Places

Date: 1864

By: Robley, Horatio Gordon, 1840-1930

Reference: A-033-007

Description: View of the trenches at Gate Pa, Tauranga, looking east, the front of the pa to the left, the rear to the right, after its capture by British forces in April 1864. European soldiers standing guard, two carrying a stretcher in the background, a rifle and parts of the broken palisade lying in the foreground, and wounded and dead Maori men visible in the trenches, including Reweti, in a trench to the right, facing the viewer. A tunnel on the left is marked as a covered way, and a tall pole in the background, on a slant is the flagpole. A low land formation in the background to the left is noted as Maungatapu cliffs with cemetery. Tauranga Harbour can be seen in the background Very similar to A-033-009. Robley made many copies of this view Another such view in Cowan's New Zealand Wars has Robley's additional explanatory text around the outside (neg 10985 1/2). The section along the left, to the left of the trench and inside the palisade is a covered passage leading to rifle pits. The figure lying in the left trench is described as 'dead Maori on blanket'. The figure in the right-hand trench is described as 'bearded wounded Maori' and 'Sticks knocked from the palisade' and 'sticks of palisade scathed by shot', '68th sentry on the higher part of the Pa', as well as 'fallen flagstaff in rear' are noted. Inscriptions: Recto - beneath image - [title]; Recto - bottom left - Front; Recto - bottom right - Rear; Verso - Disposition of fortifications and other features explained in notes on back of sketch, including the following: Looking east. The flagstaff. Maungatapu cliffs [with] cemetery. A covered way. Reweti wounded and another. Quantity: 1 watercolour(s). Physical Description: Pen and wash drawing 180 x 255 mm