The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-22 00:00:00

EXTRACT FROM BRIGADE ORDERS.

Camp before Raupekapeka, Jan. 11, 1546.
The officer commanding the force, against the rebel chiefs
Heke and Kawiti. has the greatest satisfaction in congratu-
lating the whole of the force at the brilliant success that has
attended their operations of the last two days. The capture
of a fortress, of such extraordinary strength, by assault, and
nobly defended by a brave and determined enemy, is of itself
sufficient to prove the intrepidity and gallantry displayed by-
all ccncerned, whether seamen, marines, troops of the line,
artillery of H.E.I.C.'s service, and the volunteer pioneers ;
and it will be a most pleasing part of his duty to bring such
conduct to the notice of his Excellency the Governor of New
Zealand, and through him to that of her Majesty, and his
Grace the Commander-in Chief.

The Colonel cannot conclude this order without expressing
his admiration at the brave and intrepid conduct displayed
by our native allies on every occasion since these operations
commenced, and more particularly during the assault of the
pah, on which occasion their bravery was fully equal to
what might be expected from the bravest of her Majesty's
troops.
The Colonel commanding feels the greatest ?egret at the
loss of so many brave men as have been killed and wounded
on this occasion; but it will be considered as an alleviation
by their friends, that they have fallen while nobly perform-
ing their duty to their Queen and country.

Camp at the Raupekapeka,
Kawiti's Pah, Jan. 11, 1846.
Sir,--It is with extreme satisfaction that I have the honour
of acquainting your Excellency that Kawiti's stronghold, or
pah, at the Raupekapeka, was this day carried by assault by
the force under my command, after a bold and determined
resistance on the part of the enemy, who continued the action
long after he had been driven from the fortress; but the
ardour and intrepidity displayed by the British force of every
description, as well as by our native allies, overcame every
obstacle, and after three hours' hard fighting the enemy was
obliged to fly, and dispersed in different directions.

Tile detail of this attack, as well as that of the preceding
day's cannonade, shall be laid before your Excellency with
the least possible delay.
I greatly regret to add that our loss on this occasion has
been heavy, as will be seen by the inclosed list of killed and
wounded; but when the extraordinary strength of the place
...it:o..lx a orpritted t
has been so smalL—l have, &a.

H. DESPARD,
Acting Colonel on the Staff, commanding the Troops.
To his Excellency Governyr Grey, &c.

Return of Killed and Wounded of the force under the com-
mand ofColonel Despard, 99th Regiment, Acting Colonel on
the Staff, during the assault on Kawiti's Pah, on the 11th
January, 1846 :
H.M.S. Castor.—Killed, 7 seamen; wounded, 10 seamen
and 2 marines.
H.M.S. North Star.— Killed, 1 marine ; wounded, 2 sea-
men, including Mr. Murray, midshipman.
H.M.S. Calliope.—Killed, 1 marine; wounded, 1 marine.
H.M.S. Racehorse.—Wounded, 1 seaman.
H.E.I.C. S. Elphinstone.—'Wounded, 1 seaman.
H.M. 58th Regirnent.---Killed, 2 privates; wounded, 10
privates.
H.M. 99th Regiment.—Killed, 1 private; wounded, 1
private.
Volunteer Pioneers.—Wounded, 1 private, also 2 during
the previous operations, one since dead.
Officer wounded.—Mr. Murray, midshipman of her Ma-
jesty's ship North Star, severely, but not dangerously.

