The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-06-20 00:00:00

THE ASHANTEE EXPEDITION.

On Friday afternoon in last week, Colonel Evelyn
V.C., C. 8., delivereda lecture on the Ashantee
Expedition in the theatre of the United Service Insti-
tution. Mr. Gathorne Hardy, M.P., presided, and
among those present were Lord I I atherley, Lord anal
Lady Cottesloe, Sir Frederick Chapman, Admiral
Sir Frederick Nicolson, Captaid the Hon. E. It. Fre-
mantle, 11. 8., and Mr.,. Fre bontle, the lion. Mrs.
Wood, anal many others.
Colonel Wood prefaced his observations on the war
by some interesting remarks on previous matters in the
history of the Gold Coast, which, he said, had reduced
Her Majesty's subjects there to a pitiable state of
panic. Colonel Wood went on to state with much
minuteness the histmy if the expedition, from the
landing of the corps nabley Colonel Festing anal
Captain Fremantle until the final atrivad of Sir
Garnet Wolseley and his army at Coomassie, the de-
tails of which will still be ft cola in the piddle recollec-
tion. He describasl over anal cver again instances of
the treachery anal cowardice of the Faintee people,
and stated, amid cheers, that it was imposoilds the
present generation would ever see on the Gold Coast
any one equal to Captain Sir John Glover, whether
they considered his determined courage, his abili-
ties, his long experience of and immense influence over
the natives, or the iron constitution which, with an
indomitable will, had enabled him to withstand
•the
evil influences of a detestable climate. In conclusion,
he said our small army had to hew its way through a
density as deep as death and redolent aaf its dtomy to
the charnel-house called Coomassie. Malaria fought
in the van al the Ashantees, anal the sickening feeling
of debility which must lie experienced to be understood
made a formidable anal sympathetic alliance with
the covert anal subtle enemy. In an (open country
our soldiers hail always met odds with a light heart,
hut it was well for us that they still possessed those
firm qualities which distinguished them under Isaral
Seale in the time of Ferdinand and Isabella, when
a Spanish chronicler described them as "men slow to
final out when they are beaten." These qualitia s enabled
the small British force to maintain a steady heart anal
aim in the front of that harassing enemy whose strength
lay in his invisibility, protected by the strenuous forees
of nature. In attaining that, some of the brightest
spirits if our time were rendered up, not grudgingly
Ile lay men who alai an unpalatable duty, or to whom
life offers small attractions. The men who were in his
thoughts and who aseepitaphs were written in the memory
of their country gave up the pleasures natural to thew
years in the ambition to serve in a gallant enterprise.
A canajaign which at once sacrificed anal Mona artalized
such men as Eardley-Wilmot. l'hatteris, Nicol, Eyre,
and Buckle, and others 41 the bright host, who lived in
the mannerof their death,could not havebeen inglorious
even in frustration. That it 4 lid not so end must be
in part attributed to the spirit which animated the
forces anal rendered them like red hot iron, fervent
but pliable in the hands of the master workmen, and
in part to the directing power of that master workman
of whom might be sail, as was said by Scott of Na-
poleon, " lie Was a Sovereign among soldiers." It
was true of him AN written of Pitt, that " few men
made fewer mistakes, nor left so few advantages un-
improved." In fine, their success was due to toe choice
of able subordmates. who all acknowledged their
chief's superior military genius as they loyally sups
pa-teal him in everything, and he impressed on all
the iron w anal steadfast determination to take Con.
massie.

At the conclosion id the lecture, Mr. Gathorne
'fairly proposed a cordial vote I,f thanks to Colin.el
Wood. which was received with enthusiasm. With
that th proceedings ended.