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Government House, Cape Coast,
November 8, 1873. |
MY LORD,
I HAVE the honour to report, briefly, the result of a
series of operations conducted under my orders, which have ended in
the complete rout of the main Ashanti army, and in our capture of
most of their stores, including the sacred symbols and personal
belongings of the General himself.
2. At 2 A.M. on Thursday morning, I
received news that Amonquartia, with nearly the whole Ashanti army,
had, on Wednesday, at 4 P.M.,
commenced a most furious and persistent attack upon Abrakrampa. I at
once arranged with Captain Fremantle for the march of all available
marines and blue-jackets upon the attacking army. Captain Fremantle,
with his usual cordiality, at once placed all the force he could at
my disposal, and marched in command of the Naval Brigade himself.
N
3. The day was exceedingly hot, and it was necessary to leave
some of the men at Assayboo. I passed on at 4 P.M.
with the remainder and the fifty whom I had previously left at that
station.
4. We arrived at Abrakrampa at 6.30, finding that the fight
was still going on. The enemy, however, soon desisted.
5. Had the Cape Coast Companies obeyed my orders, they would,
at about the same time, have arrived upon the rear of the Ashanti
army. But fearing to do so, they made some excuse for coming to
Assayboo whilst we were there. I left them that night at Butteyan.
The following morning, on their arrival at Abrakrampa, I sent them
to attack the Ashantis in the bush. They behaved with as much
cowardice as is conceivable, but probably the noise they made at the
distance which they cautiously observed, made an impression on the
Ashantis which contributed to cause a panic which now almost
immediately set in. An hour or two afterwards I sent Lieutenant
Gordon and the Houssas in pursuit. They returned after dark, having
found all along the road very extensive camps recently abandoned,
with pots upon the fire, and everything left behind except,
probably, the actual weapons in the hands of the fighting men.
6. The result is solely attributable to the admirable conduct
of Major Russell and the officers under his orders, who, with only
fifty marines, in addition to native levies, held the town against
numbers at least twenty-fold during two most fatiguing days and
nights, throughout which time none of them could rest for a moment.
7. No white men or officers were wounded. A few of the native
allies were wounded during sorties which it was found impossible
entirely to repress.
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I have, &c.,
(Signed) G. J. WOLSELEY,
Major-General and Administrator,
Gold Coast. |
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margin note