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

DISSOLUTIONS OF PARTNERSHIPS.

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1

A letter, Haar _
this day received at Earl Bathurit's office, from Major
Chisholm, addressed to R. Wilmet-Horton, Esq. dated
Cape Coast Oink, 23d February, 18244 - . • • • -
Sir—lt is with infinite sorrow I acquaint you, for
the information of earl Bathurst, that *ince- I
.had the
honour of addressing you on the 3d instant, on the sub-
ject of the engagement which took place near Assaf/Ur-
cow, in the Western Wassaw country, on the 21st ultimo,
between a division of his Majesty s troops and native
allies, under the immediate command of Sir Charles
M'Carthy, and an army of Ashantees, I have ascer-
tained that his Excellency was severely wounded,
taken prisoner, and immediately put to death by the
barberobi enemy.
I am concerned to state that, of eleven officers of
the regulars and militia, who belonged to his Excel-
lency's division, two only have returned here. Mr.
J. T. Williams, Secretary, and another Gentleman, are
said to be prisoners, anti it is understood that the other
seven were killed, either in the action or after they
were taken prisoners.
It was my intention to have reported in detail by
the present conveyance, but the state of my health
prevents my doing so.
My medical attendant gives me reason to hope that
I shall be sufficiently recovered in seven or eight days
to write, and as I deem it of the utmost importance to
put his Lordship in possession of :t perfect knowledge
of the state of affairs in this quarter, I purpose sending
the officer next in seniority to myself (Capt. Laing, of the
Royal African Colonial Corps),with my official dispatches.
The extensive knowledge of the African character
possessed by this Gentleman, his 'minter? opted inter-
course with our principal Atom, siiice the commence-
ment of hostilities, together with his genet al experience,
itialify him well to afford his Lordship any idol:11460D
Which my letters may fail to convey.
The Ashantees, said to be 15,090 s. rung, have coml•
rued at Assamacow since the action of the 21st ; hut it
is rumoured that they are making preparations for ad-
vancing on Monday next, the 1 A of March.
All the force I have been able to collect does not ex-,
teed 6,000 muskets, and as I do not consider it prudent
to hazard a general engagement, I have determined on
taking up positions on the bank of the river 11oosoni-
pra, to dispute the passage of the enemy, and I am san-
guine in my hopes that the measure will be attended
with success.
The natives of an extensive village in the vicinity of
Succondee, having fired on the boats of one of his Ma-
jesty's ships ; disarmed several of our soldiers who were
wounded in the late action, and were endeavouring to
effect their escape from the Ashantees ; and having
moreover destroyed Succondee, it was thought neces-
sary by the senior naval officer and myself to attack it,
and a force of 1,200 men was accordingly embarked
on board the squadron, and the place was taken posses-
sion of on the 17th instant without any opposition, and
immediately set on fire.—l have, &c.
(Signed) J. CHISHOLM, Admg. the Govt.
and Major Comdg. the Troops.
R. Wilmot-Horton, Esq. &c. &c. &c.

