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at New Plymouth, and its Enclosures, relative to a severe engagement which took place near Poutoko on the 2nd instant, from which your Excellency will be glad to learn that the regular Troops, as well as the Militia and Volunteers of the Province, displayed their usual gallantry in repelling the attack of very superior numbers of the enemy. Colonel Warre evinced great judgment and ability throughout the action. I have, i_., D. A. Cameron, Lieut.-General. His Excellency Sir George Grey, K.C.B.

Enclosures to No. 33. COLONEL WAEEE, C.8., TO THE ASSISTANT MILITABY SECBETAEY. New Plymouth, New Zealand, 6th October, 1863. Sir, — I have the honor to transmit the accompanying Reports from the Officer Commanding at Poutoko, and to report for the information of the Lieutenant-General Commanding that later in the day the rebel Maoris, from six to eight hundred strong, advanced with great determination to attack the Redoubt. Knowing that the Maoris had been collecting their forces, and by information I received the previous evening, I was somewhat prepared for this attack, although I did not know against what quarter it was intended, and large fires lighted in every direction were evidently meant to withdraw our attention from the real point. On receipt of Captain Wright's letter, I immediately sent Major Butler, 57th Regiment, to take command, and the reinforcements stated in the margin being all the men I could spare, compatible with the safety of the town. On Major Butler's arrival at Poutoko, he found that the Maoris were advancing from Hurford's clearing and Brown's land to the left and left rear of the Redoubt; and as the ground is tolerably open, he advanced to meet them with about 100 men of the 57th and 70th from the Redoubt, directing Captain Armstrong, with about 40 Militiamen from the Omata Stockade, to hold the Redoubt. As it was now quite evident on which side the attack was directed, I followed the reinforcements, and directing Captain Shortt to proceed by the new line of road from Omata Village to Allan's Hill, and Captains Atkinson and Webster to continue their march by Waireka Gully, I went forward and found Major Butler engaged by a very superior number of the enemy, who had possession of the bush, flanking the fields over which he had advanced. The firing was very heavy, and several casualties had occurred ; but the timely arrival of Captain Shortt, who at once attacked the rebels upon their right flank, enabled Major Butler to recover his ground, and to oblige the rebels to take refuge in the densely wooded gullies, from whence, and from the high trees on the opposite banks, they kept up an incessant, but fortunately not very effective, fire. Captain Shortt also found himself opposed by very large numbers of rebels, who for a short time disputed his passage across the narrow neck of land between two deep gullies, near Touet's house. With the most determined gallantry, his party forced their way across the broken halfcleared ground ; and the arrival of the Volunteers, under Captains Atkinson and Webster, enabled us to become the assailants, and the Maoris were driven into the bush-covered gullies, where I felt that it would have been but a useless sacrifice of life to follow them. During this action, which lasted upwards of an hour, word was brought to me that two or three hundred Maoris had crossed the Tapuae river, and. were advancing towards the Redoubt by the Point, or Bob Erangi's pa, from whence they kept up a useless fire, until dislodged by shell from the howitzer, which is kept in the Redoubt. I also sent a subdivision, under Lieutenant Mills, to prevent the enemy from getting round the right flank, between the Redoubt and the sea. The Troops and Volunteers now held every commanding point from Waireka Hill, which had always been kept open by a strong picquet, to the Redoubt; and the Maoris, evidently satisfied that they could make no impression, gave vent to their rage by repeated volleys and the most frightful yells, after which they retired ; and as the Troops and Volunteers from town had marched six or eight miles, and had been continually engaged from the moment of their arrival, I did not think it right to allow them to follow the Maoris, who got away, not, I hope, without serious loss. By thick bush on the way to the U2^per Ford of the Tapuae river, en route to Kaitake, the Troops bivouacked on the ground until the afternoon, when they returned to town, leaving a reinforcement of 50 men at the Redoubt Nothing could exceed the admirable conduct of the Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Men, of both Regular and Militia Forces engaged. I am greatly indebted to Major Butler, 57th Regt., for his persevering acts to keep back the enemy, nearly six times as numerous as the party he had in the first instance, to support his advance ; also to Lieut C. M. Clarke, D.A.Q.M.-General, and Lieut. E. Brutton, Garrison Adjutant, who accompanied me, and rendered me every assistance ; as also did Lieut, and Acting Adjutant W.

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