The Sun.
London, England, 1824-06-17 00:00:00

BATTLE WITH THE ASHANTEES.

We have at length obtained details of the at-
tack of the Ashantees on our troops at Cape
Coast, respecting which there has been so long
and anxious a suspence in the public mind. The
following are extracts from private letters re-
ceived yesterday :----

4, CAPE COAST, FEn.23,

" The news I have to tell you are of the most distressing na-
ture. His Excellency Sir C. Icl‘CarthY, with a few regulars and
militia, and some of the natives, made a rapid advance into the
Warsaw country, to repel theAshantees, who advanced in great
numbers, anti in the most gallant style. The attack commenced
about two o'cl9ek p. m., on the 21st of January, across a river
about 20 or 30 feet'wide. The firing was tremendous on both
sides till 6 p. m., when it was found the ammunition on our side
was all expended ; on which the Ashantees began to cross the
river in great numbers, and the havoc began. The natives of
our party (the Faritees).- would never carry bayonets; but the
regulars and militia used them -with the most deadly effect.—
Each one bayonetted three or four Ashantees ; then, snatching
the bayonet from the musket, they dashed into the middle of
his
seand killing till the last. As
fallingcomnombleynced retreating, they were enem
Excellencyy energy's force,an dst aff
at-
tacked in rear by about 2,000 of - the enemy who had been sent
round to intercept them, after which nothing certain has been
learned of any of the whites. Only two officers escaped out of
the battle, who were Brigade Major Ricketts and Lieutenant
Erskine. Those that are missing are his Excellency sir Charles
M'Carthy, the lion. Mr. Buckle, Messrs. Wetherell, Williams,
Heddle, Jones, Rayden, Robertson, Tedlle, Brandon. There is
not a doubt of his Excellency and most of them being
It is said their corpses were used in the most shocking manner.
It Is-pretty well ascertained that "Williams is a prisoner. Thus

in one day has the sword cut off what disease left.

" The most lamentable part of the catastrophe is, that it was
caused in great measure by the neglect of the officer who had
charge of the ammunition, and did not bring it forward as he
ought : the Ashantees never would have broke our line had there
been powder. When Major Ricketts went to open the three
last kegs, he found—what think you ? Why Macaroni ! !
while the Ashantees, who plundered
.the camp next day, took
ten barrels of ball cartridges, with a great quantity of other
booty: When we got the news of Sir Charles's disastrous fight
we retreated directly ; Captain Lang going to Cape Coast, by
the way of Annamaboo, While 1, with Mr. Fraser, and all the
Fantee force, marched across the country to reinforce Major
Chisholm ; but when Captain Lang arrived at Annamaboo,
the reports from Cape Coast were, that the Major and his party
were also cut to pieces, and he sent expresses after me to fall
back and garrison Cape Coast, as the panic was so great, and
an attack dreaded. I shall always recollect with pleasure the
reception I met with when the standard was seen advancing over
the rocks, and the bugles played Over the hills and far away.'
The whole town appeared mad with joy ; such a day in a man's
• life richly repays for years of pain. Fortunately, next day
Major Chisholm and party arrived, having never been engaged.
I was ordered to occupy the camp of Djguah with my little
band of 80 ; none oft he auxiliaries having come up.

" All trade is at a complete stop; every merchants goods
are deposited in the forts, which I have no doubt we shall have
to defend till we bear from England, as the Ashantees will no
doubt make a push to destroy us before supplies can come out.
The short of the matter is this—England must either now with-
draw her protection to this coast, or send out a force to put
down as cruel an enemy as the world produces. The loss of
the merchants is not to be calculated, such a quantity of goods
been on hand."

