The Sun.
London, England, 1824-06-23 00:00:00

From the LONDON GAZETTE, June 2t.

Downing-street, June 16, 1824.

A Letter, of which the following is a Copy, has been this
day received at Earl BATHURST'S Office from Major CH's-
HOLM, addressed to R. WILMOT HORTON, Esq. dated Cape
Coast Castle, 23d February 1824 :
Sin—lt is with infinite sorrow I acquaint you, for the in-
formation of Earl Bathurst, that since I had the honour of ad-
dressing you on the 3d instant, on the subject of the engage-
ment which took place near Assamacow, in the 'Western Was-
saw country, on the 2lst ultimo, between a division of his Ma-
jesty's troops and native allies, under the immediate command
of Sir Charles M'Carthy, and an army of Ashantees, I have as-
certained that his Excellency was severely wounded, taken pri-
soner, and immediately put to death by the barbarous enemy.
I am concerned to state,that of eleven officers of the regulars
and militia, who belonged to his Excellency's division, two
only have returned here. Mr. J. T. Williams, Secretary, and
another gentleman are said to be prisoners, and it is under-
stood that the other seven were killed, either in the action or
after they were taken prisoners.
It was my intention to have reported in detail by the pre-
sent conveyance, but the state of my health prevents my
doing so.

My medical attendant gives me reason to hope that I shall
be sufficiently recovered in seven or eight days to write; and
as I deem it of the utmost importance to put his Lordship in
possession of a perfect knowledge of the state of affairs in this
quarter, I propose sending the officer next in seniority to my-
self (Captain Laing, of the Royal African Colonial Corps) with
my official dispatches.
The extensive knowledge of the African character possessed
by this gentleman, his uninterrupted intercourse with our prin.
cipal Allies since the commencement of hostilities, together with
his general experience, qualify him well to afford his Lordship
any information which my letters may fail to convey.
The Ashantees, said to be fifteen thousand strong, have con-
tinued at Assamacow since the action of the 21st ; but it is ru-
moured that they are making preparations for advancing on
Monday next the Ist of March.
All the force I have been able to collect does not exceed six
thousand muskets, and as I do not consider it prudent to hazard
a general engagement, I have determined on taking up posi-
tions on the bank of the River Boosom-pra, to dispute the pas-
sage of the enemy, and I am sanguine in lay hopes that the
measure will be attended with success.

The natives of an extensive village in the vicinity of Succon-
dee, having fired on the boats of one of His Majesty's ships,
disarmed several of our soldiers who were wounded in the
late action, ,and were endeavouring to effect their escape from
the Ashantees ; and having moreover destroyed Succondee,
it was thought necessary by the senior naval Officer and
myself to attack it, and a force of one thousand two hun.
dred men was accordingly embarked on board the squadron,
and' the place was taken possession of on the 17th instant
without any opposition, and immediately set on lire..

I have, &c.
(Signed) J. CHISHOLM, %dmg. the Govt.
and Major Comdg. the Troops.
R. Wilmot Horton, Esq. &c. &c. &c.

Downing-street, June 17, 1824.

Capt. LAINO, of the Royal African Colonial Corps, arrived
this morning at Earl BATHURST'S Office with a dispatch from
Major CnisHoLm, addressed to R. WILMOT HORTOY, Esq.
under date of Cape Coast Castle, the 16th of March, 1824, of
which the following is an extract
I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of Earl
BATHURST, since I addressed you on the 23d ultimo, that the
Ashantee Army in the Western Wassaw country has remained
stationary at Assamacow.

In transmitting a copy of a report of the particulars of the
action of the 21st of January, made to me by Captain Ricketts,
of the 2d West India Regiment, and Brigade Major to the
Forces, and second in command on that day, I deem it an act
of justice to that officer to state that the late Sir Charles
M'Carthy entertained a very high opinion of his zeal and
merits, and that he had it in contemplation to bring his services
to the favourable notice of his Lordship; and also, that for the
period of two years, Captain Ricketts served under me (at the
time commanding the 2d West India Regiment) in the caps_
cites of Adjutant and Captain, I have pleasure in stating, that
I had every reason to be satisfied with his conduct : my pro.
tracted illness having incapacitated me from attending to the
public duties, the charge, in a great measure, fell upon him as
second in command, of which lie acquitted himself entirely to
my satisfaction.

As his report is confined to the operations of that division of
the force under the immediate command of the late Sir Charles
31‘Carthy, I deem it necessary to say a few words upon' the
movements of the others ; and also to state, as far as came to
my knowledge, the plans and intentions of his Excellency.
The rapid approach of the enemy having been reported to Sir
Charles 11I‘Carthy by some of the allied Chiefs, about Christ-
mas, preparations were immediately made for concentrating the
regulars, the Cape Coast militia, and the unorganized part of
the inhabitants of the town, together with some few of the
neighbouring Chiefs at njuquah, distant from Cape Coast about
18 miles.

His Excellency proceeded there in person, leaving me for a
few days at the Castle, to make some necessary arrangements
previous to my departure.
A force of nearly two thousand men having been collected by
the 4th of January, a movement to Ampensasoo (the head
quarters of Annimelli, the King of IVassaw), on the left bank
of the River Boosom-pra, was tietermined upon, and I was
accordingly ordered to join by that day.
The impossibility of procuring provisions and shelter for the
men on the route, rendered it necessary to advance in small
parties which circumstance, and the impossibility of procuring
carriers for the ammunition and provisions, retarded for some
days the departure of his Excellency from the camp. On the
Bth of January accounts were received of the entrance of the
enemy into Western Wassaw, and that the allied forces were
precipitately retreating before them; this information decided
the immediate departure of Sir Charles for their camp, on the
right bank of the river, with such part of the force as had not
already marched for Ampensasoo, and he directed i
me to pro-
ceed to assume the command of the latter place, signifying it to
be his intention to send me instructions how to act on his ascer-
taining the state of affairs 19 Warsaw.
I had daily communications from his Excellency from the
time of his leaving Djuquah (viz, on the 9th), until the 16th,
but the contents were chiefly comments upon the advance of his
division, and the feeling of our allies towards us in the country
passed through.
I received on the 22d two letters, one written at five A.M.,
on the 21st, the other the 17th—the former arriving first at
seven o'clock P.M., that of the 17th about two hours later; the