E.—No. 3 .

party were forced to retire, but it at once reformed, and being reinforced by another company of tlie 40tli Eegiment, again tried to take the place by assault, but with no better success. Here Captain Eing, 18th Eoyal Irish, fell mortally wounded, and Captain Fisher, 40th Eegiment, severely so, besides four men killed and several wounded. On Captain Eing's falling, Captain Baker, 18th Eoyal Irish, D.A.A.-General, most gallantly galloped, dismounted, and calling for volunteers, again endeavoured to carry tlie place by assault. This also failed. Ending that there was no chance of taking the pa in this manner from tlie immense strength, and other men having fallen, I determined to desist from this mode of attack, and having heard that both Major Blythe, 40th Eegiment, and Captain Blewitt, 65th Eegimenr, were at their appointed posts, I decided on surrounding the place, and adopting the more slow but sure method of approaching the position by sap, which was shortly afterwards commenced under the very able directions of Lieutenant Hurst, 12th Eegiment, attached to the Eoyal Engineers Department. At this time Lieut. Carre, Eoyal Artillery, endeavoured to effect a breach in the enemy's works, but could make no impression upon it. A further supply of entrenching tools and gabions (which latter had most fortunately been prepared at the neighbouring posts for service of head-quarters on the Horotiu) were immediately ordered up with the men's blankets, food, & re, and every possible precaution taken by the proper disposition of the force, to prevent the escape of the enemy. During the afternoon, a reinforcement of some 150 or 200 of tho enemy from the direction of Mangatautari appeared in sight, evidently determined on relieving the place. They advanced to a bush situated about 900 yards in rear of our outposts, but, seeing that it was scarcely possible to break through the line formed by our troops, they halted and commenced firing volleys, at the same time exciting the men in the pa to increased energy by dancing the war dance, shouting, &c. Tho wounded were sent ou to Te Awamutu and Kihikihi. The gap was pushed forward vigorously, and the troops so posted as to prevent any possibility of escape by the natives during tho night. Heavy tiring was kept up by the enemy on the troops, both in the sap and around the place during the day and night, causing but few casualties, the men contriving to cover themselves in temporary rifle pits, dug out with their bayonets and hands. A reinforcement of 200 men, as detailed in the margin,* under the command of Captain Inman, ISth Eoyal Irish, reached me from head-quarters during tho afternoon. Having reported my proceedings to the Commander of the Forces in the moaning, I was glad to receive a reinforcement, as detailed in the margin, f sent by him, and guided by Captain Greaves, Deputy-As, .stant-Quarter-Mastcr-General, which arrived about daylight on the morning of April 1, and which enabled me to relieve the men in the sap more constantly, and therefore to carry on the work more quickly. Captain Greaves also afforded me material assistance in the duties of his department. This day was spent in working at the sap, and making rifle-pits around the pa, few casualties occurring. Captain Betty, Eoyal Artillery, arrived during the day, and assumed command of the Eoyal Artillery, which enabled Lieutenant Carre to render some assistance to Lieutenant Hurst in constructing the sap, he having been at it without intermission. During the night a few of the enemy were perceived trying to effect an escape from the pa, but being immediately fired upon, returned to their earthwork. I omitted to mention that Captain Bstty, Eoyal Artillery, threw some well-directed shells at the Maori reinforcement in tlie bush on the hills, which evidently disconcerted them considerably. At an early hour on the morning of the 2nd April, Lieut.-Colonel Sir Henry Haveloek, Bart., Deputy-Assistant-Quarter-Master-General, arrived with the hand grenades, which were at once thrown into the enemy's position with great effect by Sergeant McKay, Eoyal Artillery, who thus rendered good and gallant service at personal risk under a galling fire. About noon, I ordered Captain Betty, Eoyal Artillery, to have a six-pounder Armstrong gun carried into the sap. An entrance having been made, it opened fire on tho enemy's work, destroying tho palisading, making a considerable breach, and silencing in a great measure the fire of the enemy on the men engaged at the head of the sap. The Commander of the Forces, with his staff, &c, arrived on the ground at this time, and witnessed the remainder of the operations. Colonel Mould, C.8., Eoyal Engineers, coming up with General Cameron, gave his able assistance towards the completion of the sap into the enemy's work. As it was known that women and children were in the pa, the enemy was called upon to surrender, previous to the concentrated fire of tho Armstrong gun and hand grenades on their work ; they were told that their lives would be spared, and if they declined, they were requested at least to have compassion on their women and children, and send them out. They replied that they would not do so, but would fight to the last. The pa was then carried, the enemy effecting his escape from the opposite side of the work, dashed through a space from which the troops had been thrown back under cover, to enable the gun to open. They were, however, speedily followed up, and suffered a severe loss during a pursuit of nearly six miles, Lieutenant Eait, Eoyal Artillery, with his troopers, and Captain Pye, Colonial Defence Force, with a small detachment, having headed them and kept them back until the infantry came up. I regret to say r that in the pa and in the pursuit some three or four women were killed unavoidably, probably owing to the similarity of dress of both men and women, and their hair being cut equally short, rendering it impossible to distinguish one from the other at any distance. * 12th Eegiment—l captain, 1 subaltern, 3 sergeants, 1 drummer, 92 rank and file. Forest Eangers—l captain, I subaltern, 1 sergeants, 41 rank and file. Total —2 captains, 2 subalterns, 7 sergeants, 1 drummer, 13G rank and file. t 18th Eoyal Irish—l captain, 2 subalterns, 8 sergeants, 2 drummers, 110 rank and file. 70th Eegiment —1 captain, 2 subalterns, 4 sergeants, 1 drummer, 89 rank and file. Total —2 captains, 4 subalterns, 12 sergeants, 3 drummers, 199 rank and file.

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