The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-24 00:00:00

THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND.

(From the Gazette of last evening.)
WAR-OFFICE, OCT. 22.
The Secretary of State for War has received
three despatches with their enclosures, addressed to
him by Lieut.-General Cameron, C. 8., commanding
the troops in New Zealand, of which the following
are copies :
"Headquarters, Queen's Redoubt, Auckland,
New Zealand, July 20, 1863.
"My Lord,—On the 17th inst., at 10 a.m., a large num-
ber of natives were observed entrenching themselves on the
heights of Koheroa, in front of the camp of the 2d Batta-
lion 14th Regiment, apparent:y with the intention of ob
structing our further advance up the Waikato.
"Lieut.-Colonel Austen, who was commanding on the
spot, immediately called in all his working parties, got his
battalion under arms, and moved in skirmishing order
against the enemy, followed by the detachments of the 12th
and 70th, which were at the time arriving at the camp as a
reinforcement. The strength and composition of the force
are shown in the margin.*
" Lieut.-Colonel Gamble,Deputy Quartermaster- General,
who happened to be on the Koheroa superintending the en-
campment of the 12th and 70th, having sent me a report of
what was going on, I once hastened across the Mungata"
whiri, and overtook the troops during their advance.
"When we came within musket shot of the enemy he
opened a sharp fire upon us, to which our skirmishers re-
replied with such effect that he was soon compelled to retire.
This he did slowly and without any precipitation.
"The ground over which he retired was most favourable
for defence, as the only road by which we could advance
against him led for about five miles over very narrow and
tortuous fern ridges, the sides of which were too precipitous
to admit of us turning his position by a flank movement,
and at several well selected points completely commauding
the narrow necks over which we were compelled to move to
the attack he had constructed lines of rift) pits.
" These he defended with great obstinacy, and as we had
no artillery in the field, we could only dislodge him from
them with the bayonet, which was done with great gallantry
by the young soldiers of the 14th, led by their commanding
officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Austen, who, I regret to say, re-
ceived a wound in the arm during the action. After we had
driven them from the second line of rifle-pits,
where they
made their most determined stand, a large number of them
left the ridge, and, turning to right, retreated down a nar-
row and steep gully, where they were exposed for a long
time to a close and destructive fire from our men on tee
heights above, by which many of them were killed. The
rest were driven before us until they reached the Maramana
(a small tributary of the Waikato), which they crossed pre-
cipitately, some in canoes, and others by swimming.
" Having no means of effecting the passage of the river,
we were obliged to discontinue the pursuit, and I accord-
ingly ordered the troops back to camp.
" I inclose a list of our casualties, which were few consi-
dering the time the engagement lasted (from 11 a.m. to 1
p m.) and the strength of some of the enemy's positions.
" I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of all the offi-
cers and men engaged, or of the able manner in which the
troops were led by their commanding officers, viz., Lieuten-
ant Colonel Austen, 14th; Major Ryan, 70th; and Major
Miller, 12th.
" Among the officers who had the good fortune to have
the opportunity of distinguishing themselves by conspicuous
forwardness in the attack were Captain Strange, 14th, who
did good service with the advanced skirmishers; Captain
Phelps, who led his company to the charge ; Lieutenants
Armstrong and Glancy, and Ensign Green, 14th.
"Surgeon-Major Carte, M. 8., 2d battalion 14th, the
senior medical officer in the field, rendered prompt assistance
to the wounded, many of whom he attended under fire.
"Colonel Mould, C. 8., commanding Royal Engineers,
was also present, and ready to afford his valuable assistance
if required.
" Lieutenant-Colonel Gamble, the deputy-quartermaster,
General, Major M‘Neill, Aide-de-Camp, and my extra Aide-
de-Camp, Lieutenant St. Hill, the only officers of the staff
who had an opportunity of taking part in the engagement,
were most active during its progress) and gave me the
greatest assistance throughout.
" The enemy had from 300 to 400 men in the field, the
whole belonging to the tribes of the Waikato. His lose
must have been considerable.
" Immediately after the action we counted 21 killed,
more on the following day, and others have since been
found. Several chiefs fell, among them one of the uncles
of the Maori King. The enemy himself acknowledged to
have had a great many wounded.
"I enclose a sketch of the ground, made by Lieutenant-
Colonel Gamble after the action.--4 have, 86ea
" D. A. CAMERON, Lieutenant-General.
" The Right Hon the Secretary of State for War,
War-office, London."

" 2D BATTALION 14TH REGIMENT.--NOMINAL RETURN OF
KILLED AND WOUNDED AT KOHIROA ON THE 17TH JULY,
1863,
" Lieutenant-Colonel C. W. Austen, gunshot wound of
left forearm.
" Private Moses Burton, gunshot wound through muscles
of left side of back, ball extracted ; slight. John Ingram,
gunshot wound fracturing lower jaw, also graze of right
shoulder ; severe. James Gilligan, perforating wound of
abdomen, lacerating intestines, caused by a musket ball ;
proved fatal 22 hours after receipt of injury. Patrick
bl.'Kay, gunshot wound of left thigh, fracturing femur ;
very severe. James Tancred, gunshot wounds of forehead,
depressing outer tables, also left leg, passing through head
of tibia, ball lodged ; very severe. William Murphy,
gunshot wound of left leg, ball buried in head of tibia,
extracted on the 20th of July ; very severe. William
Kavanagh, gunshot wound through right shoulder, a
little below articulation, also slight wound of chin and
throat ; severe. Henry Clark, gunshot wound of right
arm and forearm ; severe. Robert Williamson, gunshot
wound of right thumb ; slight. Alfred Picton, gunshot
wound of back of left hand ; slight. William Smith, gun-
shot wound of left thigh, femoral artery wounded ; did not
recover from shock of wound, and died on the field.
" J. MOUAT, Deputy-Inspector-General, P.M.O.
" The Assistant-Military Seeretary,
Head-quarters, Queen's Redoubt."

"Head-quarters, Queen's Redoubt, July 31

"My Lord,—l have the honour to forward copy of a
report (17th of July), from Captain Ring, 2d battalion 18th
Regiment, of an attack upon a convoy under his charge by
an ambuscade of natives oa the 17th instant, on the road
between the Queen's Redoubt and Drury.
" 1 have since ascertained that the ambuscade consisted
of not less than 140 natives, and, considering the very
superior numbers by which Captain Ring's small detach-
meat was attacked, I feel sure that your lordship will con-
cur with me that no troops could have acquitted themselves
better under such trying circumstances.—l have, &c.,
.

" D:A.CAMERON, Lieutenant-General,
" The Right lion, the Secretary of State for War,
War-office, London."

ic Camp Drury, July 17.
"Sir,—l have the honour to report, for your informa-
tion, that on my march from the Queen's Redoubt to Drury

* Detachment Ist battalion 12th Foot, 2 captains, 2 sub-
alterns, 8 seargeauts, 3 drummers, 135 rank and file ; 2d
battalion 14th Regimen—I field officer, 3 captains, 8 sub-
and file. Total-2 field officers, 5 cap-
tains,l field officer, 1 captain, 6 sergeants,
sergeants, 7 drummers, 266 rank and file;
11 subalterns, 2 staff, 25 sergeants, 13 drummers, 494
rank and file,
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