The New York herald., 1873-12-29
"A BAD BEGlMMIM G.
The British Commander and
His Troops.
Il RECONEOlSSANCE AND A COMBAT.
Death of British Officer and Illness of
Sir Garnet WOlseley.
GENERAL ASPECTS OF THE CAMP PAIGN.

CAPE COAST CASTLE, WEST COAST OF AFnIcA,}
Nov 13, 1873.
Hardly know whether to be serious when writ
ing OF the Anglo-Ashantee war. 1t threatens to
be, for q time at least, until the arrival of the
British regulars from England, as full OF insignif
cant details and puerile representations as the
Carlisto-republicano war now transpiring on the
Ioerian peninsula. Even then fear that we shall
have nothing to write about unless 1t be the i'm
mediate return OF the troops to their native
Shores. Isee evidences whatever OF the earnest
mess and vigor which distinguished the Abyssinian
campaign, and seldom have witnessed such indie
cision. Indeed 1t is dificut TO say what will be
done. whether Sir Garnet Woseley viii! lead an
expedition into Coomassie or whether he has come
out as governor with some knowledge OF the mill
Hary SCIENCE to put himself at the head of the con-
Moderated tribes for the purpose OF repelling the
,Ashantees and rolling back the tide OF invasion
from the protectorate
WHAT WILL THE AsHANTEE KING DO?
From all can hear see, the whole expedition
depends upon the caprice of King Coffee Calcali
nf this sable gentleman who rules fetch pro.
Hected Ashantee sees fit, after repeated blows
disastrous in o measure, given to his army now in
the protectorate, to eat "humble pie" acknowledge
that he was wrong to disturb the peace of western
Garnet has received orders to close with any prof.
ders of peace or settlement that may be received
from the stricken King. AS soldier proud OF his
reputation and ardent Tor fame presume that
such tame conclusion to what promised at first
sight to be such fair opportunity for glory would
not be very paataDle to Sir Garnet; but then, Sir
Garnet is bound to obey orders. All can say is
shat il Englands lust for peace has gone to such
q length as to hamper Sir Garnet with such con-
ditions, considering the many defeats and an
noyances England has suffered at the hands OF the
Ashantees. there is no hope left in her. She may
be insulted and annoyed with impunity by any
Power, great or small.
FEELING OF THE ARMY.
Almost every officer now on the Gold Coast feels
anxious respecting the result OF the recent insg
nifcaut engagements, during which Sir Garnet
measured his strength against the Ashantees and
felt their power OF attack without being inspired
by any wish TO distinguish themselves on the ex-
tpedinon and so win promotion by gallant conduct
they all express hope that England Will with
draw from the war, now that she has armed her.
self Tor an earnest conflict with her old enemy OF
Ashantee without retaliating for the long series OF
enormltes against her and her protectorate which
Ashantee has committed since the beginning or
this century by burning Coomassie the capital and
reducing 1t to smoking ruin like Magdala in 86S.
However, Ofncers, ignorant perhaps OF the full
extent Of the dread which the British government
entertains OF the Peace SocetyS and philanthro-
ptcai public opinion, comfort themselves
with the dire alternative which Sir Gar
net has prepared for the King Of Ashantee
should ne feel disposed to cry "Quartern 1t is
reported and believed that Sir Garnet has written
Co the King that the only means left to him to
avert the vengeance which he has come to innct
Is to acknowledge that ne has been wrong, and is
mil RI ha VIZ hv md ifvin
person in the protectorate who has suffered injury
at his hands since February OF this year. Consd-
ertng the extent OF the injury so many thousands
Of Fantees have suffered at King Colees hands
In the utter desoation and havoc wrought in the
proteotorate by his armies, it is somewhat assur-
Ing to those who have come out to engage in the
war to think that King Coffee will never be able to
pay one-twentieth Of the demands that would be
made should he hesitate to prosecute the war and
show desire to avoid the stroke or retributive
Justice by sending propositions for peace.
THE CAMPAIGN.
When the G eneral arrived here he heard Of an
immense force OF 10000 Ashantees being in the
neighborhood or Abracampa and Dunquah who
were increasing the weak garrisons occupying the
posts. While staying but long enough at Cape
Coast to gather some definite information con-
cerning their tactics. their plans and their mode
OF fighting, he heard that large force, evidently
bent upon fulfilling King Coffees threats or cap
turing Elmina, had suddenly diverged from the
main road and marched past Abbaye and Napoleon
towards that place. Sir Garnet arrived upon the
scene next morning, and, aided by an auxiliary
force OF marines and sailors, plunged upon
the foe after a style which proves him pos
sessed OF energy and daring, ana deserving OF the
honor conferred upon him Of leading a British
army to Coomassie The enemy lay in wait
en- Tho vrtdA AIa Of hat fhau nou hnra huch
what should be more appropriately called jungle.
1t is so dense in some places that one wonders at
frst sight. how naked people have the temerity
to risk their bodies In what must necessarily pun
tsh their UNPROTECTED cutcles most painfully This
jungle probably covers many hundred acres, lit
orally choking the earth with Its density and luxu-
rance. 1t admits every kind OF shrub. plant and
mower into close companionship where they
intermingle each others luxuriant stalks, where
they twist and twine each others long, slender
arms about one another, and defy the utmost
power ofthe sun to penetrate the leay tangle they
have reared 10 and Is feet above the dark earth.
fhis Is the 'bush" into which the Ashantee war
riors creep in on all fours and lie in wait in the
gloomy reccsses for the enemy 1t was in such a
locality as this that Garnet found the Ashantees,
and where he suffered such losses In his staf
and ofcers Until the sonorous sounds OF Danish
musketry awoke the echoes few OF the English
suspected the foe so near. Until they
themselves betrayed their presence the Eng
lish might have searched in vain for the
hidden enemy. Secure, however, as they
were In their unapproachabe covcrts, the
volcys OF Snyder bullets which their oud m outhed
challenge had evoked searched many sinister
looking bush, and in couple or hours had cfrec-
tually silenced their fire, but not before Colonel
Mcneil, the AdJutant General, had the muscles OF
his forearm torn or by a discharge OF iron slugs,
and Captain Fremantle, r. NJ. and other oflcers
had been wounded The details OF this Llmina
fight have been known by you long before this so
need not dwell an old tale.
SIR GARNET woIsELEY AS GENERAL.
This was the FIRST affair In which Sir Garne. was
engaged, where he showed himself by his activity
and energy ana disposition OF forces to be what he
really iR a daRhinp brave and akllul of1cer. who.