War again broke out in New Zealand in 1860, and so serious did it become that at one time as many as 10,000 regulars and 15,000 colonials were under arms. At Taranaki, on June 13th, the Maoris were defeated, and again at Mahoetaki on November 6th. In order to protect New Plymouth, or the Taranaki district, a chain of redoubts was built, and from one of these, on the Waitara River, a little party of men of the 40th Regiment moved out to locate the Maories known to be in the bush. Directly they entered it a number were killed and wounded by the fire of the hidden enemy, and in a very short time hardly a man was unhurt. In this unfortunate affair, on March 18th, 1861, Sergeant Lucas gained the V.C. for his heroic conduct in assisting Lieutenant Rees, who had been wounded, into cover, and, although himself wounded, remaining at his post under a galling fire. Next day the Maoris surrendered, and for a short spell peace was restored. In 1863 war again broke out. The Maoris in the North Island had elected a young, characterless man as King, and established a capital at Ngaruawahia, near the junction of the Waikoto and Waipa Rivers. British law was defied, and when the supporters of the weak and pliant "King" had interfered in a dispute affecting Europeans and Maoris, it became necessary to take strong measures. Lieutenant-General Sir Duncan A. Cameron, learning that the Waikoto tribe had planned to invade Auckland, advanced into the wild country north of the Waikoto River, where at Kohera, above the Mangatawari Creek, the rebels had taken up a strongly fortified position. Attacking them on July 12th, 1863, Cameron drove them out and into the swamps, but owing to difficulties in transport was unable to follow up his success. An instance of the chivalry which characterised the brave Maori warriors throughout the war may here be mentioned; the Maoris at Meri-Meri, hearing a rumour that Cameron and his men were short of food, sent a little fleet of canoes under a flag of truce with potatoes and milch goats for their enemy. When he was able to move, Cameron set out to attack Meri-Meri, but on his arrival he discovered that the Maoris had retired southwards across country, whither, owing to the condition of the land caused by the heavy rains, they could not be followed. Cameron pushed on up the river, and at Rangireri attacked the strongly fortified Pah on November 20th; but owing to the assault being made before the artillery had completed its work, the troops, after their repeated assaults, were only partially successful, and during which 6 officers were killed and 9 wounded, and 120 men killed and wounded. At night a number of the enemy escaped from the Pah, and the remnant of 183 surrendered at daybreak.