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Bush Fighting. Illustrated by remarkable actions and incidents of the Maori war in New Zealand.
III. — Return of Maoris killed, wounded, and prisoners, in 1863-4-5
III.
Return of Maoris killed, wounded, and prisoners, in 1863-4-5.
| Engagement. | English strength. | Maoris. | Killed. | Wounded. | Prisoners. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Katikara | 771 | not known | 28 | not known | ||
| Keri Keri | 13 | |||||
| Koheroa | 284 (engaged) | 400 | 40 | |||
| Stone Depôt | 6 | |||||
| Keri Keri | 143 | several | ||||
| Paparoa (recounoissance) | some | |||||
| Merimeri (recounoissance) | 2 | |||||
| Great South Road (ambuscade on) | 6 | |||||
| Pokino | 1 | |||||
| Cameron | several | |||||
| Razor Back | several | |||||
| Pukekohe | 12 | |||||
| Poutoko (ambuscade) | 5 | |||||
| Galloway Redoubt | 8 | |||||
| Wairoa | 2 | |||||
| Poutoko | not known | |||||
| Attack on Sergeant Johnson | 3 | |||||
| Mauku | 5 | |||||
| Rangariri | 1000 | 600 or 700 | 41 | 183 | ||
| Waeari | 37 | 2 | ||||
| Rangiawhia | 12 | 12 | ||||
| Huerini | 800 | over 500 | 56 | |||
| Kaitaki | not known | |||||
| Orakau | 800 | 450 | 127 | 7 | ||
| Maungatautari | 30 (surrendered) | |||||
| Gate Pah | 26 | |||||
| Te awa ote atua | 60 | |||||
| Moutoa | 50 | |||||
| Te Rangi | 530 | 500 | 108 | 43 | ||
| Manutahi | 2 | |||||
| Nukumaru | 600 (engaged) | 600 | 70 | |||
| Kakaramea | 20 | 5 | ||||
| Opunaki | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Warea | 17 | 5 | ||||
| 747 | 1 | 300 |
From the above it appears that in the operations between the 4th of June, 1863, and 4th of August, 1865, the Maoris lost in killed at least 1,000 men, and in prisoners 300. How many were wounded is not known, but the number must have been at least five times greater than the killed. On the British side the proportion was much larger. Here we have at once over 6,000, and so a statement that there were never more than 2,000 men against the British is quite incorrect.
The killed and wounded in the Waitara campaign, or in General Chute's operations, are not given, but the numbers must have been large. There were also fights with the friendly natives, in which the insurgents had losses. 10,000 men for the Maoris is perhaps nearer the truth than 2,000 warriors.
Note.—It must be remembered that the troops had on nearly all occasions to attack the Maoris in selected positions strongly intrenched, the flanks always secure, and thus having to move on a very narrow front, no advantage could be made of superior numbers. The British states show the whole force; but when we deduct escorts, guards, sick, wounded, &c. &c., it is well known that two-thirds of the total strength is the most that can be calculated on for fighting.