Another letter of the same date says,—
" When Sir Cliarl, M'Carthy and Major Chisholm were in
the interior, they divided their army, and each took a different
route. Sir Charles, I hear, had only 1,000 men and 10 offi-
cers, of which only 50 have returned. They had gone but a
short way, when they were attacked by the Ashantees, by all
accounts 10,000 in number. Our party behaved very well, and
had much the advantage, until they found all theirammunition
was expended. There were only two officers that were not
killed, and they had to make their escape after being wounded.
The battle took place on the 21st, and we did not hear of it
Until the 23d ult. Poor Mr. Heddle was the first that fell a
sacrifice to these dreadful barbarians. He was shot through
both his knees, and in that. state he killed with his sword two
of the enemy. In a short time after a party of the Ashantees
came to cut off his head, when he shot hiiaself in the heart.
" The officer's who returned wounded are Major Ricketts
and Ensign Erskine. It is said that the heads of those unfortu-
nate Gentlemen are carried to Commassie. We expect the
enemy to come down to attack this place, but if they do,
they will meet with a warm reception, as we have the frigate
Owen Glendower and the Raven sloop of war to assist us. 1
have put all onrpreperty into the Castle for safety ; but I do
not think there is the least fear, but it is better to be on the safe
side, as the people at the Dutch fort of Elmina are supposed to
be rather favburable to the Ashantees. We have blockaded it
to prevent any supplies being brought there. In fact, we shall
never be at peace until Elmina is under the English flag; and
instead of Government sending out a few white troops, they
should send out three or four regiments. Major Chisholm is
sending home dispatches, and I have no doubt he has stated to
Government the actual necessity of sending immediate relief."'
We have also received the letter subjoined,
which was published to the friends of the Hamp-
shire Telegraph, as a supplement
CAPE COAST CASTLE, MARCH 23, 1824.—The following
are the heads of what has lately occurred on this coast :
The late warfare that the Gold Coast has been engaged in
with the Ashantees, for the last 12 months, has created little
or no importance until the present period.
His Excellency Sir Charles M'Carthy arrived here from
Sierra Leone, in December last, and in the early part of Ja-
nuary marched to the interior, towards the river Pra, with a
force of from 6,000 to 7,000 men, consisting of natives and
companies of a West India regiment. On the 21st of January,
near the Pra, a most desperate battle was fought, and from the
superior force of the enemy, they had surrounded our troops in
every direction ; and after our ammunition was totally expended,
the troops under Sir Charles retreated, with a loss of nearly all
the officers, and sorry am I to state the inhuman manner in
which they hays been treated, amongst whom that gallant chief;
Sir Chas. M'Carthy, who was wounded and taken prisoner. The
loss of the Ashantees was upwards of 1,000, who were brought
down by our fire. Every possiblemeans has been taken to ascertain
the loss of our officers and men,and intelligence has been received
from- a messenger, who saw at the enemy's camp the heads
of nine white men (officers) with their jaw-bones taken out, and
amongst them was the head of Eir Charles. This is invariably
a practice among these savages, when an enemy falls into their
hands. It is said, that our losS'of men was not to any great
amount: out of 140, said to bait arrived in the Joseph Green
transport in November last, one half have paid the debt of
nature.

Extract of a letter from Mr. Williams, the Colonial Secre-
tary, addressed, I believe, to the . Commandant of Cape Coast
Castle, from the Dutch settlement of Elmina, dated March,
1824, and read to me by Brigade-Major Ricketts, the day before
I sailed from Cape Coast Castle, March 22, 1824 .
" It was my fortune to be near, our lamented chief when he
received a wound in the breast by a musket ball, I believe
mortal. Buckle, Wetherell; and myself conveyed him under
shelter of the nearest tree, and there sat to await that fate
which appeared inevitable. We had not remained long before
we were discovered by the enemy, who immediately rushed on
us with their knives. In the struggle, I received a despe-
rate cut on the left side of my neck, and before the stroke
could be repeated, a man who appeared to be of authority
among them fortunately passed,. and ordered my executioner to
desist, which was immediately
complied with. On my being
released from their grasp, and turning round, 1 was horror-
struck at seeing my three companions lying headless corpses at
my feet. I was now bound as a prisoner and conveyed towards
their camp." .

. -
A strong force have now crossed the Pra, under the command
of Captain Blenkarne, West India Regiment ; and it is to be
hoped that the Ashantees will meet their reward. An action is
hourly expected to take place, and the natives appear fully re-
solved to revenge the fate of our poor countrymen. The Owen
Glendower has been usefully anti actively engaged with the
armythe towns along the coast, where the enemy
hadin destroying;
t,tkenah e itcr;
she sails to-morrow morning to destroy a
town in the Cahoon], which has lately insulted the British flag,
and murtiend the crew of an English merchant vessel.