The Sun.
London, England, 1824-10-06 00:00:00

UN.

position, which was about half a mile from the town ; and about
two in the afternoon, his advance having been fired upon by
our skirmishers, a general engagement was brought on, which
at dusk, half-past six p.m., lam happy to say, terminated in
his being deteated at all points, and obliged to retire ; two
camps on the right of his position, which he had weakened to
reinforce his left, having been burnt and plundered by part of
our unorganised forces, who, although daily driven out of town
to their posts at the point of the bayonet, to • do them justice,
fought on this occasion for four hours with great courage., par-
ticularly on the right, against which the utmost effort* of the
enemy, who fought bravely, were directed, and which he re-
peatedly advanced in masses to turn and to attack, without
however making the least irtipresaion.
Our loss in killed and wounded (as per annexed.return), I
ant sorry to say, has been considerable. One officer, Lieute-
nant Swanzv, Itoyrl African Colonial Carps a most zealous
and promising young man, and twice slightly wounded be-
fore the fatal shot took effeet, and one hundred and three men
killed, and four hundred and forty-eight men wounded : btit it
is matter of great satisfaction, and a proof of how well the ac-
tion must have been sustained, altltough fought in a thick bull,
that the enemy, by his own account, -has not to boast of hav- I
ing cut off a single head from our killed, or of having taken
even one prisoner from na of any description—a circumstance
the more remarkable, if the numerical disparity of the contend-
ing bodies is considered; ours, in position, where a strong re-
serve was always kept, not exceeding 19 officers and 5,00 rank
and tile, of whom only 295 were regulars ( Vide margin*);
whilst the Ashantee force, as seen during the morning, cannot
be estimated at less than MOOD fighting men. Their loss in
killed and wounded on this day could not be ascertained, but
their dead are very numerous on the scene of action, and num-
bers of prisoners and deserters, brought in since, state it to be
great, and that many chiefs or captains were killed and wounded.
On the 12th, the enemy :Again appeared drawn up in the
valley, apparently with the design of making another attempt
on our position ; and in order to draw him into some movement
that might expose his intentions, I twice or thrice ordered a
body of skirmishers to creep up to, open a tire on him, and
then retire.

This tire was each time returned with great animation from
the enemy's whole line for about half an hour (his divisions, it
is said, and as I thought at the time, firing on each other,)
after our skirmishers had, agreeably to their orders, retired un.
observed. But as he made no demonstration of advance up to
two in the afternoon, I directed a few random shot from a field-
piece to be tired through the bush in his direction, on which he
retired towards the head of the valley, where he still remained
on the 13th, during the night of which he disappeared alto-
gether, taking the direction of the Government Garden, Mini-
na, and Fetue„ towards Doonqua, which is on the direct route
to Ashantee.

We have since heard that the result of the action and unpo-
pularity of the war, together with the enemy's horrible suffer-
ings and losses, from disease and want of provisions, had eli-
cited strong symptoms of insubordination and discontent in the
Ashantee army ; that as early as the night of the llth whole
bands had deserted from the fling ; that four out of six cap-
tains, who had been retaken; had been beheaded after being
tortured, the other two remaining prisoners in heavy logs ; but
that, notwithstanding these examples, his Majesty was now
making his way hack, accompanied by only a few hundreds of
followers, in proof of which, it is said, he was yesterday obliged
to move with his own guard to cover a convoy of gunpowder
from Elmina, which had been assailed, and three barrels cap-
tured by fifty or sixty scouts I had ordered out in that direction,
with a view of ascertaining his hiding place ; and I have little
doubt that numbers of the Ashantees will be cut off, during
their retreat, by the :t Virmi s and Fantees.
. _ .

I am happy to inform your Lordship that I have reason to
approve of the conduct of every individual, whether of the army,
navy, or marines, employed in these operations, which, if not
brilliant, were at least extremely harassing and arduous, and
throughout which I trust his Majesty's Government will be
satisfied that all did their duty ; and that up to this period as
much has been effected as our means, the nature of the country
in which we acted, and circumstances we were placed in, would
permit.
Where all evinced zeal and alacrity in the discharge of their
several duties, it may perhaps be deemed supererogatory to par-
ticularize any ; but I cannot, in justice, omit to direct your
Lordship's attention to the merits and devotion to the public
service always displayed by Major Chisholm, Royal African
Corps, whose conduct in command of the right brigade, which
bore the burnt of the battle of the Ilth„ was every thing I could
wish ; as was that of Captain David Campbell, of the same
corps, at the head of the Cape Coast division, on the extreme
right, which was warmly engaged throughout ;he day ; ofeap-
tam Dawson, of that reg men t, commanding the reserve ((regu-
lars and militia) also engaged ; and of -Lieutenant W. 0.
•Aitcheson, Royal Marine Artillery, in charge of the fieldrpieces
in position on this occasion.
I be leave also to request your Lordship's notice of the ser-
vices of Major Purdon, Royal African Corps, commanding the
left brigade; of the zeal and enterprise of aptain Bletikarne,
of the same regiment, who some time ago volunteered to
proceed to Accra, in im open canoe, to assist in collecting these
auxiliary forces, whOse opportune arrival at this crisis is to be
mainly attributed to his praise-worthy and Indefatigable exer-
tions, and who, in these operations, commanded the British
Accra Division (in the left brigade), part of which, on the llth,
burnt two of the enemy's camps; of the important services of
Captain Rickets, 2d West India Regiment, Brigade Major to
the Forces, in performance of various essential duties, and
who was wounded in the action in which the late (lover-
nor wan killed ; of Captain Hutchison, Annamaboe Militia,
who, having been severely wounded in the affair of the 21st of
May, was placed, on his partial recovery, in command of
the Ilill-Tower, where he gave up his whole time to Improv-
ing the defences of his post, the disciplining of his
garrison,
Swinger, late
and to a most zealous and effectual discharge of his military
of the
iocltoCrapitiani,rit
oSheoltAte,ootfolliainst Majesty'steloiiipthe
Thens,
who
commanded the seamen and marines employed on shore.
I deem it a pleasing duty to acquaint your Lordship, that I
received the most cordial cooperation and effectual aid from
Major de Richelieu, the Governor of his Danish Majesty's
settlements on the Gold Coast, who made use of his best in-
fluence and means to collect and equip a strong body of Da-
nish dependents, who arrived at Capp Coast, under the coin-
mend of Captain Poulson, a Danish officer, with the other
auxiliaries, and fought bravely in the recent engagement.
To Captain Sir John Phillimore, Knt. C. IL, of his Ma-
jesty's ship Thetis, the senior naval officer present, my best
thanks arc eminently due for the very great and cordial assist-
ance he repeatedly rendered to me, in landing the seamen and
marines of' leis own ship and Swinger brig of war, to garrison
the fort, whenever it became necessary 4o march the troops out
of it, to reinforce those engaged or in position, tbr the liberality
of the supplies of powder, lead, &e. which lie furnished to the
utmost extent of his power, and for employing his ship, men,
and means, in every way in which they could possibly benefit
the public service; and as this experienced officer was present
during the whole period embraced in this dispatch, acquainted
with every occurrence detailed in it, and an eye-witness to many
of them, and the difficulty. we had to contend with, I beg leave
to refer your Lordship to him for any particular information
you may wish to obtain relative thereto,
W. SUTHERLAND,
11 West India Regiment, commanding the forces.

