Star.
London, England, 1824-06-23 00:00:00

•
ordered here by the late §;r Robert Mends, to co-ope-
rate with the land service, had suffered so Much from
sickness that she was unable to render any effectual as-
sistance, he instantly repaired to Cape Coast, and stated
it to be his intention to remain until things wore a more
pleasing aspect. While at anchor here, observing the
sickly state of the Officers of the garrison, he volunta-
rily landed a party of his men, put the whole of the
guns in the best possible order, and personally super-
intended the exercise of the soldiers at the use of some
ship-guns worked with tackles. I also beg leave to bring
under the notice of his Lordship the conduct of acting
Captain Woolcombe, late of the Owen Glendower, and
now of the Bann, whose activity and cordial co-opera-
tion I am induced to think prevented the inhabitants of
Elinina taking a part in the war against us. His zeal,
and that of his Officers and men, cannot be too highly
raised, from the cheerfulness with which they under-
went the attendant fatigues of intercepting supplies by
day and night, forwarded by water to the enemy, in
which labours Lieutenant Scott, of his Majesty's brig
Swinger, shared.
Cape Coast, February 26, 1824.
Sett—ln compliance with your direction, that I should detail, as
nearly as I possibly can, all the particulars that may have occurred
in the division of the army which marched from Djuquah, utast
the immediate command of his Excellency Sir Charles 51' Canby.
as well as such circumstances as may have fallen under my observa-
tion, rela:ive to the action which took place on the 21st ultimo, in
the Wassaw country, between the said division and an army of
Ashantees; I have the honour to state that I marched from Dju-
gush at seven o'clock on the morning of the 9th, with one com-
pany of the Royal African Colonial Corps, eighty strong ; one com-
pany of volunteers, sixty-right strong ; three companies of Militia,
one hundred and seventy strong, making a force of three hundred
and eighteen ; besides two hundred Commendas,etwo hundred of
Appia's people. and a company of natives of Cape Coast, about forty
strong, making a total of four hundred and forty, which were or-
dered to follow us; this, with the troops which marched under my
command, made a fore of seven hundred and fifty-eight strong.
13ansoo. a village distant about seventeen miles from Our camp
at Djuquali, was the place at which we were ditected to halt. His
Excellency having massed on by himself, we overtook hint about
half way. The road, or rather track, was excessively bad ;in con-
sequence of which, we did nut arrive till a late hour in the evening
at I;ansou, much fatigued.
We remained at Hanson the whole of the next day, the 10th,
waiting for the native force to join, which they did not do until late
in tile day. The hem morning, the 11th, his Excellency marched
off with the combined force of regulars and militia, and desired
would remain till everything was sent forward. This I found the
greatest difficulty in accomplishing, as I could not get carriers, the
people who had brought the things from Djuquah having run away.
I was, therefore, obliged to send a party of the rear-guard to press
every person they could find, women as well as men, and after a
considerable delay, we succeeded in getting a sufficient number of
carriers, and proceeded ; but a number of thent,*as they found op-
portunities, Rang their loads iota the woods and ran off. We ar-
rived at a village on the banks of the floosom.pra, called Ihimin,
Isle in the evening of that day, having marched eighteen miles,
where we remained till six o'clock the next morning, the llth,
when we marched for another village, about seventeen miles lower
down on the banks of the Boosom-pra, named Darabooassie, which,
from the extremely bad state of the path, being frequently obliged
to pass swamps which took us much higher than above our knees,
we did nut arrive at till very late in the day, every person exces-
sively fatigued. The native force at this time kept a considerable
distance in our rear.
About seven o'clock in the morning of the 13th we commenced
crossing the river Boosom.pra, about 900 yards wide, in small
canoes (eight its number), which could only carry two men at a time,
besides the person who paddled ; as soon as the company of regulars,
under the command of Ensign Erskine, crossed the river, ibis Ex-
cellancy, who was one of the first that had passed over, proceeded
with them on the march, towards Assaniacow, in the Wassaw
country, distant about twenty miles front the river. 'l'o give a
description of this road is beyond my ability, suffice it to say, that
in my opinion I think i: impossible that there can he anything worse
in the shape of a path ; we had to cross numerous small rivers, some
of which, Irons :heir extreme depth, as well as the mantel 011iswampy
places we had to pass aver, considerably delayed us, and we were
only enabled to reach a small village, called Goal', that night, where
we slept. The next nioniing, the 14th, his Excellency proceeded
in advance with the company of the Royal African Colonial Corps,
and desired I would bring up the tear ; we did not find this path so
bad as was expected, and we arrived at Assamacow at about half-
past two hi the afternoon, where we halted and remained live days,
waiting for the native torce to conic up ; we found Mr. Brandon,
the Acting Ordnance Storekeeper (Cape Coast) at this place, where
he had arrived several days before with ammunition, &c. having
coma in the Colonial schooner, from Succondee, um hours march, to
Assamacow, which was truly welcome now to us, as our men (the
regulars and Militia) had only 20 rounds each man, a great deal of
which, from the badness of the paths, the crusting of rivers, and the
rain which fell on our march, was damaged, and which was imme-
diately replaced ; at this place we found provisions very scarce.
