Taranaki volunteer, whilst carting wood from the beach at the Waitara, was shot dead. Towards the South Hurford, a militiaman, and an artilleryman, who had wandered into the bush not far distant from the newly formed Waireka camp, were both waylaid and shot. Some others that had accompanied them narrowly escaped uninjured. It was not until after two parties had been sent out that Hurford's body was recovered.
The natives, emboldened by past events, approached and fired at our sentinels at their posts, robbing the houses within a short distance of the entrenchments. It was no uncommon occurrence to hear the alarm guns fired; when immediately the Militia and Volunteers rushed to arms, and the women and children flocked for shelter to the barracks.
At the Henui, barely a mile from the town, an old settler, Mr E. Coad, and another on the race course, Henry Crann, were waylaid and shot dead by the wily savages.
