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The New Zealand Wars: A History of the Maori Campaigns and the Pioneering Period: Volume II: The Hauhau Wars, (1864–72)

(Chapter 40): THE WAIPAOA ENGAGEMENT (1871): TE KOOTI'S GUN

(Chapter 40): THE WAIPAOA ENGAGEMENT (1871): TE KOOTI'S GUN

Captain Preece gives the following history of the American repeater which Te Kooti used when he was defeated by Mair and Preece in their surprise attack on the Waipaoa bush camp in the south-eastern part of the Urewera Country, August, 1871:—

Te Kooti had only one cartridge in his Spencer repeating-rifle and fired this at us as he was escaping into the bush. [See page 439.] The weapon had a curious record. It was originally a present from the Government to the friendly Arawa chief Wiremu Maihi te Rangikaheke, who was stationed at Ohiwa. When Major Mair made peace with Te Whenuanui and his fellow Urewera chiefs at Ruatoki, Wi Maihi sent the gun to be shown to the other Urewera leaders, and Kereru te Pukenui, of the Upper Whakatane, who had not made peace, got hold it. He did not return it, but sent it to Te Kooti, with all the ammunition that was page 515 with it. After our defeat of Te Kooti at Waipaoa and his flight towards Maunga-pohatu, he gave back the rifle to Kereru te Pukenui, from whom he had obtained it. [It was useless to him, as he had no more ammunition for it.]”