No. 3.

Sir G. Wolseley to the Earl of Kimberley.

Head- Quarters, Camp Amoaful, February 8,1874.

MY LORD,
    I HAVE the honour to inclose copies of two reports which have just arrived from Captain Glover. Your Lordship will perceive that the last is dated January 28, eleven days ago, and that Captain Glover speaks of being then within 20 miles of Coomassie.
    I am making every effort to send him news of our success, and orders to fall back behind the Prah. I have offered large rewards to messengers if they succeed in reaching him, and have sent to him by several different routes. In any case, in the utterly crushed state of the Ashantee forces, I have every hope that Captain Glover will be able to hold his own against any army they could bring against him, and, at the worst, he certainly will be able to secure his own retreat.

I have, &c., (Signed) G. J. WOLSELEY, Major-General and Administrator, Gold Coast.

Inclosure 1 in No.3.

Abogoo, January 21, 1874.

SIR,
     I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Excellency's despatches dated 31st December, 1873, 8th January, 13th January, and your Excellency's communication of the 14th instant.
     2. My entire force of Houssas and Yorubas, which are capable of being brought to the front, are now up as per state inclosed, and Mr. Ponsonby, R.N., joined head-quarters on 18th, and Dr. Rowe on afternoon of 19th instant.
    3. Yesterday came up 23 boxes of Snider and 20 boxes of Enfield ammunition, 2 cases of rockets, and 1 trough.
    4. This afternoon came in other loads, completing spare ammunition, 458 spare rounds Snider for 350 men, and 55 spare rounds Enfeld for 500 men, one 7-pounder gun, and 15 charges  for ditto, 4 troughs, and 72 rockets.
    5. To-morrow I am expecting 2 boxes containing fuses, friction-tubes, slow-match, &c., 4 cases of shot for 7-pounder guns, 16 cases of shell(common), 5 cases double shell, 17-pounder gun, and 7 cases of charges for 7-pounders.
    6. I regret to have to report that I received yesterday the news of the death of Dr. Paule, R.N., who died at Assoom of fever and jaundice, followed by dysentery,on the 19th instant. The loss of this Officer is very much regretted by the Officers on this Expedition, as well as by myself. His kindness and genial disposition had endeared him to all, and since the 27th ultimo owing to the illness of Lieutenant Cameron, 19th Regiment, be had been in command of an advanced detachment of force until it reached Assoom on the 10th instant.
   7. On the 19th instant came up the (Chief, of Assoom with 120 men. Yesterday the King of Eastern Akim came with 300 more, and, to-day some 50 others have arrived.
   8. On the 17th a broad road leading northwards was reconnoitred for three miles by Lieutenant Barnard 19th, Regiment, with 100 men, but was found to end in farms  On the18th the same officer and force examined road to Conomo for three-or four miles without seeing any one. Reconnaissances were pushed out five or six miles towards the villages of Bangsu and. Ja-Ashi., On left flank and left rear nothing was seen, remainder of force being occupied in unroofing and loopholing houses and cutting patrol paths through forest around village.
    9. To-day Captain Larcom, R.N. and Lieutenant Barnard,19th Regiment, with 100 men, examined country 10 miles on left rear, burning two deserted villages, and King of East Akirn drove out the enemy from Bangsu, a village 11 miles on left flank which he burned, having four
men wounded.. To-morrow Lieutenant Barnard, in command of 160 Houssas and Yorubas, with Mr. Ponsonby, in charge of rocket party and 300 Akims, will occupy Bargens, and day after tomorrow move upon Jaashu for the purpose of dislodging the enemy from that place, and opening communication with Captain Butler, whose force cannot be more than four hours to the westward, in neighbourhood of Atcheyasswah.
   10. Jaashi like this place is five hours' distant from Conomo, which will be occupied by force not later than 25th or 26th, and is three from Coomassie or Daubin. I calculate approximately the position of this place to be in latitude 6° 30' N. and 57° 30' W.
 

Inclosure 2 in No. 3.

January 28, 1874.

