New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-06


was much struck with the GOODNESS with which the
officers in command of these parties Of fifteen OF
twenty skirmshers led the way through the pnsh'
knowing as they did that they might at any mo-
meut he fred upon from distance Of ten yards anu
that the fellows with them would he sure 10 poi'
instantly Three ont Of the four officers upon this
duty were mere lads; but they behaved with the
pluck and steadiness of old soldiers. Presently
when we were in thick bush breast hlgn' every
where with clumps of high shrubs scattered ABOUT
and a thick wood lin which stood one OF the villages
which we were marching against, about 5VV yaius
ahead, sudden scattering hre opeheu
upon u.s. Two Houssas fell, both shot through
the body. and several others were wounded Inc
difference of race showed itself instantly. Inc
Houssas yelled wildly and opened fire as fast az
they could load the greater part OF their shots pes
fired in the air. The West Indians, from the taet vi
theirhaving been drilled, fired more steadily thah
the Houssas F; but great many OF their sho's aiso
were wasted in the air. while there wac, upon inc
part Of good many of them, an unmistakabie ten
dency TO bolt. The marines upon the other manu.
although all young troops, who had never been un'
der fire before aud had had but little driil' were,
after the first moment and the first call of Steady
from their officers, as quiet and cool as ola soiu,e''
Openinp out on either side of the path, they
IOrceU IUtlI way III ehlIIniSulnR oiu'i
BUSH firing steadily whenever they saw a puff OF
smoke They were seconded by the sailors, VINO
dragged the guns across apparently impasSaoie
ground, and opened with shell and rockets hrs'
upon the bush and then upon the village itself.
Here the enemy made a stand, and Col. MacNei'l,
the chief of Sir Garnet Wolseley's staff capitai
officer / hear and most popular one was badiy
hit in the arm Capt. Frem Intle OF the navy was
also hit in the arm. Several Others were wounded
The resistance did not last long and the enemy re-
tired the British entering from three sides slmui'a
neously. The village was found to contain large
quantities of powder and had evidently been inhap-
tied by very large population. 1t was at once SET
fire to- and the bugle being blown, the troops grad
ually assembled. Ii found that 26 were hit TWO
killed. The Ashantees load their guns with hye or
six slugs which inhict ugly wounds, but which nave
little or no penetration. In surprises. in close
BUSH these missiles may inflict great damage, Ont
not in anything approaching to open fighting. Ii IL
impossible to say what forces were engaged upon the
part of the Ashantees. The village contained, 1t IS
known about 1000 fighting men, and these were
probably reinforced by men from surrounding VII
lagos; but not than 100 men were visible
throughout the affair and 1t is probable that the
Iapidity and heaviness of the British fire at the be-
ginning OF the skirmish so surprised and alarmed
tne lUdl lol INC hi"'N l'f
lying quiet in the bush to drawing so heavy FIRE
upon themselves by betrayng their hiding-plsce by
a shot.
There was now long march through thick wood
down to the beach. two villages being burned on
the way. Twelve miles had now been marched be-
meath tropical sun, but after an hours halt por-
ton of the party set out along the beach to two
large villages, four miles further on where land
IN bxt ha IF the fleet had hepu ODDOscG bE n
large force. Here the natives again fought with
heavy loss to themselves, for, the ground beng
more open, they ihad the less chance against the
Snider rifles and steady aim of the British. The
destruction of these two villages accomplished, the
party returned. joined those who had remained be-
hind. and together marched into Elmina. which
town they reached at o'clock in the evening Many
had marched % miles, almost unexampled dis
lance over such a ground and under such sun.
Only two white men fell ont the whole distance,
one from sunstroke the other from fever. The
troops at once embarked on board ship. aud the
West Indians belonging TO the garrison of the town
were landed early next morning.
Since the skirInish we have been quiet All sorts
of rumors reach us of the determination OF the
Ashantees TO revenge their reverse and TO attack
this town are current daily; but in the mean time
they do not come and We becoming stronger
every day. In addition to 200 West indians we have
now 100 volunteers from among the educated ma
tives, armed with Sniders; we have 300 natives
under their own chiefs certainly not of much good
at present., and have $50 men from along the
coast These are of no great utility yet, but in
another week they will be of valuable aid in case OF
an attack In the mean time there are some seven
or eight British officers away with the various kings
of the country These kings collecting their
lint thaae 50 sadly scattered by the InNa-
sion that il is not easy to call them together Strong
parties of workmen are engaged upon the road TO-
ward the Prah and strangely enough although
their road passes within ten miles of the main camp
of the Ashantees they have not at present made an
effort to disturb the worl1men. They are known
however to be uneasy and it is probable that there
will be fighting the next mail leaves here
On the morning OF Oct. % "A messenger arrived
with a letter from the Ashantce General at Manpon
Sir G.. Wolseley had sent of formal summons to
the King of Ashantee to withdraw his troops from
the territory of the allies, to make compensation
for the damage done and TO pay the expenses in
CURED by England-a demand in no way likely to
he complied with. The General at Mampon opened
this letter and made a counter demand that four OF
the allied Kings shall be handed over as being DIS
obedieut to the King of Ashantee. A more prepos-
ferrous demand than this never made; and the
messenger returned the same night with letter
from Sir Garnet Wolseley, stating that these Kings
are under the protection of England, and that il was
ont of the question that they could be dsobedien TO
the King of Ashanee, he had kind Of authority
over them, his ancestor having by solemn treaty III
1884, renowned all fancied claims which be had pre-
viously alleged to supremacy over the Fantee tribes
The Ashantee messengers were, upon their rethfh
accompanied BY two of the native police to insure
,,o fa tbo linns ~ the allied
tribes, and upon their arrival at Mampon, the
Asbantee camp, these men were treated with great
civility, were made nearly drunk with rum. were
presented each with an of gold dust, aud
were shown large numbers of Ashantees who were
lad in narade hefore them With this story they