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London, England, 1826-12-04 00:00:00

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AUGUST 12, 1826:
It may be interesting to yon to learn some particulars
of the battle between us and the Ashantees, commanded
by the King in person, on the 7th inst. which 'ended in
the defeat and dispersion of the latter.
The place where the battle was fought, is a plain,
with small clumps of trees and underwood at in►ervals,
about 20 or 24 miles north-east of British Accra, and
nearly tour miles touch from a village called " Dndo-
wah," by which name the natives distinguish the fight,
the King of Ashantee having had his teat there that
morning. _ It was expected by every person who knew
anything of the Ashantee customs, that they would
attack our lines on Monday, that being their propitious
day ; accordingly, some scouts brought intelligence
about eight o'clock A.M. that the enemy were in motion,
and the King's drum was distinctly heard beating the
war march. Our-line was formed with all expedition,
extending about four miles east-ink west, which had a
very pictiresque appearance, from the varied dresses
and numerous flags—British, Danish, and Dutch,C_
that moved arouod. Our men were decorated o ith,
large sea shells, suspended from their necks before and
behind, or had a stripe of.white calico, to distinguish
them fom the foe. Many of them fought with the cloth
hanging from the barrel of their Muskets, which added
to the novelty of the scene. A squabbling had taken
place for several days, among the Kings of Akimbo()
and Dinkara, and the Queen of Akim,t who would
attack the King of Ashantee's own band.* It was at
last agreeJ that the former should form our extreme
ight, and the two latter the extreme left ; but they were
(perhaps fortunately) disappointed, as it was afterwards
known that the King .had received ii.s.llligence there
were white men in the camp, and in the centre ; he
therefore chose that place to gain more honour. The
Officers and Gentlemen in the battle were Lieutenant-
Colonel Edward Purden, commanding the whole;
Captains Hingston and Rogers, and Lieutenant Calder,
of the Royal African Corps ; Dr. Young, Staff; Henry
Rithter, merchant, Danish Accra, with his own men,
about 120; J. W. Hansen, ditto, British Accra, with
his men, nearly the same; John Jackson, ditto, Cape
Coast, with Mr. Bannerman's men, about the same,
Mr. Bannerman being in England in bad health; and
Mr. Hutcheson, merchant, Annamaboo, with the Cape
Coast Artificers, volunteers, part of the town's-people;
and Bynie, the native Chief, whose people, with the
cher', amounted to 150 men. These formed the
centre, and were drawn up in line, with the Royal Al
rican Corps as a reserve. When the attack commenced,
from right to left, about half-past nine o'clock, several
of the natives came insulting and abusing the centre
for cowards, on which representation to the Command-
ing Officer, he directed them to advance, which they
did, about 400 yards, when a heavy and effective fire
on our part took glace; they went steadily forward, amid
the work of death, the enemy slowly and sulkily giving
way. Na prisoners were taken, but as they fell, they
were put to death. Happy those whose sufferings were
short; in vain the Gentlemen implored them to bold
their band, or at least kill them outright. Some were
ripped up and across the belly, and plunging their
hands in, they took the heart from its seat, pouting the
blood on the ground as a libation to the good fortune
of the English ; others, when they saw their own friends
weltering in their blood, would give-them w blow on
the breast or head to end their misery. In many in-
stances they dragged each other from the opposite
ranks, and wrestled and cut in pairs. Fortunate he
whose knife first found out the vital part in his foe dur-
ing the deadly grapple, perhaps in his turn to be laid
low by the same means. So hard
.were the enemy
pressed at this moment, that a Captain of consequence
blew himself up, nearly involving some of the Euro-
peans in ruin. The number of guns, and various other
articles taken from the enemy, were very great ; but as
none were allowed to leave the field, and they had not
spare hands, like the people of the native Chiefs, to
collect such spoils, they were thrown aside for the pre-
sent. When a cry arose that the Ashantees were getting
between the centre and the tight, which in fact was the
case, atone party horn the Dutch town, who supported
the right of the Cape Coast people, had given way,and
'the enemy had walked into their place. Besides this,
the whole of the Danish natives, with their Cabboceer
at their head, had fled early in the action, and the
Swallow-tailed banners of Danemarrk
were seen safely flying in the rear. The centre were
now obliged to fall back, and relinquish every advan-
tage, sustaining a galling fire in flank, and closely
tpressed with the mass of the enenty,who evidently were
'making a bold push to seize or bring down the whites.
Captain Rogers, who was advancing with a small piece
of artillery, would have been taken, had he not very
promptly distinguished them as the enemy. This wes
the crisis of the battle. Colonel Purden advanced with
the reserve and the rockets, a few of which throws
among the Ashantees occasioned the most dire terror
and confusion ; the hissing sound when thrown, the
train of fire, the explosion and ghastly wounds they
made, caused them to suppose they were thunder
(snaventaa, in Fantee), by which name they are now
known. Another party of Ashantees had attacked the
left of King Chebbo, of Dinkara, the Winneboks t hay-
ing Red at the first fire, and never stopped tilt they

