The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-11 00:00:00

discovered that they were retreating ; I therefore.
.Cemed it right to proceed to their support, knowing
that rriov:,mcbut wi!h

lency's v‘isties, and tniiiitit,g 1:. would be the mean. of
destroying Rangihaeta and his followers.
At daylight on the morring of the sth instant I pro-
ceeded in boats of her Majesty's ships Calliope and
Driver up the harbour of Porirua, landed about a mile
and a half distant, and pressed forward into the Horo-
kiwi valley five cr six miles, over a road almost impas-
sable for troops, crossing numerous streams and deep
rivulets, and passing vari,.us encampments that the
enemy had recently left, evidently retreating in the
greatest confusion, leaving behind them the bugle taken
from the troops in the attack which was so gallantly re-
pulsed by the detachment of the 58th Regiment in the
valley of the Hutt, on the 16th of May last, which had
been retained by the rebels as a trophy, and was reco-
vered by the Militia.
About half-past two o'clock P.M. we came up with our
native allies and a party of Militia, under the command
of Captain M`Donough, who were lying at the foot of a
precipitous hill thickly covered with wood, near the sum-
mit of which I learned that the enemy were supposed to
be posted.
The troops then commenced hutting themselves for the
. _

night.
On the following morning I gave orders for the ad-
vance, directing the native allies to proceed on to
corer it.
The first division, consisting of 7 officers and 127 men
of the force, made up of seamen, soldiers, Militia, and
armed police, was under the command of Major Arney,
58th Regiment.
The second division of five officers and 117 men, of
similar detail, was under the command of Captain Arm•
strong, 99th Regiment.
At about nine o'clock, A.M. we ascended the hilt, pre-
ceded by an officer and a party of men, with tools to cut
away the wood, to facilitate our getting up ; after as-
cending with great difficulty, about a mile, we suddenly
discovered that the enemy had established himself in a
stockade on the spur of a hill which was not only exces-
sively steep and precipitous upon each side, but so
narrow in places, that only a few men could proceed
abreast. _ _ _ . .

The stockade that was visible appeared evidently very
strong, composed of heavy logs of timber placed hori-
zontally one over another, with loopholes to fire through,
Some of the enemy having appeared in front, a heavy
fire was opened on -both sides; they made repeated at
tempts to turn our left flank, but were driven back with
great loss to their position.
I regret to state that in the action our loss was severe.
having two killed and nine wounded, as will be seen by
the annexed return. I particularly regret the loss of a
most promising young officer, Ensign Blackburn, 99th
Regiment, who was acting Brigade-Major, and who
evinced the greatest zeal and gallantry on the occasion.
The firing lasted till dark, when finding my position un •
favourable to occupy at night, I left two officers and 120
men to assist our native allies to watch the enemy, and
again took up the post I had left in the morning.
The enemy admitted to have lost five killed and two
wounded, among the number one chief named Te Oro,
and Tapuke, the murder of Richard Rush, at the Hutt.
On the Bth instant, having been reinforced by a cap-
tain, subaltern, and 11 of the Royal Artillery, with two
small mortars under the direction of Captain Henderson,
of that corps, I again advanced towards the position, al-
theeigh I found great obstacles in using shells from the
loftiness of the trees, which intercepted our view of the
enemy. We, however, succeeded in throwing a number
into the stockade, and so continued to hurass them
throughout the day.
The enemy kept up a fire upon us during the whole
time. His position having been thus felt and ascertained
to be defended by strong intrenchments thrown across
the steep and narrow ridge of a lofty and densely wooded
hill, the rebels being ie retreat, there was every reason
to believe that their intention was to pour a few destruc-
tive vollies into our men as they advanced, crowded as
they must have been into so narrow a space along the
steep ridge, and then to fly into the woods in the rear ;
thus abandoning, without loss, a position which, from the
want of supplies, it was impossible for them to retain for
more than a few days. It did not appear expedient to
incur so large a sacrifice of life to attain a post use-
less in itself, and which must soon have been
ours without any loss ; moreover, the destruc-
tion of so many of her Majesty's troops without an
equivalent proportion on the part of the enemy would
have been regarded by the natives as a great victory on
the side of Rangihacta, might have produced a bad
impression on the country generally, and have de-
stroyed the effect of our previous successes. Taking into
consideration also the great want of facilities for provi-
sioning so large a force, I at last accepted the offers amde
by the friendly chiefs, to permit them to remain on the
ground and locate themselves in temporary pahs whilst
they cleared the scrub and erected round the enemy a
palisade after the Maori system of warfare, so as to cut
off hismeans of obtaining either water or provisions, and
thus either capture him or force him to fly from his
position. In addition to the before-mentioned obstacles
opposed to me, the rear of my position was subjected to
constant floods; I therefore deemed it right to make
arrangements for withdrawing my force from the
Horokiwi valley to the pah of Pauhautanui and Porirua
Point, leaving the native allies to carry out their own
plans, and reserving the troops for further operations
when required.
_ _ _

