The Sun.
London, England, 1861-05-01 00:00:00

THE WAR IN NEW ZEALAND,

WAR-OFFICE, APRIL 29.
A despatch and its inclosures, of which the following are
copies, have been receiyed at the War-Office from Major

General Pratt, C.B. :
Head-quarters, Camp Waitara, New Zealand,
23d January, 1861.
Sir,—ln continuation of my despatch of the 19th inst.,
I have the honour to state, for the information of his Royal
Highness the General Commanding-in-Chief, that since
that date, the 19th, 20th, and 21st instant, have been em-
ployed in increasing and completing No. 3 Redoubt, and
commencing a double sap in a direct line towards the
enemy's position in the bush, and on the morning of the
22d I proceeded, with the Head-quarters of the 40th Regi-
ment, to the new redoubt, in order to its occupation, with
numbers amounting to 290 ranic
and file.
A little before daylight this morning (23rd instant)
heavy firing heard from the front ; a report soon reached
me that N 0.3 Redoubt had been attacked by the enemy in
great force, and that they had been repulsed with severe
loss. I reached the advance with an addition of 120 men,
and found that the enemy had made a most daring attack
on the advanced redoubt, which had been met in the most
determined manner, and a long line of dead and dying
maories lay on the ground ; whilst there is little doubt at
least double the number of the enemy have crept away
wounded, to die.
I enclose Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie's very clear account
of the affair, and I coincide with that officer most cordially

in his opinion of the gallantry of the troops and their officers
The two companies of the 65th Regiment under Captain
M'Gregor, were most effective in driving the enemy out of
the ditch of the front face ; whilst the company of the 12th
Regiment, under Captain Miller (until wounded), after-
wards under Lieutenant Lowry, assisted in driving the
enemy from the ditch in the left face, and then charged
them with the bayonet through the high fern. I regret ex-
ceedingly the death of that gallant young officer Lieut.
Jackson, of the 40th Regiment, who fell in the zealous
performance of his duty, and am happy to find that the
wound of Captain Miller, 12th Regiment, is not severe;
I beg to bring to his Royal Highness's notice the officers
named by myself, and also Lieut.-Colonel Leslie, together
with the officers named in this report, and to add that in
this as well as on all other occasions in which the troops
have been employed here, officers and men vie with
each other who will do their duty most efficiently.
I enclose a nominal return of our casualties, which are
not many considering the desperate eharacter of the attack.
I also enclose a roll of the Maories, who up to this hour
have been recognised, and with regard to them I have pur-
sued the same course as at Mahoetahi ; that is, have brought
in the chiefs (noted in the margin)* for interment in
New Plymouth; the inferior chiefs and followers have
been buried on the ground, and the wounded natives
brought into this camp for treatment in hospital, but it is
known that many chiefs of high rank were killed and
buried on the ground as minor chiefs.
I trust that the severe losses this manly and high-
spirited race are so continually receiving will teach them
how unavailing are the efforts against her Majesty's supre-
macy, and will lead soon to a termination of this unhappy
internecine war.—l have, &c.,
G. S. PRATT,
Major •General Commanding

To the Military Secretary,
Horse Guards, London.
*Poara Te Uata and Wirimu 'Leta Ktunete.

No. 3 Redoubt in front of fluirangi
Jan. 23, 1861.
Sir,—I have the honour to report for the information of
the Major-General Commanding, that a most determined
attack was made by the enemy on No. 3 ,Redoubt this
morning, which, after about one and a-half hours' hard
fighting, was gallantly repulsed by the troops under my
' ' '

command, supported by a detachment sent to my assistance

by Colonel Wyatt, 65th Regiment, commanding No,

Redoubt.

The attack commenced at half-past three o'clock, a.m. A

storming party of the enemy having crept up through the
fern, and effected a lodgment in the ditch of the left face of
the redoubt, and having a strong support about 100 yards in
their rear, as well as a line of skirmishers on all flanks of
the redoubt.
lire
eThoefeirtosup keeppor downsupports
theby
ypaarpappeeatsrebdytothbe
planour maetironentheme
their line Of skirmishers, while the storming party scaled
the left face of the redoubt.
The force under my command was under arms previous
to the attack, and quickly replied to the fire of the enemy,
who, in the most determined and desperate manner, rushed
up the sides of the parapet, and, in some instances,
seized hold of the men's bayonets, while others crept
round to the rear of the redoubt and fired through the gabions
which had been placed to fill up the entrances to the work,
and one of the Roytl Engineers was in this manner killed
while coming out of his tent.
A perfect storm of bullets was poured on us from all sides
for a considerable time, and I deemed it advisable to call for
assistince from Col. Wyatt, 65th Regiment, commanding
No. 1 Redoubt, for the purpose of dislodging the enemy
from our ditch as I had no hand-grenades. I accordingly
directed the regimental call of the 65 Regiment to be sounded
risuowed 1-157 advance, wine. Favulpoy it:-
sponded to by Col. Wyatt, who despatched two companies
of the 65th Regiment, under Capt. Macgregor and Lieut.
Urquhart, as well as one company of the 12th under Capt.
Duller ; one company of the 65th crept round the front face
of the redoubt and lined the sap at present being thrown out
in advance of the redoubt, the other crept up the rear face,
at the same time I directed Capt. Miller to charge the ditch
where the enemy was lodged ; Capt. Miller was, I regret to
say, wounded while carrying out my orders, but his company
was led on by Lieut. Lowry, and it charged in a most gallant
and effective manner, while the 65th, under Lieut. Urquhar
on the front, and Capt. Macgregor on the rear face, advanced
and fired on the enemy, who immediately retired on this
combined attack. A heavy fire was then kept up on the re-
treating Maories by the 40th from the parapets, by the 24-
pounder howitzer under Lieut. Maenaughten, Royal Artil-
lery, and by the 8-inch gun in charge of a detachment of
the Royal Naval Brigade.
The enemy completely routed. retired in great confusion,
leaving their dead and wounded, together with arms and
accoutrements, in our hands ; they were pursued for some
distance by part of the 65th and 12th until they were re-
called by me to the redoubt.
I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the 40th
Regiment, and of the troops of all arms, who showed the
greatest steadiness throughout the engagement, and who
although the attack of the enemy commenced under cover
of darkness, never showed the slightest symptom of confu-
sion, the officers equalling their men in gallantry and steadi-
ness; and I would wish particularly to bring to the notice
of the Major-General the assistance I received from Major
Nelson, Captains Messenger and Richards, 40th Regiment,
and would also desire to bring before him the names of
Capt. MacGregor and Licut; Urquhart, 65th Regiment, as
well as that of Capt. Miller, 12th Regt., and Capt. Mould,
Royal Engineers, and Lieut. Macnaghten, Royal Artillery