• It was singular enough to see natives under the notch flag,
fighting by our side, while, if we had been mar Elmira, they pro.
bably would have iseen found in the opposing ranks, as some of
them were at Affettoo.
This singular woman, who has :hewn such activity in the late
war, is about Ave feet three inches in height, with an almost inlan-
der look,wheniter person is covered with her ample cloth ; her voice
is low and soft, evidently to interest her auditnce, but, " cracked,"
as a singer would say, from constant use, I presume, as she asserts
the priviteie of her sex. She Is, moreover, an excellent beggar for
munitions of war and distilled waters! Just before the attack, she
went along the line with a massy neekLiee of lead bullets, and in
her bands soiden•bandled ctitiase, and waa afterwards in the chick
fire. I'o some of the Gentlemen who called on her the day be-
fore, she said, among other things; `• Osay has driven tile from my.'
country because -he thought me weak, but though Ism a woman,
I have the heart of a man!" I thought of old Queen Hess, at
Ti;bury.
$ The same who naurslersell Goerrnor Merideth, about fourteen
years ago, and had their fort blown up fui it. ilsey have always
behaved ill in fight, and ire notorious for their gluttony, their
cruelty, and their cowardice. The Ashantirestaid, if they wain to
liensiebow, they could catch the people like swine.

explosions of some Ashantee Captains, who at in-
tervals blew themselves up in despair, and was
krioa n by the smouldering smoke that curled over
the trees ; the shouts and groans of the combatants,
the unmusical clamour of barbarous instruments,
and the grass on tire, with the battle raging all
around, formed no bad idea of the infernal regions.
Fancy may pa:nt, but it cannot be described, being like
the wild fiction.of an Otient4l tale. Ti.e Danish natives
seeing the enemy driven back by the rockets and grape,
now advanced, and took possession of the plunder,.
which was immense, acid deliberately walked oft the'
field with it. They sent to request more ammunition,
saying they had only received twenty sounds each from
their own Government ; and when upbraided with their
conduct, said, " it was against their Fetiche to fire on a
Monday 1" It was justly said at Accra afterward!,
that one part of the army fought, and the other part
got the plunder. About one o'clock the heads of the
Ashantee Chiefs began to be brought in. Several of the
blood•royal and'principal captains were known by the
residents. When the death of any of them was re-
ported to the King, he performed human sacrifices to
their manes in the heat of battle. Among the sad tro-
phies of the day is the head of Sir Charles M'Carthy,
which was taken by the Aquapim chief. The King
carried it always with him as a powerful charm; and
oa
,the morning of the battle he poured a libation
of rum on it, and invoked the manes of Sir Charles to
cause all the heads of the whites on the field to lie
beside it. The skull is enveloped in paper, covered with
Arabic, and a silk handkerchief; over all is a tiger skin,'
the emblem of royalty, which thews the estimation in
which he was held by them. The whole of the Ashan- '
tee camp is taken, with their baggage and gold, the
latter said to be fiery considerable, but the whites will
never know whit they got: Towards the end of the day,
a great many slaves or prisoners were taken, being sa-
tiated with what they had killed in the early part of
the fight, and until it was dark parties were coming in
with plunder from every quarter. The troops lay on
their arms all night, as it was not known but that the
King. with his surviving friends, might make an attack,
in despair, on us, as he was seen in front. wanderingl
over the scene of his fallen anrbition. Through the
night, at intervals, some of our chiefs sti tick their drums
to some recitation, which was repeated along the line,
