Star.
London, England, 1824-09-02 00:00:00



e'ho knew their diainclination to -ndel night-Com
made arrangements for continuing the march as
as the moon (which rose At this time_ ibout seven
should afford sufficient light to prevent contusion •
this intention, however, he was. foiled, as lie milk
by any arguments induce the native unorganized
of his force to move forward till the followioguinini
Bien a ti eoefiger from- tlieTscriiielistvinglarought.i.
oration
that the enemy_ Here in motion, no further
nAlle was to below Wirowbole farce-being speedily
,sembled in the streets and avenues of Ajornacim, order
of anarch was arranged, and the *hole moved off with
'animated spirits, in the following order:
First .r right Column (Appia) 1,000
Column (Appia and Gooma) 1,000
Third Column (Agoona) - 800
Fnurth Column (liegulars, Militia and Agars) 500
. Faith and Gth Columns (AnnannibUes and dependeticies) 1,500
Column of reserve in rear (Akunifees) 1,500
•
. . Tato. 8,3c0•
The first, secoud, third, fifth, and sixth columns ad-
vanced through the Woods, thc pioneers, with bills and.
cutlasses, preparing the way,; the fourth sobumn, being
-less accustomed. to that mode of warfare, took, the
beaten path, which was barely broad enough to admit
four deep. At nine, A. Ir. a halt was made, in or-
der to prevent confusion in the passage to the rear of
an immense concourse of old men, women, and ail-
-dren, fly ing btfore the .4.sliantees, whose rapid approach
they. represented by signs of the utmost alarm and tre-
pidation,„pointing in the direction where they were, and
beating a quick motion with their feet.
At two P.m. a few of the advance, who fell b•-•ck upon
the-main body, itsave information of their
_being star`
prised, and nearly annihilated by the Ashantees, who
had_ already burnt one of Appisis towns, three miles
off. The columns now were kept anoie compact, and
moved forward with less expedition, expecting every
minute to come in contact with the enemy ; but at four
P.M. having. reached the• town in question, it was with
-surprise they found he had made a retrograde move-
ment, fearing some ambush t he was nevertheless, fol-
lowed wig: caution, and at eight p.m. just as the moon
bad cleared the horizon, was surprised in the town of
Essecoama by the six columns, which, speedily forming,
charged, and came up• in fine style, without firing a
shot. The Ashantees, who .had treen employed sacri-
ficing the prisoners whom they secured in the meaning,
were, seised with a panic, and merely dischatghsg their
pieces, without again attempting to load, fled from the
town in the greatest confusion. It was late before the
natives, some of whom had followed the enemy, could
be recalled, and nearly morning before, by the march-
ing of a picket, the army was pekmitted to bivouac.—
The distressing scene witnessed in this town was truly
appilling, the bodies of the slain meeting the eye in every
direction, and here and there the icattered limbs of the
atictims' tak4 in the morning (the sacrifice of some
of whom the pporttsne arrival.ofithe army was in time;
to preveot) lay strewed about the ground, in the
most careless manner,•while raw and then a captured
foe, or timid female, who had been unable to effect her
escape, was 'brought in, and tremblingly beheld the
bleeding and mangled bodies; which but a few hours
before they bad assisted in mutilating, and whose awful
fate appealed to, await. them. On the following (14,1,
the '24th of August, the Ashantees were pursued, and
again surprised in their camp in the act of preparing j
their dinners ; they fled in the greatest perturbation;
leaving behind their guns, ammunition, clothing, small
packages of gold dust, their jetisek, and (what was
most, acceptable to the troops, having been without
proviSions for two.days) their dinners, A number of
prisoners were also taken, and marched to Cape Coast
Castle. Beyond•this-point the Fantees would not ad-
vance ; scouts were therefore sent after the -enemy •to
watch him, but, as he made the best of his way to the
, Boosom-pra,and crossed it pextday, a palaverwas held
at Essecooma, •wiren kwas determined to •destroy the
town, and distribute 'the respective forces in the same
manner as before the invasion ;• the Yancoomassie di.
vision of the army, therefore, marched on the 27th
across the country to Mansere, where they were met by
Captain Hutchinson, with the remaining Fantees, that
Officer having advanced in'a most spirited. and credit-
able manner, with a hope of. cutting off 'the retreating
enemy. .In this state of quietness the country remained
for several months, the. Ashantees making no. further
incursions, and the Fatrtees too• indolent to follow op
the advantage gained. An attempt, but without effect,'
was made to induce the Fantees, in concert with the
forceat-Jonquah, under 'the command of Lieutenatit
King, It.N. to march towards the Assins, and either
force- cheat to fall back upon the Ashantees, or induce
them to embrace our cause, which they -had of late,
through the, mediurd of mes-engers to Captain Laing,
sheivn some disposition to do. • -
The arrival sal Sir Charles Worthy, on the 28th of
Nov. preceded by a detachment of 'white troops from
England, did not infuse that spirit which every one bad
anxiously looked for, The natives bad fancied to them-
selves (upon what ground it is bard to say, for Sir
Charles, never lei them to expect it), that their great
Governor would have brought with him a ship load of
aims, with an overwhelming host,of white men; and
their' disaprintment may be conceived when he was
SOW to disembark from the colonial schooner with only
two or three attendants; htir chagrin was so great,
that they went so far as to•speak of it openly, and they
did not sctuple to acquaint Sir Charles, at Christnias,
N. hen are visited the camp at Yanooomassie, that they
were told he had arrived in a small canoe, and
.Grought
with him scren guns and a pistol!. AOput this period
it was currently believed, among the•wlAtie part of the
population, that an attack would beloade on Coomassie
by Sir Charles, and the attempt was ,viewed.genei ally
as one of no peat difficulty, but of comparative cer-
tainty. Admitting, however, that the destt action of that
capital was an,ea.ier matter than' it was,earm conceived
tq be—admitting that the I.titish arms bad succeeded
in ra;ing it to the ground—the iesult, in point of Co-
loirial interest. and effect, %%scold ,lnoce. been trifling,
conapared; with that which' might bave..bien desived
.11qm ne,olciation, at is period -when; we had been suc-
ceofula--when we• could walk itAivitivany• in perfect
secositj tiara here within filly miles, of the coast—and.
at 44rue when.the King of Asbautte.. was satritiaiiss
eight, or ten. virgins daily 'to irnlece hiasioischeto avert
the destruction which appeared to-mstie- him. in: the
face Nothing could hase been more lavoarabletluan
the aspect of affairs ,at this.moment,aad•the advantages„,
likely to ari.e from a Oegociation o ere pointed. nut .to
Sir .Charles MiCaithr by an individual, whom it would
be.sitiviclious to nietition here,' •as:ahe general .cry AV:43
war.; and fkcsalt,tlrie attention with which his -Excel:
lency erei veJ.a he auggattion, it is fully belie-mod by the.
writer pf this nitrolorative, that he would 'have aceeiisai to
it, -kad hit sokte4 n maJJ up to pursue..any raysicular