The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-12 00:00:00

16 years of age, and Private F. Rooney, Light Com-
pany 65th Regiment ; while further towards the
ft Mr. Henry Edgcomb, aged twenty, also of the
Volunteers, received his mortal wound. Here
Captain Turner was struck in the face by a musket
ball, and Colonel Sillery slightly wounded. A
rush was now made on the whares, and the bayonet
speedily silenced all further annoyance. This
service was accomplished by the 65th and Rifle
Volunteers. Some shells thrown into the Raupo
Swamp caused the Waikatos to quit their lairs,
and now commenced the work of extermination, for
a detachment of the 40th, under Major Nelson, and
a company of the 65th, under Lieutenant Talbot,
from Waitara (the latter advancing in beautiful
skirmishing order), came up from the north side of
the hill, and the Light Company of the 65th
led on by Lieutenant Urquhart (then forming
a flank guard) closing on their centre, together
with a good show of Rifle Volunteers, the
rebels were almost surrounded. Men dashed
into the swamp, and a hand-to-hand encounter fol-
lowed, and the bayonet and the butt-end of the
rifle, when the bullet had missed, speedily convinced
the brave enemy that the avenger was at hand.
They commenced their retreat, still fighting with
desperate valour, and in one of these encounters
private M'Givern met his fate, though not before
the enemy had felt the effects of his prowess. They
gradually got in the Huirangi road, followed by a
part of the 65th, under Lieutenants Urquhart and
Talbot, their retreating steps marked by pools of
blood, and a storm of shot and shells bursting over
and among them. In their terror they threw away
their arms and pouches, and any articles of clothing
that impeded their flight, and the pursuers followed
them to near the Waiongana River, when fatigue
alone compelled them to desist, for the day had been
intensely hot without a breath of air.
The muse in the swamp had been a succession
of desperate hand. to hand encounters, and many
instances of courage were exhibited on both sides.
Private Gilligan, 65th, shot one Waikato, and
brained another with the butt-end of his rifle.
Many other daring acts were witnessed, but must
remain unrecorded, as the individuals could not be
identified. But the bayonet played a conspicuous
part in the exciting scene.
When all but the dead and mortally wounded
Waikatos had disappeared, a reconnoitring party,
tnder Major-General Pratt, composed of 12th, sup.
ported by 65th, proceeded to Ngataiparirua and
came in sight of a pah having a red flag flying,
but it was speedily hauled down, and a white flag,
half-mast high, succeeded it. The party then pro-
ceeded round to Puketakaure, and thence returned
to Mahoetahi. In the course of the afternoon,
after having buried in one grave some 28 or 29
Waikatos, the main body returned to the town
(having left a strong force to retain possession: of
the field of battle) laden with Maori spoils, in the
shape of double-barrelled guns, ornaments, shawls,
its., many battered and bloody, proving they had
not been parted with willingly.
On the force passing the town barrier, loud and
continued cheers proved to them that their conduct
Was duly appreciated by their countrymen. The
list of casualties will prove who bore the brunt of
the day :-65th Regiment, 2 killed, 10 wounded, 1
officer wounded ; Volunteers, 2 killed, 4 wounded ;
40th Regiment, 1 wounded.
The natives were, we understand, all Ngatihauas
a powerful tribe of Upper Waikato, the same who
sought to make a disturbance out of the Maori found
dead at Patumahoe. The disaster of their friends
at Taranaki, 'coupled with the fall of the principal
chief Wetini and his son, may therefore probably
fail of its lesson, and trouble will arise out of it.
The result cannot be undoubted. That native
prowess, however, allied to cunning and ferocity,
can withstand the iron nerve and unflinching bra-
very of our race is altogether out of the question.
If the natives are yet open to conviction upon the
subject, Mahoetahi should be a warning to them,
for there the veteran soldier and the gallant lad of
ifteen singled out their fierce enemy, who had all
the advantage of cover and position, and utterly
routed them, the survivors, in their earnestness
to escape, throwing away their arms, and even
divesting themselves of their clothing to facili-
tate it.
It is rumoured that Wi Kingi w atohed the fight
from a distance, but offered no aid to his northern
allies. In any case, the firing would be distinctly
heard at Mataitawa, which is not more than five
miles from Mahoetahi. His conduct, therefore, is
not easily to be explained. The quarrel may, from
this circumstance, assume a complexion little con-
templated by Kingi when he plunged into war,
and enlisted other tribes in his quarrel.
_ _

The Waikatos, we may state, had just arrived in
the district, and were not allowed time to strengthen
the position they had taken up. The enemy were
even denied the solace of concealment of their
casualties on the occasion.

The total loss of killed and wounded is reported
by the friendly natives to be 71. Some wounded
Must have escaped, and dead probably yet lie in
the high fern. As ascertained by ns, their loss is
42 killed, wounded, 2 ; taken prisoner, I—making
total of 45.
The natives killed were all Waikatos.
On this occasion we can give a more satisfactory
account of casualties than we have been able to do
an previous occasions.