The Tauranga Argus was the first newspaper to be published in Tauranga. It recorded on November 24 1866, just 2 years after the battle of Gate Pa, that the Te Puna area was still troubled by hostile warriors. It gives an account of the expedition that was sent to protect the survey parties on the confiscated Te Puna block and how the Minden was named. The Hauhau had mustered in force and were threatening to shoot the surveyors as they attempted to cut a boundary line adjoining the Waiwhatawhata village.

Colonel Hamilton of the 12th regiment, fearing an attack on Tauranga itself, readied a force of 200 men to march against the Hauhau. Supplies were sent ahead to the ford on the Wairoa River so there would be no delay marching direct to Minden Peak. It was named by Captain Marcom after the Battle of Minden in 1759 in which the 12th had been engaged.

The men had a hard march across the swamp from Tauranga at 2 am, knee-deep in mud and water, but made it to Wairoa in two hours. They took food and proceeded in single file to the top of the Minden “and a more tedious advance has seldom been performed”. When they arrived at the summit, the rebel flag was still flying in the Waiwhatawhata settlement but was taken down shortly afterwards. In spite of the bold talk which had provoked Captain Hamilton to make the advance, two Maori warriors came into the camp and told Mr Mackay who was in charge of the surveyors, that they did not wish to fight or interfere with the surveyors cutting the boundary line. Rain set in next day, and the work had to be postponed.

Two hundred of the 1st Waikatos, hoping for a piece of the action, also left Te Papa (Tauranga) in the early hours of the morning and took up a position near the Wairoa River from where they would see the top of the Minden. It was arranged in the case of danger, a red flag was to be flown from the summit and a white one if all was peaceful. The weather foiled these communication attempts as a mist shrouded the Minden all day. Next day, the exercise was again repeated and eventually they were rewarded by a red blanket shown from the masthead. The Waikato's proceeded up also but things remained quiet. The surveyors were able to go about their work the next morning under the watchful eyes of the troops commanded by Captain Marcom who gave the Minden it’s name.

The work was able to be completed in a day and the surveyors and troops returned to Te Papa. There was repeat of the victory that had taken place in 1759 at the town of Minden in Northern Germany when a combined force of 43,000 Hanoverian with British soldiers of the 12th Regiment, routed 60,000 French troops and Minden was restored to Prussia.

The belt plate of the 12th regiment bore the word “Minden” to record this battle honour. The regiment left Tauranga in April 1867 with memories of their climb and their time on the top of the Minden, when they also admired one of the finest views in New Zealand. (Ref. BOP Times 25 Mar 1986)