34 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
At about 3 p.m. we arrived in front of the native stronghold of Rangariri, 
and at once opened fire from a distance of about 600 yards. The position 
consisted of very strong earthworks, arranged in such a manner that an 
effectual flanking fire from our guns was impossible. 
The Waikato river washed the left flank, and the Waikare lake the 
right flank of their position. About half-way between these two waters is 
a rising ground sloping both ways towards the waters. 
On the highest point was a kind of small redoubt, and the slopes leading 
to the water, on either side of this, were lined with rifle-pits, having a parapet 
behind them running throughout the whole length of the position. 
The bursting charges in the 12-pr. Armstrong shell not being sufficiently 
large to effect a breach by bursting the shells in the parapet, we only fired 
occasional shells, with time fuzes, to burst short and high, so that the 
segments and pieces might search the different pits and entrenchments. 
The practice was most accurate. When the assault was ordered the 
rapidity of fire was considerably increased, thus keeping down the fire of the 
enemy, until the storming party had approached so close to the works that 
further firing from guns would have been dangerous. 
We therefore stopped firing, except at some canoes, in which some of 
the natives were already trying to escape by the Waikare lake. The 
storming party succeeded in turning the left flank of the native position, but 
the Maories successfully resisted every attempt to drive them out of their 
entrenchments on their right. 
At about 5.30 p.m., Captain Mercer received orders to bring thirty 
men of the detachment under his command (who had been previously armed 
with revolvers), to storm the pits in which the Maories were still resisting. 
We accordingly followed in the track of the storming party, and, coming 
in rear of the native position, endeavoured, but without effect, to force our 
way into the pits over the parapet, or to find an entrance to the pits broad 
enough to admit a storming party. 
I regret to state that about this time Captain Mercer was dangerously 
wounded while at the head of his men. Bombardier Martin, and Gunners 
Keoan and Culverwell were close behind Captain Mercer, and were shot at 
the same time from a narrow and partially concealed entrance to the ditch. 
Gunner Quinn and I, were the only two of the storming party who passed 
this entrance safely. The place we got to, and where Captain Mercer lay, 
was fortunately sheltered from the Maories fire, but was crowded to excess 
by dead, wounded,' and living officers and men, of different regiments, who 
had previously attempted to storm the position. 
Assistant-Surgeon Temple, Royal Artillery, seeing Captain Mercer and 
several other men severely wounded, and without surgical assistance, gallantly 
ran across the entrance, above mentioned, and rendered every assistance in 
his power. It being absolutely necessary that this entrance should be filled 
to allow of the wounded being removed before dark, I left the men to guard 
the entrance from being rushed by the natives, and having acquainted the 
General with our situation, returned with a party of sappers, under Captain 
Brooke, Royal Engineers, to fill up the entrance. This, which was a work 
of great difficulty, was finished about 10 p.m., when Captain Mercer, and 
the other wounded officers and men, were removed. Some common shells 
were throwm by hand amongst the Maories in the ditches and entrenchments 