Return of the Killed and Wounded of the organized and un-
organized Forces in the action with the Aahantees, near Cape
Coast, on the llth of July, 1824.
2tl West India regiment-3 rank and tile wounded.
Royal African corps.—Lieut. Swanzy, killed.
Militia.-1 rank and tile killed ; b rank and Me wounded.
Unorganized armed Forces.-102 rank and Me killed ; 440
rank and tile wounded.

Cape Coast-Castle, July 22, 1824.
Since I had the honour of addressing your Lordship on the
18th instant, peporting my arrival, nothing very particular has
taken place respecting the enemy.
Lieut.-Colonel Sutherland's report will acquaint your Lord-
ship of the enemy's repulse near this place on the Ilth instant.
()n the 19th I learnt that he was encamped at about five miles'

Sergeants and
Officers. Rank and File.
* llnyal Marine Artillery . . I 2
2d SYest India Regiment - - 1 90
Royal African Colonial Corps . 15 189

Total Regulars - 17
Militia - - 2

Unorganized

- 0 4,650

Tot4l btrength • 19 5,053

PRICE SEVENPENCE

distance from this place, and sent out an auxiliary force; with,*
View to entice him to approach within reach of ourgliiis.;.
returned on the following day With a fiw 'prisoners'. ' The 'eilern v
showed no disposition ro approach the.garrrisort.' He Made oirt
on the nth, in the direction of Armatoohoe ; and it has 4tist
now been reported to Me, that some firing lad ken heard yes..
terday at one of the Annamaboe' Villages, seven or eight mileit•
inland,. I fear the villages will suffer, but lam under no ap-
prehension for the fort.
I regret to state to your Lordship, that the Europeans in
garrison have suffered much during the last gcarter.
A. GRANT, Lieut. Cul. It, A: C. Consg.

Admiralty Office, Oa. 4. • -
Extract of a letter from Commodore BuPen- to John Wilson
Croker, Esq. dated on board his Majesty's ship Maidstone,
Cape Coast, Gold Coast, July 22, 1824, .
I have great pleasure in being able to acquaint their Lord-
ships, by his Majesty's ship 'Thetis, Ant on Sunday week the-
troops under the command of .Lieut.-Golonel tiutherland com-
pletely routed the Ashantee army, which had advanced in.
great toreeto within abitut two miles of the CAStilt, leaving, an
irioutnerable number of killed on the field ; and that on ac-
count of this total defeat, they arc, I learn, retirine in all !tame
towards Coomasce, their capital : this has been &rater con..
firmed by infortnation obtained from two prisoners brought in
yesterday, who state the enemy to be in full retreat; :and our-.
feting severely from famine (caused by their having laid waste;
the country on their advance), dysentery, and small-pox.
Too much praise cannot be bestowed. on Captain Sir John
Phillimore, whose unremitting exertions• and judicious- ar.:
rangetnents, in taking his own ship into shoal .water,. man,
fling and arming the boats of the Thetis, Victor, and Swln-
ger, landing detachments of seamen and inaritunt to co-ope.:
rate with the army, anti garrison a tower ,on the height
yond the Castle, which he armed and placed under the com-
mand of his First Lieutenant, contributed materially towards the
success of our arms. His personal exertions were such as to
call forth the admiration of all; and Lieutenant-Colonel Suther-
land acquaints me that no language of his can do .li:ake tobis
merits, or describe the cool and decisive manner in which he
acted throughout : and to him, who was an eye-witness of the
whole transaction, and is fully master of the subject, I must
beg to refer their Lordships for further information on this sub-
ject; and I beg to assure them, they may rely on my paying
the most vigilant attention to their directions on this important
subject, and rendering every assistance in my power towards
the attainment of so desirable an object.