During our stay at Assamacow, we were informed that the Was-
saws and Dinkeras were retreating before the Ashantees, and were
in distress for provisions; Sir Charles, therefore, immediately on the
arrival of part of our native force dispatched Mr. T. Williams, the
Colonial Secretary and Adjutant-General of Militia, with twelve
volunteers, to assure the Wassaws and Dinkeras that he would, in
a day or two, march forward with the force under his command to
join them, and that he expected the division of the army, under
Major Chisholm, and numerous parties of natives, would soon form
a junction with us, and then we should have sufficient force to meet
the Ashanter: ; but Mr. Williams found them retreating, and it was
with the greatest difficulty he persuaded them (they having crossed
the smailriver Adoonsanson) to halt on its bank, and make some
preparations for defence till Sir Charles should join with his force;
this was on the 20th, on the morning of which I arrived with the
company of the Royal aVrican Colonial Corps; the company of
Volunteers, and the three companies of Militia, already alluded to,
having, by direction of his Excellency, marched from Assansaeosie
on the 19th. Oil my way to the Wassaws and Dinkeras, Ime a
very great number of women and children, and, sorry am I to say,
men ; I asked the men where they were going ? they told me they
were going to look for provisions, and would soon return ; on my
arrival en the borders of the aforesaid river Adoomansoo, on the
morning of the 90th, leaving been, from the extreme had state of
the paths, the mud in some places reachiac,- to the middle of our
bodies, obliged to sleep one night in the bush; from Assamacesw to
this river, I should suppose, is distant about twenty-four miles.
Shortly after my arrival with the troops, Mr. Williams,Adjutant-
General of Militia, informed me that he could not get any of the
people to cut the bush for the camp. I accordingly went to the
Chiefs of the Wassaws and Dinkeras, and told them the necessity
there was for the bush about the place, intended for a camp, to be
cleared, and which ought to be done immediately ; they promised
to send people over to the opposite bank of the river, where we ex-
pected
the Ashantees to attack us, and to have all the wood cleared
immediately ; shortly after this, the Wassaws mustered their force,
and were moving off with everything they had. I enquired where
they were going? They said, they were going to clear the wood
on the other side of the river. I stopped where they had to cross
over, for a considerable time, to see if they really intended to go
over; but at last I could plainly see their intention was to re-
treat; I therefore put a strong guard of militia to prevent their
doing so, till Sir Charles should arrive. I then sent for the Chiefs
or Headmen, and asked them what they intended to do, whether
they intended to fight or not? They said they intended to fight.
At this moment an alarm was given that the Ashantees were ad-
vancing, and every one went to his station, where we remained for
about five hours, exposed to a most tremendous shower of rain ; it
being by this time nearly dark, and as it is a rule with the Ashan-
tees never to fight at night, we called in the troops, leaving sentries
where necessary; immediately on the alarm being given, I dis-
patched a messenger to his Excellency, to request he would send
all the assistance he could; at this time it was supposed his Excel-
lency was at a croons with two huts, about four or five miles from
us. Both Officers and men slept this night without any covering,
as there was not time to erect huts, and the men were much
fatigued; next morning, the 21st, his Excellency arrived with
about 200 of Appia's people, and 40 of the natives of Cape Coast;
the Conunendas having halted on the way, I acquainted hint with
the manner the Wassaws had behaved. After he had taken a
little rest, he sent for the Chiefs of the Wassaws and Dinkeras, but
before he had got half through the palaver, the alarm was given,
and every person repaired to his station. His Excellency then
went round with the to see how the men were posted.
About two o'clock the Ashantees, ten thousand in number,
marched up to the opposite bank of the river, when the action
commenced. with determined vigour on both sides, and lasted till
nearly half-past four o'clock ; it was reported before four o'clock
that the regulars, volunteers, and militia, had no ammunition left,
only twenty rounds per man having been previously issued to them,
on which I immediately went to the Ordnance Storekeeper, Mr.