Downing-street, June 17, 1824.
Captain Laing, of the Royal African Colonial Corps,
Urrived this morning at Earl Bathurst's Office, with a
dispatch from Major Chisholm, addressed to R.Wilmot
Horton, Esq. under date of Cape Coast Castle, the 16th
bf March, 18'24, of which the Inllnwing is an extract:
I have the honour to acquaint you, for the iirfornia-
tion of Earl Bathuist, since I addressed you on the 23d
bikini°, that the Ashantee army in the Western Wassaw
country has remained stationary at Assamacow.
In transmitting a copy of a report of the particulars,
bf the action of the 21st of January, made to toe by
Captain Ricketts, of the 2d West India Regiment, and
Brigade-Major to the Forces, and second iu command
on that day, I deem it an act of justice to that Officer
to state, that the late Sir Charles M,Carthy entertained
a very high opinion of hii zeal and merits, and that he
had it in contemplation to bring his yrvices to the fa-
vourable notice of his Lordship and also, that for the
period of two yens Captain Ricketts served under me
(at the time commanding the 2d We:t India Regiment)
in the capacities of Adjutant and Captain, I have plea-
sure in stating that I had every reason to be satisfied
with his ceoduct : my protracted illness having incapa-
citated me firm attending to the public duties, the charge
in a great measure fell upon him as second in command,
of which he acquitted himself entirely to my satisfaction.
As his report is confined to the operations of that di-
vision of the force under the immediate command of
the late Sir Charles M•Carthy, I deem it necessary to
say a few words upon the movements of the others, and
also to state, as far as came to my knowledge, the plans
and intentions of his Excellency.
The rapid approach of the enemy having been re-
ported to Sir Charles M'Carthy, by some of the Allied
Chiefs, about Christmas, preparations were immediately
made for concentrating the Regulars, the Cape Coast
Militia, and the unorganized part of the inhabitants of
the town, together with some few of the neighbouring
Chiefs at Djuquah, distant from Cape Coast about
eighteen miles.
His Excellency proceeded there in person, leaving
tate for a few days at the Castle, to make some necessary
arrangements previous to my departure.
A force of neatly two thousand men having been
collected by the 4th of January, a movement to Am-
pensasoo (the Head-quarters of Annimelli, the King of
♦Vassaw), on the left bank of the river Boosom-pra, was
determined upon, and I was accordingly ordered to
join by that day.
The impossibil►ty of procuring provisions and shelter
for the men on the route, rendered it necessary to ad-
vance in small parties, which circumstance, and the im-
possibility of procuring carriers for the ammunition and
provisions, retarded for some days the departure of his
Excellency from the camp. On the Bth of January,
accounts were received of the entrance of the enemy
into Western Wassaw, and that the allied forces were
precipitately retreating before them ; this information
decided the immediate departure of Sir Charles for
their camp, on the tight bank of the river, with such
part of the force as had not already marched for Am-
pensasoo, and he directed me to proceed to assume the
command of the latter place, signifying it to be his in-
tabion to send me instructions how to act on his ascer-
taining the state of affairs in Wassaw.
I had daily communications from his Excellency, from
the time of his leaving Djuquah (viz. on the 9th), until
the 16th, but the contents were chiefly comments upon
the advance of his division, and the feelings of our allies
towards us in the country passed through.
I received on the 22d two letters, one written at five