and as it died away lid a pletasiagefrect ; but was
generally succeeded by deep wailing., from the glades
in &inapt os, apparently from more unhappy Ashantee
women, looking for their friends among the fallen.
The loss of chiefs, on our part, is but trifling. Mr.
Richter was wounded in the thigh, early in the action,
with a stone, and obliged to leave the field; but his
men did not follow the flying part of the community.
Colonel Purden received a contusion from a spent shot
on the thigh also, while directing the rockets. Naubrah,
the Captain-General of the Akimboos; the chielCap-
tam of the Queen of Akim, and Quashie Amonqua,
Chief of Essacoomah, are, I believe, all of note we lost.
The latter is regretted by every one, as several of the
natives were always accusing him of treachery, and be
was determined to shew, in the day's fight, his sincerity.
He made a bold attempe to seize the King's person, to
take him dead or alive, and had his hand on the royal
basket to pull him down, when he was shot in the neck,
and secured. The King upbraided him with fighting"
against him, and ordered him to follow him, which he
refused ; order was given for his death, and while they
were decollating him, a party of Chebbs attacked the
King ; but Amonqua was dead, and his head (if the"),
have it) is the only thing they can shew.
Hi, brother Abbagay is wounded in the thigh, or, as
he says, " he would have made the King pay dear for
his.brother's head," which none doubts.
The number of our forces, from the best information,
amounted to 11,880 with muskets. That of the enemy
is estimated at 10,000; and a deal of the fighting was
with the knife. We calculated having lost about 800
dead ; but I do not think there can be so many, and
about 1,600 wounded ; but the mo)t part of these are
only scratches, and many of them are healed by this
time. On the aide of the enemy, it is supposed they
must. have lost fully 5,000 men. A great many of their
chief men are dead, whose names are familar to African
readers; among them are—
Osay Aqiitoo the King, wounded.
Apookoo, severely scorched with powder; uncertain if he Is dead.
Adoosay, Chief Linguist, wounded in the forehead; the chief
Instigator of the war.
Panowees—pOosoo Doom, the last Ashantee resident at Cape
Coast, 111111 ; Oosoo Ansel, 'hiking of Ocransah, interior of Ashes-
tee ; King of Ashantee's Crabah (female dedicated to the &omen,
one of his wives, and a female child, one of his Own's) male dedi-
cated to the Soomen, Entignah's wife, Yeow Sackery's wife, Yuan.
dooh's child, Ottee King's Linguist, one of Hokin', King of
Bwabin's Owes. It will readily be supposed that the chiefs would
set out in pursuit of the fugitive King, after so decisive a day, but
no such thing; next morning au of them, with dseir people, ra.
turned to Accra, groaning under their immense booty. In fake,
the hand-writing on the wall is against all of them—" They are
weighed in the balance and found wantingy,' They tweet that,
the whites ought to do every thing fur them;- but that they shall
have their own way whenever it sults them.
Bundakinna, the King's uncle.
Yeow Conoco, Captain, who carries the gold stool.
Cangeuni, Chief Linguist.
Aduo Brady, nephew to the King; long resident at Cape
Coast.
Moo timetable, the nondescript who figures in front of IStr..
Dbpree's Tiara Wfcks' Residence in sloiiistee.
p Oosoo Opera, well known along the coast, where he used to
collect tribute.
Yomadooah, the same.
, ti Yeow Sackery, who curled on a long war with Akimboo.
Damitah; Apookoo's son, and the person who surrounded Sir C.
ll'Cartby at Auamacow, and took all the ammunition, Sec.
Oosoo Ytiew Cooniah; I Oosoo Aqua Teak, Oulu Domra,
Atiab Qum, Cobab Dobah,. Adjelompon, °sampan, Entiguah
(the A soul traitor, shot bligoilf), Ocerasoo, Coffee Adabay, Quow
Cuttaqun, Atiawa Ceps a, fampandi, Sanizow, Moo (twenty-
four Coitkin
Those.maiked see • Altamaha," or of the blood Royal.

