34 Transactions. 



miles above Mereraere was selected as a landing-place for a force of 640 

 men and twenty-one officers, with two 12-pounder Armstrong guns This 

 force was embarked on the " Pioneer " on the 1st November, and landed 

 without opposition During the afternoon it .was found that the Maori 

 had abandoned their position at Meremere, which was then occupied by 

 a party of 250 seamen, under Commander Mayne (" Eclipse "), and 250 

 men of the 12th and 14th Regiments, under Colonel Austin, from Koheroa. 

 This force was reinforced next day by detachments from the 12th, 14th, 

 18th, and 70th Regiments, amounting to 500 men. 



On the 20th November General Cameron, with a force of 860 men, 

 attacked Rangiriri. To assist in the operations an additional 300 men of 

 the 40th Regiment were embarked on the steamers, to be landed at a 

 selected point, so that they might make an attack on the rear of the main 

 line of the Maori entrenchments while the main body attacked in front. 

 Owing to the wind and current the " Pioneer " and " Avon," with two of 

 the gunboats, were not able to reach the landing-place decided upon. 

 After a preliminary barrage by the Royal Artillery 12-pounders, under 

 Captain Mercer, and the naval 6-pounder, under Lieutenant Alexander 

 (" Curacoa "), the main body attacked the main line of entrenchments 

 and drove the enemy to the centre redoubt, while the party of the 40th 

 Regiment, who had been landed sufficiently near to reach their position, 

 were able to pour a heavy fire on a body of Maori, who were driven from 

 their position and fled towards the Waikare Lake, where a number of them 

 were drowned. The centre redoubt, still holding out against the troops, 

 was attacked by a party of thirty-six men of the Royal Artillery, under 

 Captain Mercer, who was mortally wounded, then by a party of ninety 

 seamen under Commander Mayne, who was wounded. Both attempts 

 were unsuccessful, as was another by a party of seamen under Commander 

 Phillimore (" Curacoa "), who used hand-grenades. As it was now nearly 

 dark, the General decided to wait until daylight, when it was found that 

 the white flag had been hoisted, and 183 Maori surrendered. Midshipman 

 Watkins (" Curacoa ") and five men of the Naval Brigade were killed ; 

 while, in addition to Commander Mayne, Lieutenants Downs (" Miranda ") 

 and Hotham (" Curacoa ") (afterwards Admiral Sir C. F. Hotham) and 

 five men were wounded. 



In a letter from Ngaruawahia dated the 4th December Wiremu Tame- 

 hana (William Thompson), the Maori leader, said that he had lost all his 

 guns and powder. "It is your side alone which is still in arms — that is to 

 say, the steamer which is at work in the Waikato, making pas as it goes 

 on ; when they finish one, they come a little farther and make another. 

 Now, then, let the steamer stay away ; do not let it come hither. That 

 is all." But, as the Maori king's flag had been hoisted at Ngaruawahia 

 in the first place, it was decided that the Queen's flag should fly there. 



On the 2nd December General Cameron moved on from Rangiriri. As 

 the outlets from Lake Waikare were not fordable, the troops, with their 

 tents and baggage, were conveyed up the river in boats manned by seamen 

 of the Royal Navy, under Commander Phillimore, The following day 

 the troops again moved on, and encamped abreast of the island of Taipori. 

 Here General Cameron was delayed, waiting for provisions, until the 7th, 

 when he moved the camp about five miles farther up the river, and met 

 the " Pioneer," which had safely passed the last shoal below Ngaruawahia. 

 Next day he went with Commodore Wiseman in the " Pioneer " to Ngarua- 

 wahia, which he found to be deserted. He immediately returned to the 

 camp, and, after embarking 500 men of the 40th and 60th Regiments, 