-~

T_~

;Ist, the other the 17th, the former arriv-
... seven o'clock P. tit. that of the 17th about
later ; the contents were most pressing orders
form an immediate junction.
of the 17th having been unfortunately en-
trusted tk. man unacquainted with the country, was
delayed three days longer on the way than necessary;
from which delay, and the urgent nature of his Excel-
lency's command to join, I was induced to fear that
our consequent non-arrival, according to his reasonable
expectations, would seriously derange his plans. I was
determined, therefore, to proceed by a shorter, but un-
frequented and consequently bad path ; and having to
cross the river Boosom-pra, at a distance of five miles
horn Ampensasoo (on the 23d), in a single canoe, the
whole day was consumed in passing my party, and I
was therefore under the necessity of halting for the night
at a village on the opposite bank. I here received the
first intimation of an engagement having taken place,
but could ascertain nothing of the result.
After prosecuting (on the 24th) a march of twenty-
one miles, and having, at its termination, to cross the
river again, without a single canoe, or any means for
conveyance over, we were obliged to construct rafts for
such of the party that could not swim, and to float over
the ammunition, &c. in consequence of which, from the
frail materials used in their construction, I am sorry to
say a great deal of ammunition was lost and damaged.
On crossing the r iver we heard that Brigade-Major
Ricketts was lying wounded in the adjoining village.
On seeing and ascertaining from him the disastrous issue
of the action of the 21st, and also that the small party I
commanded was totally unable to cope with the enemy,
or afford any assistance to the party of the late Sir
Charles M'Carthy, from their complete dispersion, and
knowing the hostile feeling entei tamed by the inhabit-
ant; of Elmira towards us, and being also apprehensive
that the Ash.mtees, flushed with their recent victory,
would advance upon Cape Coast Castle by rapid
marches, I determined upon :riling on it. I regret ex-
ceedingly to state, that Captain John L'Estrange, of the
Royal African Colonial Corps, died on the march, from
excessive fatigue, and that all the Officers of the party,
and ',early the whole of the men, were laid up on their
at rival at Cape C.).ist, from the effects of the fatigue and
privations undergone by them; and I am sorry to say
of the former, all, except two, continue still invalids,
and, of the latter, numbers have died.
The most numerous body of our force was encamped
at a place called Yancoomassie, in the Fantee country.
It consisted of the men of that nation, of a few regulars,
of the Amiainaboe Militia, and of some unorganised
natives of that town, the whole under the command
of Captain A. G. Laing, of the Royal African Corps.
His Excellency having issued orders to Capt. Laing
to advance and menace the Assin country, with a view
of bringing them over to our cause, he had accord-
ingly proceeded about thirty miles, when reports reached-
him from the Offi er in temporary command at Cape
Coast, Of the result of the engagement of the 21st of
January, and also of the unfavourable disposition of
the Elminas ; in consequence of which lie made the
best of his way to Cape Coast Castle, where I found
him on my arrival, with a considerable portion of his
force. A fourth division, under the command of Capt.
Blenkarne, of the Royal African Colonial Corps, was on
its way to Akine, a country bordering on Ashantee, for
the purpose of inducing the enemy to withdraw a part
of their force from Western Wassaw ; but an unfavour-
able disposition being shewn by the Chief of the Aqua-
pim country, the native Chiefs, under Captain Bien-
kartie's command, expiessed their wishes for his return
Under these circumstances he did nor consider it prudent
to endeavour to prowcute his Excellency's wishes, and
fell back upon Accra.
Being fully sensible that this communication fails
very short of what might be expected from the import-
ance of the subjects it embraces, 1 must, in excuse of
its defects, beg leave to say, that it has been dictated
from a sick bed, and in consequence entertain an eat nest
hope that its imperfections may be overlooked.
As intimated i 9 my letter of the '23d ult. I entrust
Capt. Laing with the conveyance of it, and I entertain
the most confident hopes that the extensive information
he will be able to afford of the present state of his Ma-
jesty's possessions here, will be considered a sufficient
justification for my sending an Officer of his zeal, expe-
rience, and abilities from this station at so critical a
period. Wheit dispositions on the part of the Ashantees
were made in August last year for attacking our settle-
ments at va:ious points, I deemed it necessary to dis-
patch Captain Laiug into the Fantee country, and re-
quiring at the time (there being no Military Officer ca-
pable), another Officer to take charge of the camp at
Djuquah, I wns induced to accept the proffered services
of Lieutenant King, of his Majesty's sloop Driver, who,
I understood, had frequently served ashore, and I have
the satisfaction to state, that from the active and deter-
mined movements of these two Officers, the enemy were
deterred from prosecuting their original intentions, and
retired to Ashantee, since which period Captain Laing
has been frequently in the command of large bodies of
our allies, and discharged his duties always to the satis-
faction of his Excellency the late Commander of the
Forces and myself, and to the advantage of his Majesty's
service. I have great satisfaction in acquainting you that
our relations with Elrnina, aNd the other Dutch settle-
ments, have of late undergone a most favourable change,
which is solely to be attributed to the arrival from the
Netherlands of a new Governor, his Excellency Major
Last. I owe it to this Gentleman to say, that he has
evinced a most anxious desire totally to eradicate a
hostile feeling which was generated amongst the Dutch
subjects on the coast towards all the inhabitants of our
settlements, by the influence of.the Ashantees, and the
imbecile conduct of his predecessors. To remove all
doubts from the minds of the natives, respecting the
part he is determined to act, he paid me a formal com-
plimentary visit on the 14th instant, and has also zea-
lously entered into a negotiation with the enemy for
the liberation of Mr. Williams • and other prisoners in

their hands.
His Excellency Major de Richelieu, Governor-in-
Chief of his Danish Majesty's Settlements on the Coast,
has shewn his•respect and friendship for our Govern-
ment by actively taking a part in the war. He has
sent all the force he could collect to our aid, and is now
engaged collecting a strong force to proceed through
Akira towards Ashantee, with a view of diverting the
enemy. The command of this body he will take in person.
I cannot say too much in favour of the disinterested
zeal and active exertions of Captain Bowen, command-
ing his Majesty's sloop Driver. In the month of May,
la•.t year, this Officer, while under cruising orders in the
Bight of Benin, with considerable prospects of making
prizes, received intimation that his Majesty's ship 84110,

• MM.—Colonial Office, 17th June.—lt bas been ascertained,
that the liberation of Mr. Williams has been effected

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A letter, of which the following. s a copy, has bee,n The letter
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