The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-05-28
2ERHS-IN ADrd NCE
The War In Africa,

i"o hai III htItCUs
"HrAiLS OF THE ADVANCE OF TIE
AStAETEES.
The Ashnntce war is dcyclopiro
.tsc'f. Atthe time of the dispatcb Of
thc mail tho Ashahtees, 10000 in
nnmber, were within twenty miles of
cape Coast Castle. 1t will bc secn,
therefore, that, as wo stated on rrc
vious occasion, the strength OF the in.
,vaditfg fcrcc hhs been largely ovctcs-
tlmatcd. Still, tho presence 80 near
to our settlements of even 10000 Of
tho most formidable of the tribes of
Western Africa acting in unison and
obcying implicitly all tho ordors Of
tho commanders set over them bv
their dcspotic rulers, constitutes no
t'oan danger. Fortunately, the first
rush Of the enemy haa been checked,
80 that if tho British authorities
possess tho slightest prudence aud
energy, tho settlement itself will bbcn
rendered impregnablc. Unless how.
ever, the adminitrator of Cape Coast,
displays a considerable increase of
enterprise, the tribes who arc unfor.
tunats enough to be under our nomi-
nal protection will be for the time at
all events, ruined. These arc nu.
morically strong, and apparently
brave but owing to want Of ammuni-
t'on and arms which, though repeat
edly requested from tho colonial nu-
thoritics, have not boon supplied to
them, ana to the fact that they arc
lcd hy half II dozen diffcrout kings,
Shoy have small chaucc against tie
Abhantecs, who obey the orders of n
single chief. The camr align began in
'onlnestne's on the 10th of March, on
wh'oh day the Frantia tho name
gwen to The various tribes iuhabiting
tho district around tho Gold Coast
setticmen's - were attacked by the
Ashanteo army. The forces on oithor
sldc were about $4,000 mon. 1t was,
however, to tho disadvantage of the
frantis that they consisted of large
number Of tribes, each tribe being &C.
companied by its king, who exercised d
,noro or less independent command
ltls true that thorc il nominal
King President, who rcjoiccs in the
cuPhonlous name Of Quasic Adoo, bnt
no seems to hayo claimed no suprema
ry over his brother sovcrcigns. The
tactics were apparently very simple
and consisted in steady firing to the
front on each side without any at
tempt to mnn~uvrc. Aftor seycra
hours of furious fighting, tho right
wing oftho Ashantco army was drive,
oil tho fold, and that flank thus OK
posed to DO turned. At that critica
moment message was sont to Lieu
tenant Hopkins, Of the Second Wes,
1n'l'a regimen, Commanding body
of armed Iloussa police, only mile
or two distant from tho spot whert
the battle was being fought. lto was
cntreated to come to tho succor of
t'1o Frantis; but, though personally
nnxlous to comply with tho request
he was unable to do so. Tho roa on i.
curious enough. He had received
strict orders to give nothing more
Than moral support to our ,ronicall,
TENED protected allies, whateyo,
might bc the strait. Thus left t,
their own resources, the Frantis, tEti,
power failing, began to retreat abou,
y a. m, after some eight hours fight,
ing: ihoy must have inspired the foe
with respect and have fallen baok in
good order, for the Ashantees novcl
attempted to pursue them. Really
the battle, which was fought at 4
place called ankumassic, twcnt,
miles from Cape Coast Castle. wa:
ctrcditable to 10th sides. Tho II a.
ter OF killed and wounded also lift.
1t FAR above contempt, the loss of the
Ashantces being estimated at 1900
and that ofthe Frantis, who were O.,
the defensiuc. at about l,O0O.-Lon,
ddn STANDARD.
The NlOhOcS.