Admiralty, March 5, 1874
THE accompanying Despatch has been received from Commodore W. N. Hewett, V.C.:—
 

SIR,
    I HAVE the honour to request you will inform the Lords -Commissioners of the Admiralty that since I despatched my letter of the 29th of January, the Naval Brigade, in conjunction with the rest of the troops, has been hotly engaged with the enemy on three separate occasions.
   2. On our arrival at Detchiasu, on the morning of the 29th ult., Wood's and Russell's Regiments, with the Naval Brigade and 23rd Fusiliers, under the command of Colonel M'Leod, 42nd Highlanders, were ordered to advance four miles into the bush to the village of Borumassie, and attack it, with the object of driving out the King of Adansi, who, with a large force, was occupying a strong position on our flank. After a sharp engagement the enemy were eventually dislodged, although not without some loss on our side, of which, the only particulars I am able to give you
are that four men of the Naval Brigade were wounded, two severely and two slightly.
    3. On the evening of the 30th of January our troops and carriers were massed at Insarfu, and early on the following morning they advanced in four columns to attack a strong force of the enemy, who had established themselves a short distance south of Amoaful.
    4. Without attempting to give the details of the General's plan of operations, I will endeavour to afford such particulars as will enable their Lordships to gain some idea of the position occupied by the Naval Brigade during the engagement.
    5. The first encounter took place at 8 A.M., when the village of Egginassie, about a mile from Amoaful, was carried by a rush of the scouts under Lord Gilford.
    6. The Naval Brigade was divided into two wings, one, under Captain Walter James H. Grubbe, of Her Majesty's ship " Tamar," being attached to the left column, and the other, under Acting Captain Percy P. Luxmore, of Her Majesty's ship " Druid," to the right.
    7. On the advance being made the right and left columns were ordered to cut paths at right angles to the main road, for a distance of 300 yards into the bush, and then to form upon the flanks of the 42nd Regiment, who, in the front column, were making their way through the thick bush on either side of the road.
    8. The enemy's centre was at Amoaful, and throwing out two columns towards us in a diagonal direction, they formed, as it were, a broad arrow with the main path, in which order they received our attack.
    9. After suffering very heavy losses the 42nd Highlanders eventually captured the town at 1.45 p.m.
    10. I have great pleasure in acquainting their Lordships with the steady behaviour of the Naval Brigade. During a very trying time they showed the greatest coolness, and, advancing slowly under a continuous and heavy fire, steadily drove back the enemy until three o'clock, when they forced them to make a precipitate retreat, and the day was ours.
    11. Although it is quite impossible to give even an approximate estimate of the strength of the enemy opposed to us, I should say, from the number of Ashantee corpses we have taken from the road side and buried, there must have been several thousands of them.
    12. On the baggage being moved up from Insarfu towards the evening, the guard protecting it was attacked, and some of the carriers, dropping their loads, ran away. Nearly all of it was, however, afterwards recovered, and Sir Garnet has since successfully established a line of communication with his rear.
    13. On Sunday the Naval Brigade were sent on to a place called Becquah (Baquah ?) three miles from Amoaful, where they attacked a large number of Ashantees, and drove them back with considerable loss.
    14. On Monday, February 2, we came in here, and to-morrow, at daylight, we are to advance ten miles further, without baggage. This will take us within about five miles of Coomassie.
   15. There has been some desultory fighting during the day, in which the Naval Brigade were not engaged. 
   16. Enclosed is a return of casualties, which does not include the losses suffered by the regiments which, I regret to say, in the case of the 42nd were very heavy.
   17. Their Lordships will observe that a very stubborn resistance was offered to us.

(Signed) W. N. HEWETT, Commodore.

The Secretary of the Admiralty.

 

A NOMINAL LIST of Killed and Wounded, Officers, Petty Officers, Seamen, and Marines
 belonging to the Royal Naval Brigade, at Borumassie, on the 29th of January, 1874; at
Amoaful, on the 3lst of January, and Becquah, on the 1st of February :-—

AT BORUMASSIE.

Petty Officers, Seamen, and Marines Wounded.

Her Majesty's Ship "Active"
Leading Seaman George Peavitt, left breast ; very severe.
Gunner's Mate John Smith, right temple ; very severe.

Her Majesty's Skip " Argus"
Boatswain's Mate Thomas Wilson, left leg.; slight.
Private William B. Truelove, right hand ; slight.

AT AMOAFUL.

Officers Wounded.

Her Majesty's Ship " Tamar."
Captain W. J. H.. Grubbe, left hand; very severely.

Her Majesty's Ship "Barracouta."
Lieutenant Angus M'Leod, abdomen ; slightly.

 Her Majesty's Ship " Active."
Acting Lieutenant G. R. Maltby, chest; slightly.
Sub-Lieutenant Robert L. Mundy, head; very dangerously.
Sub-Lieutenant Wyatt Rawson, thigh ; severely.

Her Majesty's Ship "Amethyst."
Midshipman Charles G. May, neck;. slightly.

Petty Officers, Seamen, and Marines Wounded.

Her Majesty's Ship " Active."
Captain of the Foretop Thomas Blake, left shoulder.; very .severely.
Captain of the Maintop William Elkes, right ; thigh ; very severely.
Boatswain's Mate James Wilson, face ; slightly.
Commodore's Domestic William Coleman, right thigh ; severely.

Her Majesty's Ship " Druid."
Signalman Francis Watson,' chest; very dangerously, penetrating.
A.B. John Murphy, face ; slightly.

Her Majesty's Ship " Encounter."
Captain of the Maintop James Jones, left thigh; very severely.
A.B. J. F. Lemm, left arm ; very severely.
A.B. Joseph Murphy, two penetrating wounds of chest; very dangerously.
A.B. Joe Barnes, right chest penetrating; . very dangerously.
A.B. Henry Darling, right arm ; slightly.

Her Majesty's Ship "Amethyst."

A.B. G. Alford, scrotum ; dangerously.
Captain's C. John Searce, left arm ; severely.
A.B. Edward Gilbert, neck ; dangerously.
A.B. Denis Driscoe, head, right side ; severely.
A.B. William Daw, right side of face ; severely.

Her Majesty' s Ship "Argus"
Leading Seaman William Hart, right thigh j very severely.
A.B. R. Sykes, right arm ; very severely.
Boatswain's Mate W. Bunt, left arm; severely.
A.B. Benjamin Vivian, right arm ; slightly.

Her Majesty's Ship " Active."
Serjeant B.M.L.I. Timothy Walters, left leg; very severely.
Private William Avery, face and neck ; very severely.
Private D. Gavan, face ; slightly.
Private Thomas Bavers, left shoulder ; severely.

Her Majesty's Ship " Druid."
Private John Bell, face and neck j dangerously.
Private James Sillence, left arm ; severely.

AT BECQUAH.

Petty Officers, Seamen, and Marines Killed.

Her Majesty's Ship " Active"
A.B. William Taylor, heart.

Petty Officers Seamen, and Marines Wounded.

Her Majesty's Ship " Active."
Captain of Quarter-deck Mr. W. Allridge, left arm ; very severely.
A.B. John Malegan, head and ear ; severely.
Boatswain's Mate James Willson, right forearm ; slightly.