Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1873-12-17
THE ASHANTEE WAR.


III London:
CAPE COAST CASTLE, October 81
Five villages, harboring Ashantees,
nave been destroyed. Our loss is two
Killed and twenty-four wounded. An
attack on the enemy's camp is in pro-
g1ess to-day. The Ashantee retreat is
cut OIL. Our forces, after thirteen days
successful bush-fghting, have destroy
eo four villages. The operations were
conducted with secrecy, and a complete
surprise was effected. CYL Macneii and
Privates Walsh and Broderick ere Sc
verely wounded. Capt Freemantle
and Forbes, and seaman, Howard
with twenty negroes, were SLIGHTLY
wounded, and two negroes were
killed. The Ashantees are attemnk.
ing to withdraw, carrying prisoners and
plumber across the Prah At midnight
on the 18th 1853 marines from the ST.
moon, 65 West India privates from the
shore, Gen. Sir Garnet Wolseley and
staff, embarked on board Her Maiesty's
ships Barracouta and Decoy, and pro-
ceeded to Elmina under cover of night.
This body of men, reinforced by as
officers and men of the Barracuda
landed at Elmina, where they weT
joined by party of 1875 Houssas.
Ashantees of the towns Of AmY
Aklmfoo, Amquana (onf
coast), and Ashaman Ass9
land), having frequently ha,
supplied the Ashantees With
were the ones proceeded
large body of Ashantees bel
to be in the vicinity of these ms. A
party OF men from the Barracuda gar
risoned Forts William and ST. largo at
Elmina, the Simoon's men and batter
teries of the Naval Brigade garrisoning
Cape Coast Castle and it's forts.
The Argus and Decoy moved ap
the coast and anchored off
! the Cossel Reefs, the steam launch
OF the Barracuda and the paddle
box boats of the Argus going inside
Of the reefs, from whence their guns
were fired with great effect. On the
three frst-named towns, at a. m. on
the 18th, the Argus opened fire at 1000
yards range. Immediately on landing
the expedition on shore marched off
about four miles and half in a north
east direction, exchanging fire with the
enemy as they went The feld-guns
having been got into position under
smart fire, most Of the casualties hap
pened here. The town of Essecomew,
Essumbuno on the new map, (more
properly Essamon,) was taken and
destroyed. The enemy were in large
numbers in the bushes. Their loss
must have been considerable, but
the bush was SO thick that little could
be seen of them. That town having
been destroyed, the expedition struck
for the coast at Ampenee and Akin
foo, and, taking the enemy there in
the rear, drove them towards the sea.
The Argus and Decoy landed their
crews, sheltered under the reef (and IN
der cover Of their shiys' fire.,
thus forming second naval
brigade. The whole force clos
ing in, the enemy was routed
with great loss, but the numbers of
their killed is not known. The places
being destroyed, the General, Capt.
Freemantle, and staff embarked on
board the Decoy, and proceeded to
Cape Coast Castle, the navy brigade
and army marching back to Elmlna.
The naval brigade and marines being
all Except wounded) embarked before
i midnight, the Argus returned to Ell
NINA, the Barracuda to Cape Coast
/ Castle. The naval brigade is ready to
land at the signal. The steamer War
rec has arrived and gone to the Volta,
where Captain Glover's expedition is
getting into splendid condition. The
report that the Ashantees had broken
up their camp at Mempop and com
menced to retreat has caused consider
able excitement here. On the morning
of the Goth Sir Garnet Wolseley march.
ed out with the marines and naval bri.
gade, with the intention Of cutting off
the retreat of the Ashantees. His des-
tination was understood to be Dun
quah. According, however, to another
report, the Ashantees have advanced,
and are within few miles of the town,
while Sir Garnet Wolseley has reached
Accraful. All the troops from Elmina
and Cape Coast are in the bush, and
severe fighting is hourly expected.
Intelligence had reached Accra at the
beginning of October that the King Of
Ashantee had assembled all his fight
ing men, and was marching straight on
to Cape Coast Castle Another army
was advancing through the Akin coun-
try on the Cheble A third army fol-
lows that of the King, as reserve. If
this information is correct, all the ar
rangements for Capt. Glover's advance
from the Volta will be upset. Cape
Coast Castle itself is almost unprotect-
ed, most of the West Indian troops
being absent on detachment at the va
rious forts on the coast, while, as to
the Fantees, they are almost useless as
auxiliaries, having been thoroughly
cowed by a succession of defeats.
A TEA broker writes to the London
Times suggestingsthat the adulteration
act be suspended in favor of green tea
artifcially colored. 1t appears that
the brokers have large quantities of
such tea on hand, which the grocers,
who find themselves subject to penal
ties for selling it, will not take. The
result is that these dishonest importers
have been indirectly fined nearly or
quite $4,000, GOETHE valuation of such
stock on hand.
A POSTAL telegraph carriage is de-
vice recently introduced in England
for temporary communications. 1t IS