George Tuffin, Swords, Gaynor, and Gill. The others manned the two flanking angles.
Private George Tuffin, one of the garrison—who is still alive, in Wanganui—was up with the others at the first alarm. He fired his revolver into the mass of Maoris outside the gateway; then, dropping the revolver, he got to work with his carbine. He had fired one shot out of his carbine, and stooped under the shelter of the parapet to slip in another cartridge. Just as he was rising to fire again he was struck in the head by a Maori bullet, and fell to the ground unconscious. He could not have been in that condition very long, for when he came to, Captain Ross was still alive and fighting to keep the Maoris out of the gateway.
"Hello, old man!" cried the captain; "are you hit?"
Young Tuffin lay there, unable to reply.
"Where's your rifle?" asked the captain; he was reloading his revolver while he spoke.
Tuffin pointed to where his gun was lying on the muddy ground beside him.
"Come on, boys!" yelled the captain; "they're coming in at the gate!"
Those were the last words Tuffin heard his commanding officer utter. A few moments later, in that fearful confusion of attack and defence in the darkness, the gallant Ross was struck down, defending the gateway to the end with his sword.