SIR,
    SINCE date of my last despatch to your Excellency of the 21st instant, Lieutenant Barnard, having with him Mr. Ponsonby, R.N., who was in charge of rocket troughs and 160 Houssas and Yorubas, with 200 Akims, occupied Bangsu and the next day drove out the enemy from Jaashu, ten miles south-west of this place ; casualties, nil.
    25th, 200 Akims more, despatched to attack a small village to left rear were repulsed ; loss of 2 killed and 4 wounded; 20 Akims only being engaged, the rest retreating Akims reporting that from loudness of the guns they believed the village to be occupied by Cobrah Fuah's army (Western Akim), and requested Lieutenant Barnard some Houssas ; but fearing an attack from this place, which was known to be occupied by the enemy, Lieutenant Barnard sent only a bugler and 4 men with a red English flag. The men reported that the Akims could not be induced to proceed more than a mile, and on their return were only prevented from bolting to Abogoo by a rocket being directed down the road to head them back. The next day Lieutenant Barnard was to have effected a junction with me at this place at 1 P.M., so was compelled to leave Assufoo. He left Jaashie at 10 A.M., but did not reach this place until 3.30 P.M., and carried it after fifteen minutes firing. Mr. Ponsonby was hit by a spent ball which caused him to fall, also two Houssas hit, one seriously. The enemy held the bush or border of the village for about five minutes until dislodged by two rockets, when they retreated in direction of Coomassie or Juabin.
     In the meantime I had left Abogoo at 7 A.M., and forming junction with 100 men under Captain Sartorius, who had left the day previous and encamped two and a half hours in advance, I preceded  for Conomo, three miles due east of this place. It was quite dark when we arrived within a mile of this place, and I encamped intending to attack at daybreak, but a reconnaissance made by the King of Eastern Akim and twenty men found it deserted, and it was immediately occupied by his force, about 400 men.
   On the 27th I moved to this place, leaving Rowe and 200 Houssas and Yorubas with King of Akim to prevent, Akim force from going off, in a sudden panic. The King himself is brave, so is his General, and, perhaps, 100 out of 700 of the entire Akim force, with me.
    Captain Butler does not inform me of his line of march after crossing Prah, and the few Ashantee prisoners with me give no information. The
slaves taken know nothing except the road from the farm, they work on to the, village in which they are taken. I cannot get the Akims to reconnoitre, so that unless Captain Sartorius should Succeed in getting this despatch to Captain Butler, I do not know how I shall effect communication with your Excellency.
   I am awaiting reinforcements of Aquapiras with spare ammunition, also King of Crobo with a large force, all of whom are within three or four marches of not being in lat. 6° 38' N and long. 1¼ ° W . . . .15 or 20 miles from Coomassie or Juabin.
   From such information as I can gather, the enemy will oppose my crossing the river Assoom six hours from this.
    Excepting " Abogoo," every place occupied has been found swept of sheep and fowls, consequently my force has been living on yam and plaintains for the last seven days, and the officers have no preserved meat up of any description.
    One of my messengers was robbed and flogged by some West India soldiers, consequently the Akims at Assooin refuse to convey letter, and I am too far in advance to influence them.
    I shall endeavour to get duplicate of this and previous one of 21st instant, sent to your Excellency by route south of Prah.
    Inclosed is a copy of Lieutenant Barnard's (19th Regiment) report of attack and occupation of this place, Odumassie.
    It is with much pleasure that I bring to the notice of your Excellency the conduct of Lieutenant Barnard, 19th Regiment, a most promising and .indefatigable young officer.Captain Sartorius, in command of the advanced force which carried Abogoo, brought to my notice his gallant bearing on that occasion ; and he displayed great discretion and judgment while in command of the column which I found in possession of this place yesterday.
   I therefore, hope your Excellency will remember Lieutenant Barnard's gallant conduct on this second occasion when this campaign is finished.
   I take the opportunity of bringing to the notice of  your-Excellency the invaluable assistance which I have received from Captain Sartorius, 6th Bengal, Cavalry. It was entirely owing to his indefatigable exertion and great personal influence that the Croboes and Aquapims were induced to move on the Yolta, when they did, thereby showing the Accras and enabling me, with the assistance of Dr. Rowe on the seaboard, to cross a large force of 17,000 men over the Volta by 27th December, nor could any force have reached the Prah on 15th instant, but for the amount of pressure put upon the King and Chiefs of Eastern Akim by Captain Sartorius. I shall, on another occasion, bring this Officer's service more fully to the notice of your Excellency, trusting that you will forward them to the Secretary of State for India.

	I have, &c., (Signed) JOHN H. GLOVER, Special Commissioner.
His Excellency Major-General Sir G. Wolseley, K.C.M.G., C.B.