In early 1870, the Government decided to withdraw all pākeha militia from the pursuit of Te Kooti, and entrust the hunt for him to kūpapa (Māori allied to the Government): the Ngāti Porou, under Ropata, and Maori from the Whanganui, under Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui. The Te Arawa "iwi" would also be involved in the hunt for Te Kooti. Ropata was to command an East Cape invasion force, and manage its military operations. This was at the instigation of McLean, now the Minister of Defence, who had noted the success achieved by the kūpapa in the hunt for Te Kooti compared to the Armed Constabulary. Additional motivation was provided by a bounty of £5,000 for the capture of Te Kooti. Only one "pākeha" was allowed to accompany each of the Māori war parties; Ropata asked for and got Captain Thomas Porter, an officer of the Voluntary Cavalry in Poverty Bay. The East Cape party departed for the Urewera country on 28 February, numbering about 370 men. In his later writings, Porter commented favourably on Ropata's leadership and the resulting discipline and loyalty he instilled in his Ngāti Porou during the march to Maungapohatu, a key site for the Tūhoe. They captured the "pa" there, which had never before been attacked, with the loss of only one man. Then, in late March Te Keepa and Ropata managed to catch Te Kooti between their two forces at his "pā" at Maraetahi. In the ensuing battle the Ringatū force was destroyed. Te Kooti escaped but most of his men were either captured or killed.