Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-10-22
VICTORIOUS ASHANTEES.
Carrying the War Into Africa--The
English Repulsed at the First En-
counter.
Correspondence of the New York World.

counter.
Correspondence of the New York World.
CAPE COAST, Africa, August 2O.-We
are at war, an inglorious war, with the
king of Ashantee; bis capital, Coo
massie, is 100 miles from the coast,
our base of operations. It is neces-
sary that we should seize this capital,
but to do it will cost us fabulous sums
of money and dreadful loss Of life.
The country between the Ashantee
frontier and the sea coast is nominally
our country, Or at least it is nominally
under our protection, but is really at
the present moment in the hands of
the Ashantees army. The river Prah,
which enters the sea near Elmina, is
the highway to the Ashantee country.
1t flows due south from it's frontier, it
is navigable, at least at certain seasons,
for boats of good size, and as the coun-
try on each side of it is destitute of
roads, and covered for the most
part with impenetrable jungle, 1t
is by the Prah alone that
he can advance. There is talk of
putting road through the jungle and
laying down railway, but this under
taking would end in the road being
literally made of dead mems bones.
The climate here is deadly to white
men,, and the natives, after our late
defeat, will be much more inclined to
join our foes than to work for us. The
British commander, Commodore Com
merell, resolved to try an. advance by
way of the Prah. He knew that the
Ashantee troops were on the banks of
the river, and he seemed to think that
he might drive them away. A little
native assistance was considered de-
sirable, and he opened negotiations
with the natives of Chamah, there is
also there fort, which was built by
the Dutch, and which was handed over
by them to us when we obtained the
nominal possession of this interesting
country. But the inhabitants of Cha
nah are tribe who are Ashantees all
but one litter-they are Ashantees-
and they are much more inclined
to side with their brother blacks
than with us foreign whites. Commo-
dore Commerell, however, thought he
could win them over. He arranged an
expedition to explore the Prah, con-
sisting of steam launch, steam cut
ter, two galleys, his gig, and whaler,
and leaving his ship, the Rattlesnake,
off Chamah, he went ashore on the
morning of the 18th and held talk
with the chiefs. He pointed out the
desirability of their forming an ALI
ance, offensive and defensive, with us
but they were unmoved by his elo-
quence. They declared that they were
determined to maintain strict neutral
ity between us and our foes, and all
that resulted from the palaver was
warning from them that the Ashantees
were in strong force on the opposite
side Of the river. Commodore Com
merell was resolved to proceed, and
proceed he did, to his sorrow. The
current of the river was sluggish,
about two miles an hour; there were
about SIX feet of water. the stream was
about $50 feet wide, and the banks were
covered with bushes. Relying upon the
assurance of the AshaDtees that the
Ashantees were on the opposite bank,
the boats were run near the Ashantee or
Chamah side, anc went merrily along
for about a mile and half, taking
soundings as they went. The arms Of
the crew were slowed away in the bot
tom of the boats, and there was abso-
lutely no thought Of or precaution
against an attack. Suddenly from the
Chamah side of the river a murderous
fire was opened upon the boats, and a
loody scene followed. Our men were