Star.
London, England, 1824-08-05 00:00:00

C

*,

THE ASH 4NTEE WAR,
Considerable anxiety anxiety twssarily .awaits the arrival
of further accounts fro ape Cox* Caster as out
settlement there is placed in the utmost danger by the
A stintees, the most numerous and the must warlike
people of Africa.
,The force that we ems now depend upon to oppose the
Asitanteeemay be estimated nearly as follows :
Regulars about - - 500
Militia and Artificers - - - 800
Cape Coast People - - 500
Annatnahoe People - - - 800
Aecra People . - 2,500
Fantees who have remained staunch :
Affoe's People
A duko'4 People
Ainistas' Peopk
Appias' People

200
400

200
1,200

Total 7.100
But this is too small a force to cape with the King of
Ashantee in person, at the head of 16,000 armed men.
Beside., the King, if he should find himself in want of
men, will instantly call upon the people all:latch Elmina
to join him l and as they have acknowledged them-
selves his .laves, it is more than they dare to refuse
him. The Ehrinese are brave determined men, and
can turn out 6,000 muskets. _
The inflow ing letters on this subject are interesting.
—The first is a copy of a letter from Captain James
Loader, of the brig Turners, dated Cape Coast Roads,
June 1, 1824, addressed to his owners:—.• The war we
are waging against the Ashantee nation has proved very
disastrous. The coun.ry round our forts is in a dreadful
state for want of provisions. Thousands have fallen
from the sword, but tens of thousands must perish from
famine. Beef is now sixteen guineas a tierce at Cape
Coast; and flour or bread is not to be had for money.
We are as badly off as possible: the season is carrying
off daily seven or eight of the white troops; and there
is not more than fifty of upwards of three hundred which
I found here, remaining. The enemy's camp is very
near to the town, and this day we expect an attack. What
will become of this devoted place Goo only knows."
The following letter is from an Officer who com-
manded during the late operations:
James Fort, Jane 4, 1824.
"Although my time is now, and has been much taken
up in this war, ever since your departure, I cannot let
the present opportunity for England pass, without giv-
ing you a t account of the changes, state of affairs,&c.
" We were ordered to the camp, if you recollect,
early in March, and we pushed the forces on to the Pra,
in order to cross and attack the enemy, but in conse-
quence of some palavering at Elmina, in the shape of
overtures, a cessation of hostilities followed for a few
days, and the unorganized forces crossed without us.--
In the meantime the enemy advanced, a panic flew
amongst our allies, and at the distance of a quarter of
a mile fa om them, without even 6ring a musket, they
took ware water, like ducks, and in one night every
soul recrossed. Having no canoes, the whole of their
ammunition was destroyed, and a considerable number
of firelocks lost—so much for their courage in this af-
fair. We had kept the whole Ashantee army for eight
days previously from crossing with a very small force
(skirmishing daily, and to effect), in the expectation of
the main body coming up, when we should have been
all ready to cross in canoes, and attack them in the rear.
However, we were disappointed.
" Some charges have been brought against one or
two of the Chiefs, as the ringleaders of this infamous
transaction: they were taken to Cape Coast to undergo
an investigation, when the whole blame, it appears, fell
upon Joe Aggery. This done, the camp was again
formed at Fettle with all possible dispatch, and every
thing promised well for advancing with a large body of
men (say 4,000) before the enemy' could possibly come
upon us; but here again the Chiefs, contrary to orders,
thought proper to provoke a battle, although our rein-
forcements were pouring in hourly, and nothing would
satisfy their folly but dividing themselves (in all about
1.200 men) into three parties. They commenced their
march, and, as might be expected, were defeated in an
hour. This was on the 26th of April. Here, however,
I must do them the justice to say, the enemy suffered
dreadfully. _As we were just getting up to their assist-
ance with about 860 regulars and militia, the Chiefs were
beaten out of the field, and the rush caused such confu-
sion and disorder, that we could not render them that
assistance we otherwise should have done: however, we
covered a very good retreat for them, and, in fact, our
rear was engaged all the way to the Government garden.
" The necessity of keeping the Ashantees from the
water-side, if possible, was obvious, and accordingly we
again opened the camp (then at the Garden), and in
less than a fortnight 5,600 armed men were inspected:
ti is was about the 14th of May, and every arrangement
was made for our advance to Penile, where the enemy
were encamped. We had commenced our march, and
our divisions were occupied in cutting the path to pass
through, when Colonel Sutherland arrived from Sierra
Leone. He, of course, assumed the command. Colo-
nel Sutherland highly approved of the proceedings, and
all seemed bursting with desire to get at the enemy.—
On the 20th, we were within two miles of them ; had
excellent information as to their position, &c. and on
the 21st, by noon, our wings were up sufficiently to en-
gage, and at one P.M. the battle became general. It
lasted till sun-set, with great.obstinacy, the enemy en-
deavouring to turn our right, and we their left, alternately.
" The whole of the Royal African Corps and Militia
formed our centre, (seventy of the 2d West India Regi-
ment the reserve), and we were two hours and a half in
a valley, beating (and I will say fairly thrashing) about
1,000 of the enemy in a thick wood upon a high hill.
At five, Major Chisholm was on the point of ordering
forward the centre division, when the Quarter-Master
reported the ammunition was out. Several of the Chiefs
messengers at this instant were waiting fur some powder,
' when a was discovered, that'nearly half of the ammuni-
tion-carriers bad deserted With'their loads, and gone back
to our camp. In consequence, the forces were called off,
and night coming on, we returned to our camp, with the
gratification that we did not lose an inch of ground the
whole day, and that circumstances during the battle led
us to know the . enemy had suffered severely. Nearly
2000 of the Fantees never fired a shot. lam happy to
say they are now expelled the camp as unworthy our
support. Our loss you will of course see at home. The
King of the Ashantees joined the main body about four
days ago: he brought *bout .3000 men down ssith him,
not more. The ealai Are heavy, and the severity of the
duty for the last three Months,has been no joke ; scarcely
an Officer that was in the camp is now living."
=17...••••0•••••••
To Ireland the season has~ been fine. While on the north-western
co-at of England, the cutting of grass was postponed Tor several
weelts, owing to the Kate of the weather; the hay in Ireland., at
least hetweou Dublin and 13clust, was all housed, and housed well
too, helot.: the end of Juuc.