A Terrible Night in the Bush.

“I kept my men together as well as I could in the bush, and got my wounded along; we went very slowly, occasionally turning to fire. I don't think we were travelling more than half-a-mile in the hour. All of us were now very exhausted, and I ordered the men to sit down in the bush undergrowth, for a rest, waiting till the moon rose, so that I could fix my course. We had two or three friendly Maoris with us, Kupapas (Government men) from Wanganui. I kept them close by me, for I was depending on them to lead us out of the bush. In fact I put a sentry over them to make sure they did not give us the slip.

“We were still within cooey of the pa,” Colonel Roberts continued; “in fact, we could hear the Hauhaus’ yells and war-songs all night, we were so close. About two o'clock in the morning the moon rose over the tree tops, and now that I had an idea of the points of the compass I made a start again. I sent the Maoris ahead, telling my man, who was keeping an eye on them, to make sure that they were not attempting to leave the column. ‘If they do,’ I said, ‘you know what to do.'

“When we started on our retreat we were well in on the Egmont or inland side of McDonnell's route. By about daylight we got out on to the track leading down to the Waingongoro River ford, the track we had come in the morning, and we reached our base camp, the Waihi Redoubt, about eight o'clock. McDonnell and the main body had arrived there the night before. Some of them had given us up for lost. My friend Captain Brown (afterwards killed at Ngatapa) was one of those who hurried down to meet us. As he shook hands with me, he said: ‘Some of them said you were all killed, Roberts, but I knew you'd turn up, because you know the bush.'”

All the dead and some of the wounded were left on the battlefield. The death-roll numbered twenty-four, of whom five were officers. Twenty-six wounded were brought off the field. One man, Private Dore, of the Wellington Rangers, who was shot through an arm, in Roberts’ retreat, was lost in the bush, and did not reach Waihi until four days afterwards. Of the officers, Major Von Tempsky, Captain Buck, Captain Palmer, Lieut. Hunter and Lieut. Hastings were killed. Palmer and Hastings were with Roberts’ force, and were mortally wounded. Palmer died as he was being carried through the bush, and was left there.