In November 1860 a small force of around 150 Ngāti Hauā warriors travelled to Taranaki from the Waikato and challenged the British to battle at Mahoetahi, near New Plymouth.

In November Te Wetini Taiporutu, a chief of Ngāti Hauā and a passionate supporter of the Maori King Movement, lead a warband of some 150 warriors from the Waikato to "kill soldiers" in Taranaki.

The site had historically been used as a settlement or pā by Te Āti Awa soon after their migration to Taranaki in the early 19th century, but by 1860 little remained other than a few eroded terraces and embankments.

The British encountered Te Wetini Force and a small skirmish broke out resulting in one man of the 65th Regiment being mortally wounded.

[10] Waitara Column – Colonel Mould (307 all ranks)[9] The exact strength and disposition of Te Wetini's force is unknown, but many sources settle on around 150 warriors.

[1][9] Although the force is generally attributed to Ngāti Hauā, bodies recovered after the battle were identified as coming from a large number of different Waikato tribes.

Pratt had joined the men at the front of the assault and when he received news that the Waitara Column was in sight gave the order to halt the bombardment and continue the attack.

Both sides opened fire at close range inflicting casualties on one another, but the attackers continued onward into hand-to-hand combat with the Ngati Haua defenders.

The 12th and 40th regiments extended the line to the right of the 65th, and Te Wetini's force was in risk of being encircled, but many managed to escape to the south due to a number of factors.

[15] After the dead and wounded had been accounted for, Pratt led a party in search of the remainder of Te Wetini's force, but was unsuccessful in pursuit.

[16] Colonel Mould and 300 men remained at Mahoetahi to occupy the position and complete a stockade, while the rest of the force returned to New Plymouth in the evening.

General Pratt, however, feared that he may have over-stepped and the high casualties among the Ngati Haua may only lead to further escalation of the war in Taranaki and its spread across New Zealand.