Your Excellency having seen our position, and being
well aware of all the difficulties and impediments, as
well as hardships to which the force under my command
have been subjected, I need not dwell further in describ-
ing them.
I cannot close this report without expressing my par-
ticular obligations to Major Arney, 58th Regiment, my
second in command, for the advice and assistance be at
all times rendered me. To Captain Armstrong, 99th
Regiment, commanding the second division; Captain
Henderson, commanding Royal Artillery; Lieut, nant
Elliott, 99th Regiment, acting engineer; and to Ensign
Servantes, 96th Regiment, interpreter to the forces, my
best thanks are due.
I must thank Captain Stanley, 6f her Majesty's ship
Calliope, for his assistance in forwarding the operations;
I also received the best aid from the officers and seamen
of her Majesty's ships Calliope and Driver; Lieutenants
Thorpe and Conolly and all under their command de-
serve the highest praise.
The wounded received the best attention from Dr.
Galbraith and the other naedical officers under his di-
rection.

I have every reason to be satisfied with the exertions
of the Cotnmissariat Department; and I must not omit
to mention the meritorious conduct of Captain M-Do•
nough, and the Militia under his command, as well
as that of all the officers. non-commissioned officers,
seamen, soldiers, and police force, employed ou this
occasion.

It further aff ds me pleasure and satisfaction to speaks
of the great service the native allies from Port Nichol-
son rendered me, as well as the friendly portion of the
Ngatitoa tribe who joined us, and beg to thank the chiefs
of the several parties for the zeal and exertions of them-
selves and followers.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your Excellency's most obedient, humble servant,
EDWARD LAST, Major 99th Regiment,
- Commanding the Troops, Southern Division,
His Excellency Governor Grey, &c.

Return of Killed and Wounded of the Force under
Major Last, 99th Regiment, c'mmanding the Troops
in the Southern District, %%bile engaged in Action
with the Rebels in the Horokiwi Valley on the 6th of
August, 1846.

KILLED.
Ensign H. M. Blackburn, 99th Regiment.
Private Thomas Tuite, 99th Regiment.

WOUNDED.

W. Roberts, captain of the mizentop, her Majesty's
ship Calliope, mortally, and since dead.

58TH REGIMENT.

Private John Carr, slightly.

65TH REGIMENT.

Private Robert Miller, severely.

99TH REGIMENT.
Private Patrick Darcey, severely.
Thomas Woodfield, du.
Francis O'Reilly, do.
James Henchcliff, do.
Joseph Booth, do.

Private George Farmer, severely.
EDWARD LAST, Major 99th Regiment,
Commanding the Troops, Southern District.

Porirua, Two P.M., August 13, 1846

Sir,—l have the honour to forward the enclosed, this
instant received from Mr. Servantes. our interpreter, at.
Puaha's camp, for your Excellency's information, by
which you will learn that the rebels left their position
this moreing, and that our native ally, Puaha, afier
sending back his women, will pursue them to morrow.
I have sent information to Waikanae of the event, and
hope our allies there will assist in cuttina them off,
should they attempt to pass that way.—l have th.
honour to be, Sir, your Excellency's most obedtet
humble servant,
EDWARD LAST, Major 99th Regiment, -
Commanding the Troops, Southern District.
His Excellency Governor Grey, &c.

Puaha's Camp, August 13, 1846.
Sir,-1 have the honour to inform you that some of
the rebel natives bi-gan to fire upon our camp this
morning. Puaha immediately rushed out to meet them
with his followers, and, finding them retire, proceedeo
up to the pah, which they entered as the others went out
by the rear; the Ngatitoa natives followed immediately
afterwards. It appears that they had sent the women to
the rear some time ago, together with their baggage;
the men, it is the general opinion of the natives, only
retired a short time before we entered. They had no
stock of provisions, as they had been eating the rnomaku
(which is a species of tree fern). The place whence
they fired upon us the other day was only an entrench-
ment. The ph was about 100 yards in the rear, but
had no regular stockade round it, simply a rail in some
places, and in others nothing at all. Puaha sends back
his women to-day, and intends to follow them up to-
morrow morning.—l have the honour to, be, Sir,
most obedient humble servant, your

W. P. G. SERVANTES.
Major Last, 99th Regiment, Commanding
Troops, Porirua.

Wellington, Aug. 16, 1846.
have the honour tf) state, that since addressing
your Excellency on the 13th instant, report;ng the con-
tinuing retreat of the rebels, I have received intelligence
that oitr native allies are making every preparation for
a vigorous pursuit, and, should they succeed in driving
the enemy out into the open country upon the coast, I
beg to assure your Excellency, that in conjunction with
the naval officer, I will not fail to assist in the pursuit, and
use every exertion in my power to cut them off.--I have