THE INVASION OF KIHIKIHI.
Rewi Maniapoto’s headquarters were at Kihikihi, three miles from Te
Awamutu, and General Cameron made no delay in paying his adversary a
military call. Rewi had not fought at Hairini; the fact is that he was
a more sagacious soldier than most of his fellow-countrymen, and
perceived the impossibility of making a successful stand at such a
vulnerable spot. No doubt he fully realised that with the bloodless
fall of Paterangi the pakeha conquest of the Waipa was practically
complete.
On 23rd February, 1864, a mixed force of troops marched from Te
Awamutu, and without resistance entered the large village of Kihikihi,
an attractive sight with its cultivations of root and grain crops and
its peach and apple orchards. The Ngati-Maniapoto retired to the Puniu
River without firing a shot.
After burning the large carved council-house (which stood at the south
end of the present township) and destroying the tall flagstaff, the
force returned to Te Awamutu. The troops were now well established in
encampments around the mission station, and several redoubts were soon
built. The principal redoubt, occupied by Imperial troops during
1864–65, was built in the middle of the present town, in rear of the
post office, as shown on the plan here given. The site of this
earthwork can still be traced, although it is intersected by a road.
There were also British garrisons in occupation of Pikopiko, Paterangi,
and Rangiaowhia.
The soldiers in the various camps revelled in an abundance of fruit and
potatoes, and the horses of the cavalry and field artillery throve on
the maize that grew in every settlement.
A few days after the first expedition to Kihikihi a scouting party of
the Colonial Defence Force Cavalry brought news that the Maoris had
returned to the neighbourhood of the settlement. It was decided,
therefore, that a redoubt should be built at Kihikihi, and an
expedition made a start from Te Awamutu before daylight one morning, in
an attempt to surprise Ngati-Maniapoto. Colonel Waddy, of the 50th, was
in command. The two companies of Forest Rangers composed the advance
guard.
Von Tempsky, describing this expedition, wrote:
“As we approached Kihikihi I went somewhat in advance, and seeing some
Maoris near a bush adjoining the village, we gave chase, and sent word
back to that effect. We skirmished through some maize-fields, with a
dense bush to our left, to which bush I gave a wide berth. But we could
not get well at them as they had the start of us, and we were suddenly
brought up by a swamp. We skirmished with them across the swamp, but
got little good out of it. I saw them retreating into some distant
whares, and making themselves quite comfortable, proving to me thereby
that they were now supported, and that their position was strong. As we
found the swamp altogether impassable without making a detour of miles,
I returned, having formed, however, my plan already to look after these
gentlemen.
“That night I entered the bush which I had skirted the previous day,
thinking of heading the swamp by these means, and surprising the
whares. We had a fearful march of it. It was a kahikatea bush, with
swamp inside, and night to add to the difficulties. However, we
persevered, and by the time it was morning we were opposite the whares.
With one ‘Hurrah!’ we rushed across the open space on to one, then to
the other, whare, but found both empty and everything in them smashed
to atoms—to the very cats of the domicile. The houses belonged to Mr
Gage, a half-caste, who had not joined the Maori cause.
“While my men were overhauling the premises for anything useful, I
surveyed the neighbourhood, and saw that between us and the bush, which
formed a perfect bight around us, there was still another swamp to
cross if we wanted to get into the bush. Also, I saw that if there were
any Maoris lurking there we presented a fair target for their pleasure,
without even the chance of retaliation.
“At that moment Sergeant Carron, who had been sniffing around with his
usual acuteness, reported to me that there were Maoris in the bush.
This decided me in relinquishing my position at once, as we could do no
harm to our antagonists if they persisted in remaining in the bush. I
had hardly drawn my men down the knoll on which the dwelling-house
stood when down came a volley over the heads of the last men
disappearing behind the hill. I took up a better position within 300
yards of it, where logs and fern gave good cover to the ground in our
favour. But the Maoris would no more cross that swamp in front of us
than we would in front of them; so, looking at one another wrathfully,
and shaking a figurative fist, we parted at last without much harm done
to either side.”
The redoubt now built on the highest part of the Kihikihi village (the
spot is just behind the present police station) was garrisoned by
Imperial troops for a time, and then by Waikato Militia. In the
Seventies, and, in fact, until about 1883, it was occupied by the Armed
Constabulary. Unfortunately it was demolished in the Eighties by the
townspeople, who did not realise the value of this large and
picturesquely-set earthwork as a place of future historic interest.
The Forest Rangers now camped at Kihikihi for some time. On 29th
February, 1864, the first expedition was made to Orakau village. Von
Tempsky, describing this bit of work, wrote:
“The Maoris at Orakau kept hanging about, irresolute what to do, till
we saw them commencing to dig rifle-pits, and then it was high time to
give them notice to quit. Colonel Waddy mustered his whole strength,
and away we went under the firm impression that we would have a warm
afternoon of it. The Forest Rangers were in the advance. There was much
scrub on each side of the road, and we had also orders to break down
any fence that might impede the action of the cavalry. We had broken
down one or two across our road already, when the Maoris commenced with
some desultory shots at cannon range. But suddenly I saw a peculiar
sort of fence across the road—a stake fence bound with new flax,
therefore a new work—a rising bank behind it, with a suspicious look
about the crown.
“‘Listen, men,’ I said. ‘We must make one broad rush at that place—one
long, strong, all-together push—and that fence must go down. Then up
the bank like lightning.’
“Thus arranged—thus it was done. With a cheer a wave of sprightly
fellows dashed against that fence. Down it went—up the bank we flew.
There were the masked rifle-pits just dug and just deserted. They had
stuck sprigs and branches of tea-tree into the newly-thrown-up earth to
hide the presence of those pits.
“Thence we entered the village, still with considerable precaution, as
we would not believe that the Maoris would make no resistance whatever,
particularly in such broken ground as the village, straggling amongst
gullies and ridges covered with peach-groves, afforded. Thus, however,
it was. We went right through the village, and seeing the fugitives in
the far-off distance making for an old pa [probably Otautahanga], I
gave chase, but was soon recalled, as the orders of Colonel Waddy were
to confine himself strictly to Orakau. The next time I entered that
village a few weeks after we did not complain about the reluctance of
fighting in the Maoris.”