THE ASHANTEE WAR.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 46, 23 February 1874, Page 2

THE ASHANTEE WAR.

We take the following from the letter, dated December 26, of the 'Australasian's" London correspondent: — The Gold Coast climate has been exerting its baneful influence. Sir Garnet Wolseley has had himself to succumb to fatigue, and although now happily recovered, had -to be removed on board the Simoom. Other officers had been prostrated, and there were nearly 200 men disabled by sickness in the fleet. The sanitary arrangements are so excellent that we may hope to surmount these difficulties, and the men, seasoned and rested, may soon be ready for fresh exertions. The rumor has reached us of the death of the King of Ashnntee, but it is not substantiated. Sir Garnet Wolseley has meanwhile accomplished all that was possible with his resources. He has driven back the Asbautee hordes from the neighborhood of Cape Coast Castle, and struck wholesome fear into the cowardly tribes to whom at the first he had appealed as fighting allies. The defeat inflicted on the Ashantees at Abrakrampa is tbe severest blow they have experienced for many years. That little village is the capital of the Fantee Kingdom, an 1 was attacked by them in their retreat towards the Prah, ■ The gallant- little force deferding it consisted of 50 marines and bluejackets, 100 Houassas, 93 of the 2nd West India Regiment, 100 Kossoos (one of the fiercest tribes of . Sierra Leone), 64 Sierra Leone volunteers, and 114 disciplined Fantees; while the Ashantees were reckoned at some 15,000 men. They made a great noise as they approached through the | busb, and first attacked towards nightfall. The fight was continued, with i intermissions which allowed of no repose, for 29 hours, and ended in the complete -repulse of the ossailants. Major Russell, who commanded, had a slight fever all the time; but no white mon or officer was wounded. A correspondent of the 'Times' says: — An escaped captive of the Ashantees complained that we shot through holes ia houses, and that when they fired back their bullets struck the houses instead of us. However, on'two or three occasions when the Ashantees were creeping up towards us, in their opinion under cover of rising ground, our peoplesallied out, and drove them b*ck. Captain Grant, 2nd West India Regiment, made the first charge of thia kind; it was loudly cheered by the seamen and marines. Ou this occasion I fit st saw a number of Ashantees together; they ran down the hill, and with their naked biack bodies resembled a herd of wild animals." Sir Garnet Wolseley, as soon as the news reached him, hurried to the rescue with 300 marines and seamen, and ns soon as he arrived, ordered an advance upon the retreating Ashantees. The Fantees had to be driven into the bush by the Kossoos. " They marched,-" says the same correspondent, "in fear and trembling, but also with a great howling, towards the Ashantee camp, but the Ashantee** themselves were seized with a panic, and there was a general sauve gui pent. The Houssas were ordered to the front, and bounded down the forest path. Only a few shots were fired by some Ashantee slaves, who hung skirmishing about the rear. The path was lumbered up with baskets, brass pans, fowl coops, powder kegs, muskets, and stools. Even Amonquatia's bed was left behind, and the chair in which he was carried by his slaves. A' number of Fantee captives were rescued. A chief had been killed the day before, and the chair in which he was carried by his slaves. A number of Fantee' captives were rescued. A chief had been killed the day before, and they were making human sacrifices on his grave. A Fantee woman told us that a man was actually cutting her throat when the attack was made on the camp, and a bullet pierced his brain. I cannot say if she spoke the truth, but I saw that the skin of her throat was bleeding. Amanquatia, it is thought, will kill himself. The Ashantee women, who

were so keen for tho fight on the first two. days, who urged oo the men, aod curried their powder, now abuse Amanquatia as the- murderer of the men. His own slaves refuse to carry him, and he has disguised himself in mean apparel. It is supposed that they would cut a road homo through a forest wilderness, avoiding inhabited regions." The return of Sir Garnet Wolseley to Cape Coast Castle with tho spoils of the enemy, was a triumphal march, and he was received by the native population with great demonstrations of welcome; but he was greatly fagged, and suffered from the heat, and the next day was so ill that the bells of the church were not allowed to be rung, and before the week was out he had to be removed on board the hospital ship. Colonel Festing bad in the meantime carried his operations at Dunquah to a successful issue, and thus tho prestige of power through tbat whole region was transferred to our handful of forces. A " moral influence " was established, of which we bave heard much; but, as far es our native allies aro concerned, there is nothing in their nature to respond to it. Lieutenant Eardley Wilmot, of the Royal Artillery, fell in the advance from """unquah — the first officer killed fn tbe field. He had received a severe wound early in the day, but still held out with brave endurance, and was cheering on his men through the bush, when he was shot down from behind a thicket. The Asbantees made a precipitate retreat after their repulse from Abrakrampa. Several attempts were made to harass them, but with partial success, and no further advance is expedient, until it can bo made in greater strength Tbey do not appear to bave recrossed the Prah. Some accounts speak of their cutting a road through the bush to facilitate their retreat, other reports say that large reinforcements are coming to them from the interior. The last rumor alleges that the King of Dahomey is preparing to assist Kiog Coffee; and, if so, wo sball find ourselves arrayed against two of the most bloodthirsty kingdoms which the world has ever known.