" Desertion in an army ought to be cut off like a
cancer; and the inefficiency and complicated nature of
the existing laws on this subject are palpable.
" The Executive recommenis very particularly this
important subject, as the army is the .firmest prop of
our independence. Military justice at present 4wathout
a head, until the duties of .the Supreme Tribunal of
War are regulated, which -at present also is charged
equally with the affsirs of the Marine Service. The
active Militia, which is the bulwark of the public
liberty, imperiously calls for the finishing hand to its
organization. .
The Officers of the Commandants Generkte Veteran
'Companies of the Coasts, and every thing siedessary for
the defence of the nation shall occupy the attention of
the Chambers."

The remainder of the Speech refers merely to inter•
aal arrangements, of no ressa interest to 0J! readers.

. . •

II PAPERS.

The Moniteur of Thutsda/, and the Doile, dated
Friday', have been received. An article from MAdrid,
dated Nov. 22, states, that the Queen still cdritinnes

much indisposed, although the fever had abated some-
what within the two preceding days. In consequence
of her Majesty's indisposition, the Court had postponed
its return to the capital until the 2d of December. By
the same article we learn that the royal clemency had
been extended to the Duke d'Abrantes, who had re-
ceived permission to return from Granada, although ate
two years, the period for which he was banished, had
not yet expired. The Memileur gives an account
of the Sittings of the two Portuguese Chambers.
—An Address to his Majesty, Dan Pedro, hate been
prepared by a Commission, appointed by the Cham-
ber of Peers for that purpose, on the motion
of Colin} de Lapa, expressing the deep gratitude which
the Chamber felt,to his Mqj sty, for having granted the
Constitutional Charter. A Deputation has been named
by the Chamber to proceed immediately with the Ad-
dress, and present it to the Princess Regent. In the
Chamber of Deputies, a proposition of a sweeping ma-
jure was brought forward on the 11th ult. namely, that
^any individual, accused of having conspired against the
Charter, should be immediately degraded, without
waiting for the customary formalities. Broad and un-
qualified as this proposition was, it was entertained, and
though not absolutely adopted, the proposition was re-
served for future consideration. A prow: for forming
. .

a National Guard was brought forwar. don the ISth
M. Leonail. The Guard to be divided into nine legions,
and each volunteer to wear a medal, having uponit the
effigy of his Majesty, with the motto. "For the Charter
and the King I will yield my life." The predit was
referred to the Council of War for consideration.

Paws, Nov. 28.—Lady Cochrane, on her arrival at
Leghorn, was received with every demonstratiop of joy
by the numerous Greeks residing in that city. It is
said that this Lady, after staying a short time at Leg.
horn, proceeded to Pisa, and that she was estortid the
whole way by a great number of Greek Gentlemen, all
wearing the costume of their country.
A letter lately received from Pail is contains the fol-
lowing passage s—« There is great excitement. here on
account of a proposition made to England, by Portugal,
to allow English Officers to get immediate rank) and to
take command in the Portuguese army."
A letter by the Jamaica mail states that Bolivar was
to leave Lima ori the 16th August for. Colombia. It
does not appear that the conspiracy at Lima, which de-
layed his departure thence, arose among, or was aided
by asp of his own officers.
The Russian American Company are at present pre-
paring an Expedition to explore the Western coasts of
North America, towards the Frozen Sea and Hudson's
Bay, for the purpose of adding to the, discover ies made
by the English Government,' through the expeditions
commanded by Capt. PARRY and Capt; FRANKLIN.
The number of letters circulated annually in France,
which pay postage, is about 60,000,000, and about an
equal number which are transmitted free of postage,
forming a total of 120,000,000 of. letters or packets,
which are traosmitted by the post: