Two days after the arrival at Fomana the remaining members of the German
mission, two males, a female, and two children, were sent in by the king
with a letter containing many assurances of his desire for peace, but
making no mention of the stipulations which Sir Garnet Wolseley had laid
down. The advance was therefore to continue. The rest of the troops came
up, and on the 25th Russell's regiment advanced to Dompiassee, Wood's
regiment and Rait's battery joining him the next day. That afternoon the
first blood north of the Prah was shed. It being known that a body of
the enemy were collecting at a village a little off the road the force
moved against them. Lord Gifford led the way, as usual, with his scouts.
The enemy opened fire as soon as the scouts appeared; but these, with
the Houssa company of Russell's regiment, rushed impetuously into the
village, and the Ashantis at once bolted. Two of them were killed and
five taken prisoners.
The next halting places of the advance troops were Kiang Bossu and
Ditchiassie. It was known now that Ammon Quatia was lying with the
Ashanti army at Amoaful, but five miles away, and ambassadors arrived
from the king finally declining to accept the terms of peace. Russell's
and Wood's regiments marched forward to Quarman, within half a mile of
the enemy's outposts. The white troops came on to Insafoo, three miles
behind. Quarman was stockaded to resist an attack. Gordon with the
Houssa company lay a quarter of a mile in advance of the village,
Gifford with his scouts close to the edge of the wood. Major Home with
the engineers cut a wide path for the advance of the troops to within a
hundred yards of the village which the enemy held.
Every one knew that the great battle of the war would be fought next
morning. About half past seven on the morning of the 81st of January the
42d Regiment entered the village of Quarman, and marched through without
a halt. Then came Rait's artillery, followed by the company of the 23d
and by the Naval Brigade. The plan of operations was as follows. The
42d Regiment would form the main attacking force. They were to drive the
enemy's scouts out of Agamassie, the village in front, and were then
to move straight on, extending to the right and left, and, if possible,
advance in a skirmishing line through the bush. Rait's two little
guns were to be in their center moving upon the road itself. The right
column, consisting of half the Naval Brigade, with Wood's regiment, now
reduced by leaving garrisons at various posts along the road to three
companies, was to cut a path out to the right and then to turn parallel
with the main road, so that the head of the column should touch the
right of the skirmishing line of the 42d. The left column, consisting of
the other half of the Naval Brigade with the four companies of Russell's
regiment, was to proceed in similar fashion on the left. These columns
would therefore form two sides of a hollow square, protecting the 42d
from any of those flanking movements of which the Ashantis are so fond.
The company of the 23d was to proceed with the headquarter staff. The
Rifle Brigade were held in reserve.
Early in the morning Major Home cut the road to within thirty yards of
the village of Agamassie, and ascertained by listening to the voices
that there were not more than a score or so of men in the village.
Gifford had made a circuit in the woods, and had ascertained that the
Ashanti army was encamped on rising ground across a stream behind the
village.
Frank had been requested by Sir Garnet Wolseley to accompany the 42d, as
his knowledge of Ashanti tactics might be of value, and he might be able
by the shouts of the Ashantis to understand the orders issued to them.
The head of the 42d Regiment experienced no opposition whatever until
they issued from the bush into the little clearing surrounding the
village, which consisted only of four or five houses. The Ashantis
discharged their muskets hastily as the first white men showed
themselves, but the fire of the leading files of the column quickly
cleared them away. The 42d pushed on through the village, and then
forming in skirmishing line, advanced. For the first two or three
hundred yards they encountered no serious opposition, and they were
then received by a tremendous fire from an unseen foe in front. The left
column had not gone a hundred yards before they too came under fire.
Captain Buckle of the Engineers, who was with the Engineer laborers
occupied in cutting the path ahead of the advancing column, was shot
through the heart. A similar opposition was experienced by the right.
The roar of the fire was tremendous, so heavy indeed that all sound of
individual reports was lost, and the noise was one hoarse hissing roar.
Even the crack of Rait's guns was lost in the general uproar, but the
occasional rush of a rocket, of which two troughs with parties of Rait's
men accompanied each wing, was distinctly audible.
The 42d could for a time make scarcely any way, and the flanking columns
were also brought to a stand. Owing to the extreme thickness of the
wood and their ignorance of the nature of the ground these columns were
unable to keep in their proper position, and diverged considerably. The
Ashantis, however, made no effort to penetrate between them and the
42d. For an hour this state of things continued. The company of the
23d advanced along the main road to help to clear the bush, where the
Ashantis still fought stubbornly not two hundred yards from the village,
while two companies of the Rifle Brigade were sent up the left hand road
to keep touch with the rear of Russell's regiment.
When the fight commenced in earnest, and the 42d were brought to a stand
by the enemy, Frank lay down with the soldiers. Not a foe could be seen,
but the fire of the enemy broke out incessantly from the bushes some
twenty yards ahead. The air above was literally alive with slugs and
a perfect shower of leaves continued to fall upon the path. So
bewilderingly dense was the bush that the men soon lost all idea of the
points of the compass, and fired in any direction from which the enemy's
shots came. Thus it happened that the sailors sent in complaints to the
general that the 23d and 42d were firing at them, while the 42d and 23d
made the same complaint against the Naval Brigade. Sir Garnet, who had
taken up his headquarters at the village, sent out repeated instructions
to the commanding officers to warn their men to avoid this error.
For two hours the fight went on. Then the column to the left found
that the Ashantis in front of them had fallen back; they had, however,
altogether lost touch of the 42d. They were accordingly ordered to cut a
road to the northeast until they came in contact with them. In doing
so they came upon a partial clearing, where a sharp opposition was
experienced. The Houssas carried the open ground at a rush, but the
enemy, as usual, opened a heavy fire from the edge of the bush. The
Houssas were recalled, and fire was opened with the rockets, which soon
drove the Ashantis back, and the cutting of the path was proceeded with.
In the meantime the 42d was having a hard time of it. They had fought
their way to the edge of the swamp, beyond which lay an immense Ashanti
camp, and here the fire was so tremendously heavy that the advance was
again completely arrested. Not an enemy was to be seen, but from every
bush of the opposite side puffs of smoke came thick and fast, and a
perfect rain of slugs swept over the ground on which they were lying.
Here Rait's gun, for he was only able from the narrowness of the path to
bring one into position, did splendid service. Advancing boldly in front
of the line of the 42d, ably assisted by Lieutenant Saunders, he poured
round after round of grape into the enemy until their fire slackened a
little, and the 42d, leaping to their feet, struggled across the swamp,
which was over knee deep. Step by step they won their way through
the camp and up the hill. Everywhere the dead Ashantis lay in heaps,
attesting the terrible effect of the Snider fire and the determination
with which they had fought.
Beyond the camp, upon the hills the bush was thicker than ever, and
here, where it was impossible for the white soldiers to skirmish through
the bush, the Ashantis made a last desperate stand. The narrow lane up
which alone the troops could pass was torn as if by hail with the shower
of slugs, while a large tree which stood nearly in the center of the
path and caused it slightly to swerve, afforded some shelter to them
from the storm of bullets which the 42d sent back in return. Here Rait
brought his gun up again to the front and cleared the lane. The bush was
too thick even for the Ashantis. The gun stopped firing and with a rush
the regiment went up the narrow path and out into the open clearing
beyond. For a short time the Ashantis kept up a fire from the houses,
but the 42d soon drove them out, and a single shot from the gun down the
wide street which divided the town into two portions, bursting in the
midst of a group at the further end, killed eight and drove all further
idea of resistance in that direction from their minds.
It was now about twelve o'clock; but although the Ashantis had lost
their camp and village, and had suffered terribly, they were not yet
finally beaten. They had moved the principal part of the forces which
had been engaged upon our left round to the right, were pressing hard
upon the column there and the 23d, and were cutting in between the
latter and the 42d, when a fortunate accident enabled us to meet this
attack more effectively. The left column had cut its path rather too
much to the east, and came into the road between the 42d and 23d,
forming a connecting link between them; while the right column, having
at last cut away the whole of the brush wood in which the Ashantis had
so long wedged themselves between them and the road, were now in direct
communication with the 23d. They had been reinforced by a company of the
Rifle Brigade. Our front, therefore, was now entirely changed, and faced
east instead of north. The Ashantis in vain tried to break the line, but
desisted from their efforts.
The firing died away, and it was thought that the battle was over, when
at about a quarter to one a tremendous fire broke out from the rear of
the column, showing that the Ashantis were making a last and desperate
effort to turn our flank, and to retake the village from which we had
driven them at eight in the morning. So near was the rear of the column
to the village that the slugs fell fast into the reserve who were
stationed there. Three companies of the Rifles were sent up to
strengthen the line, and for three quarters of an hour the roar of the
musketry was as heavy and continuous as it had been at any time during
the day. Then, as the enemy's fire slackened, Sir Garnet gave the word
for the line to advance, sweeping round from the rear so as to drive the
enemy northwards before them.
The movement was admirably executed. The Bonny men of Wood's regiment,
who had fought silently and steadily all the time that they had been
on the defensive, now raised their shrill war cry, and slinging their
rifles and drawing their swords--their favorite weapons--dashed forward
like so many panthers let loose. By their side, skirmishing as quietly
and steadily as if on parade, the men of the Rifle Brigade searched
every bush with their bullets, and in five minutes from the commencement
of the advance the Ashantis were in full and final retreat. The battle
ended at about half past one, having lasted five hours and a half.
The Ashantis were supposed to have had from fifteen to twenty
thousand men in the field. What their loss was could not accurately be
calculated, as they carry off their dead as fast as they fall; but where
rushes were made by our troops, as they had not time to do this, they
lay everywhere thick on the ground. By the most moderate computation
they must have lost over two thousand. Ammon Quatia himself was killed,
as well as Aboo, one of the six great tributary kings. The body of the
king's chief executioner was also pointed out by some of the prisoners.
They fought with extraordinary pluck and resolution, as was shown by
the fact that although wretchedly armed, for upwards of five hours they
resisted the attack of troops armed with breech loaders, and supported
by guns and rockets. Their position was a good one, and they had, no
doubt, calculated upon coming down upon us from the rising ground,
either on the flank or rear, with advantage, should we succeed in
pushing forward.
Upon our side the loss in killed was very slight, not exceeding eight or
ten. The 42d out of a total of four hundred and fifty had a hundred and
four wounded, of whom eight were officers. In the right hand column,
Colonel Wood, six naval officers, and twenty men of the Naval Brigade,
with many of the native regiment, were wounded. Of the sixty engineer
laborers twenty were wounded; while of their five officers Captain
Buckle was killed, Major Home and Lieutenant Hare wounded, together with
several of their white soldiers. Altogether our casualties exceeded two
hundred and fifty. Fortunately but a small proportion of the wounds were
serious.
While the battle was raging at one o'clock Quarman was attacked by a
strong body of Ashantis coming from the west, probably forming part of
Essarman Quatia's force. Captain Burnett, who was in command, having
under him Lieutenant Jones of the 2d West Indian regiment, and
thirty-five men of that corps and a few natives, conducted the defense,
and was well seconded by his men. Although the attacking force was very
greatly superior, and took the little garrison by surprise--for they did
not expect, while a great battle was raging within a distance of a mile,
that the Ashantis would be able to spare a force to attack a detached
party--the garrison defended itself with great gallantry and complete
success, not only beating off the enemy whenever they attacked, but
sallying out and assisting to bring in a convoy of stores which was
close at hand when the attack began.
Amoaful was a town capable of containing two or three thousand
inhabitants. Great quantities of grain and coarse flour were found here.
These were done up in bundles of dried plantain leaves, each bundle
weighing from five to fifteen pounds. This capture was of great service
to the commissariat, as it afforded an abundant supply of excellent food
for the carriers. The troops were in high spirits that night. They had
won a battle fought under extreme difficulty, and that with a minimum
of loss in killed. There were therefore no sad recollections to damp the
pleasure of victory.
Frank had been twice struck with slugs, but in neither case had these
penetrated deeply, and he was able to sit round the camp fire and to
enjoy his glass of rum and water. Two kegs of rum were the only stores
which that night came up from the rear, thanks to the consideration of
a commissariat officer, to whom the soldiers felt extremely grateful for
providing them with an invigorating drink after their long and fatiguing
labors of the day.
