The Second Battle of Te Ngutu o te Manu (Ruaruru)
Te Ngutu o te Manu (now indicated by a historic site situated on Ahipaipa Road, halfway between Kapuni and Matapu in the southern Taranaki) was the subject of three expeditions in 1868 by colonial forces during the period known as Titokowaru’s War. The result of the third expedition on 7 September 1868 was a disastrous defeat for the colonials. The commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas ‘Fighting Mac’ MCDONNELL, a highly experienced and well-respected combat veteran, was completely outsmarted by his opponent, the brilliant strategist and tactician Riwha TITOKOWARU, chief of the Ngāti Ruanui's Ngaruahine hapu (sub-tribe), a very experienced warrior who four years earlier had lost an eye during an attack on the Sentry Hill Redoubt.
The expedition began at 3 a.m. on 7 September when MCDONNELL left Waihi Redoubt (now the town of Normanby) and headed west with 360 men of the Patea Field Force in three detachments.
The first of these was commanded by Maj. von TEMPSKY and comprised No. 2 Division Armed Constabulary (16 men) and the Patea Rifle Volunteers (14) under Capt. PALMER; No. 5 Division Armed Constabulary (59) under Sub-Inspectors BROWN and ROBERTS; Wellington Rifles (45) under Lieuts. HASTINGS and HUNTER; Taranaki Rifle Volunteers (26) under Lieut. ROWAN; and Waihi Volunteers (2).
The second detachment was commanded by Maj. W. HUNTER and comprised No. 3 Division Armed Constabulary (32 men) under Sub-Inspectors NEWLAND and GORING; Wellington Rangers (65) under Capt. G. BUCK, Lieut. FOOKES and Ensign HIRTZEL; and the dismounted Patea Cavalry (11) under Capt. O’HALLORAN.
The third detachment comprising the Maori Contingent of Wanganui kupapa, (e.g. pro-government Maori) was commanded by Capt. William MCDONNELL (the brother of Thomas), Maj. KEPA (Kepa te RANGIHIWINUI) and other chiefs (110 men).
No cavalry were involved, so Thomas WALTON and any other Mounted Constables of the Armed Constabulary fought as infantry. As a mamber of No. 3 Division Armed Constabulary WALTON was in the second detachment and despite his statement that his commander was a Col. O’NEILL, no officer of that name was present or later made a medal claim. Did WALTON mis-identify Maj. W. HUNTER or Sub-Inspector NEWLAND, perhaps?
The party crossed the Waingongoro River about 5 a.m. and skirted the river for three hours before moving north through dense rata forest. The plan was to attack Te Ngutu o te Manu through the village of Te Ruaruru situated one mile to the east but they missed the village, retraced their steps and approached Te Ngutu o te Manu from the north. The element of surprise was lost when the occupants of outlying huts fled to raise the alarm and were fired on. The colonists quickened their pace and entered the northern end of the large clearing in front of Te Ngutu, featuring broken ground with stumps and felled trees. It was now a little after 1 p.m.
In front of the colonial force at the southern end of the clearing was the pa, to the north and west was the shallow Mangotahi Stream and to the east was the bush (see Forest Rangers (1996), map, p.181). The defences visible to the attackers were a low earth rampart encircled by a wooden stockade and a trench which did not look very strong. MCDONNELL directed the group led by von TEMPSKY to attack south across the clearing while KEPA’s group was ordered to carry out a flanking move east through the bush to get around the pa.
Alerted by the first shots, TITOKOWARU was already aware of their presence (warned by lookouts at Waihi Redoubt, he was expecting them) and sent most of his men out into the bush while he remained in the pa with 20 men. Another 40 men, in small groups, were hidden in prepared positions around the edge of the clearing and in the trees bordering it.
Thomas WALTON and his mates walked into a killing ground. The pa was a straw man, the anvil to the Maori sniper’s hammer.
After entering the clearing MCDONNELL’s men started falling immediately. One group of eight Maori warriors shot ten soldiers in only a couple of minutes, several more than once. Eyewitnesses described the Maori fire as ‘terrific’, ‘fearful’, ‘something awful’, with ‘men being knocked over like ninepins.’ MCDONNELL found he was under fire from all directions but could see no enemy except within the palisades to his front. He ordered Major HUNTER’s No. 3 Division of the Armed Constabulary to assault it, but so many men were hit in quick succession that MCDONNELL cancelled the order.
MCDONNELL had lost the initiative, and unable to do anything decisive he made the wise decision to retreat. But his men’s ordeal was far from over. TITOKOWARU sent most of his men after them and the colonists were pursued all the way back to the Waingongoro River, several miles to the east. The government force was split into several groups, but the pursuit concentrated on MCDONNELL with 80 men who acted as rearguard to protect Major HUNTER and a larger party carrying the wounded.
It took 24 hours for the last of the demoralised force to cover the twelve miles back to Waihi Redoubt.