Camp before the Raupekapeka, Jan. 12, 1846.
Sir,—ln my letter of yesterday I had the satisfaction of
acquainting your excellency of the fall of Kawiti's pab, by
assault on that day, and I now proceed to communicate the
details.
On the morning of the 10th instant, our advrnced bat-
teries being completed (one within 350 yards, and the second
about 160 yards off the pah), a general fire was commenced
from all the guns with a view of opening a breach into the
place, and several rockets were thrown into it at the same
time, for the purpose of driving the enemy out. The fire
was kept up with little intermission during the greater part
of the day, and towards evening it was evident that the outer
works on those parts against which the fire was directed,
were nearly all giving way • but the numerous stockades in-
side, crossing the place in different directions, and composed
of much stronger timbers, were scarcely touched. Towards
evening our fire slackened, and was only continued occa-
sionally during the night, to prevent the enemy attempting
to repair the breaches that had been made.
On the following morning, the 11th instant, no person
being observed moving within the pah a few of our native
allies, under a chief named William Waka, a brother of
Tomaiti Waka Nene, went up to the place, for the purpose of
observing whether or not the enemy had evacuated it. This
party entered the braaeh unopposed, which being perceived
from the nearest battery, a party
of 100 men of the
troops, under Captain Denny, was pushed up rapidly,
and together with the natives, gained the inside of the
stockades before they were perceived by the enemy, who at
the time were sheltering themselves from the fire of our
guns on a sloping piece of ground in one of their outworks.
Our parties had scarcely gained the inside .when they were
noticed by the enemy, and a heavy fire of musketry in-
stantly poured in upon them. The stockades, however, now
became our protection, and strong reinforcements being
immediately brought up from camp, possession of the place
was secured, in spite of all the efforts of the enemy to
drive us back, being obliged to retreat and shelter him-
self in a wood opposite the east face of the pah, where the
trees being extremely large, and forming complete breast-
works, many of them having been cut down previously, and
evidently purposely placed in a defensive position, be
was enabled to maintain a heavy fire against us for a
considweable time, until a doorway in that face having
been broken open, the seaman and troops rushed out
and dislodged him from his position. He, however,
still continued to keep up a fire from the woods, but
more with a view to cover his retreat, and enable him to
carry away his wounded men, than with any expectation
of renewing the contest. The attack commenced about
ten o'clock A. as., and all firing had ceased about two p.m.
The extraordinary strength of this plate, particularly in its
interior defences, far exceeded any idea I could have formed
of it. Every hut was a complete fortress in itself, being
strongly stockaded all round with heavy timbers sunk deep
in the ground and placed close to each other, few of them
being less than one foot in diameter, and many considerably
more, besides having a strong embankment thrown up be-
hind them. Each hut had also a deep excavation close to it,
forming a complete bomb-proof shelter, and sufficiently large
to contain several people, where at night they were com-
pletely sheltered from both shot and shell.
The enemy's loss has been severe, and several chiefs on
their side have fallen ; the numbers I have not been able to
ascertain, as they invariably carry off both killed and
wounded when possible. Several of the former were,
however, left behind ; and it has been decidedly ascer-
tained from a wounded prisoner, that the chief Ileke had
joined Kawiti in the pah on the afternoon preceding the
attack.

I
engaged in the assault, it, may
tions, and I may say actually
sary to draw your attention to the per-
be thought unnecessary
who had a greater opportunity than other.; of distin-
sons
As your Excellency has been an eye-witness to our opera-
guts ' hing themselves ; but the satisfaction I fee
the obligations I am under to those persor,,s makes me
1 in recording
persevere in doing so. To the officerp seamen, and
marines from her Majesty's ship, for tl,
exertions in dragging the guns over step
jp hills and through
..eilr extraordinary
difficult and thick woods, as well as P.Jr their distinguished
ner Majesty's ship Castor,
bravery in action, the service on th'.,s occasion is
greatly in-
fer
with which he afforded
every possible aid arid assistP
fdoerbht ei
sd .c 0
-To
po
erh ti Captainon co-operation,
..nce since his arrival. To Capt.
Sir E. Home, who had V.teviously been the senior naval
officer, and who, not o
, ri.ly upon the present occasion, but
Graham, of
on all former ones, n 7.1 4 used the most strenuous exertions to
Racehorse, who commanded the
forward all the objricts of the expedition. To Commander
4h. attached to the force, and who so
greatly aided our Operations by his personal exertions and
example, not only .
~ ‘ during the assault, but in all the previous
difficulties we Ad to encounter. To Lieutenant Otway, of
wilha3oleofofh.tehr eMsajeeasmtVa- ship
her Castor, commanding the small armed
seamen. .L'o Lieut. Falcon, of her Majesty's ship Castor ;
Lieut. r.,fand and Mr. Nopps, master, of her Majesty's ship
Racr,;norse ; and Lieut . Leeds, of the Hon. East India Com-
' ship Elphinston e, who all directed the fire of the guns
I,any s
1 with puck preciiiion ittli d excellence ; and to Lieut. Egerton,
Majesty's &lip