At about a mile and a quarter from Amoaful lay the town of Bequah,
the capital of one of the most powerful of the Ashanti kings. Here a
considerable force was known to be collected before the battle, and here
many of the fugitives were believed to have rallied. It would have been
impossible to advance and leave this hostile camp so close to a
station in our rear. Lord Gifford was therefore sent out at daybreak
to reconnoiter it. He approached it closely, when twenty men sprang out
from the bush and fired at him, fortunately without hitting him. When he
returned and made his report the general determined to attack and burn
the place, and orders were issued for a column, consisting of Russell's
regiment, Rait's battery, and the Naval Brigade, supported by the 42d
and commanded by Colonel M'Leod, to start at one o'clock.
The march was not opposed through the bush, but as the scouts entered
the clearing a heavy fire was opened upon them. Lord Gifford and almost
the whole of his party were more or less severely wounded when the
sailors rushed in to their support. For a short time the enemy kept up a
heavy fire from the houses, and then fled, leaving about forty of their
number dead on the ground. The town, which was about twice the size of
Fomana, was burned, and the column returned to the camp.
A great portion of the town was destroyed and the place stockaded, and
then all was in readiness for the advance upon Coomassie. Amoaful was to
be left in charge of the 2d West Indians, who had now come up. Each man
received four days' rations and each regiment was to take charge of its
own provision and baggage. The advance started at seven in the morning,
Russell's regiment, Rait's battery, and the Rifle Brigade. Then came the
headquarter staff followed by the 42d and Naval Brigade. The hammocks
and rations went on with the troops. The rest of the baggage remained
behind. The road differed in nothing from that which had so long
been followed. It bore everywhere marks of the retreating enemy, in
provisions and other articles scattered about, in occasional dark
stains, and in its plants and grass trampled into the ground, six feet
in breadth, showing that the usual negro way of walking in single file
had been abandoned. The rate of progression was slow, as the country had
to be thoroughly searched by the advance. There were, too, many streams
to be crossed, each causing a delay.
At one of the villages there was a large camp, where about a thousand
men were assembled to make a stand. The defense was, however, feeble in
the extreme, and it was evident that they were greatly demoralized by
their defeat on the 1st. Russell's regiment carried the place at a rush,
the enemy firing wildly altogether beyond the range of their weapons.
Several were killed and the rest took precipitately to the bush. A few
shots were fired at other places, but no real resistance took place.
On reaching the village of Agamemmu, after having taken six hours in
getting over as many miles, the column halted, and orders were sent for
the baggage to come on from Amoaful. The troops were set to work to cut
the bush round the village, which was a very small one, and a breastwork
was thrown up round it. The troops were in their little tentes d'abri
packed as closely together as possible outside the houses, but within
the stockade. The carriers slept in the street of the village, where so
thickly did they lie that it was impossible for anyone to make his way
along without treading upon them.
News came in that night that Captain Butler with the Western Akims
had arrived within two days' march of Amoaful, but that without the
slightest reason the king and the whole of his army had left Captain
Butler and retired suddenly to the Prah. At the same time they heard
that the army of the Wassaws under Captain Dalrymple had also broken
up without having come in contact with the enemy. From the rear also
unpleasant news came up. The attack upon Quarman had been no isolated
event. Fomana had also been attacked, but the garrison there had, after
some hours' fighting, repulsed the enemy. Several convoys had been
assaulted, and the whole road down to the Prah was unsafe. The next
morning, after waiting till a large convoy came safely in, the column
marched at nine o'clock, Gifford's scouts, Russell's regiment, and
Rait's battery being as usual in front. The resistance increased with
every step, and the head of the column was constantly engaged. Several
villages were taken by Russell's regiment, who, full of confidence
in themselves and their officers, carried them with a rush in capital
style. It was but six miles to the Dab, but the ground was swampy and
the road intersected by many streams. Consequently it was not until
after being eight hours on the road that the head of the column reached
the river, three hours later before the whole of the troops and their
baggage were encamped there.