The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-03
Summary or Events in the Field.


meni and shdme-CHARLEs SUMNER.
Summary OF Events in tho Field.
CAPE COAST CASTLE, Feb. IA, 1874.
Before / begin summing up the campaign ana
its results must aIqualnt you with later news
which has arrived tonight.
The gallant Glover, whom the military men
were quite willing to decry, and for whose sake
have been mercllessly chafied, has done wonders
On the Goth OF January he had penetrated Jwabn
and was eighteen miles northeast OF Coomassie
nve days before Sir Garnet had fought his first
battle, which occurred the 3lst OF January. His
presence In the immediate neghborhood Of the
capital seems to have been the cause OF the ex-
cessive fright which possessed the Ashantees after
the battle OF Ordasu. Glover had orders from Sir
Garnet to the Prah on the 18th OF January,
otherwise he might as well never leave
England. He took the hint, marched with
his derendible force OF Houssas and Yorubas,
about 800 men, into the enemy's terri
tory, defeated the Asnantees at ApogoO, had
serious skirmishes with them on the Assome River,
and was at Jwabin on the 18th OF January, eighteen
or twenty miles northeast OF Coomassle, but being
peremptorily FORBIDDEN by Sir Garnet not to enter
Coomassie, renamed at Jwabin, the second city in
opulence In Ashantee.
After the burning OF Coomassie Glover heard OF
the fall and destruction OF the capital, and at once
attempted to open communications with the com.
handing general, who had strangely neglected his
duty on his Iart in this matter, sending Captain
Sartorius with twenty men towards Coomassie with
that view. Sartorius left Gover's camp on the 10th
inst. and entered Coomassie the same day, and
traversed the still smoking city without meeting
soul, four days after Sir Garnets retreat ~ from
Coomasse. Pressing on after him, Sartorous over
took Sir Garnet at Fromannah, when he was
Iv xvalcp cd md hp no
net that the King OF Jwabin desired to surrender
to him and lay down his arms
NATIVE ALLIES.
Another event has lately occurred which re-
deems this expedition somewhat in critical minds.
The King OF Adansi has arrived In Sir Garnets
camp at Formannah with 1,o0o men, and has ex-
pressed his desire to live forever at peace with the
Engish-to leave Ashantee at once with ali the
families OF his tribe. The King OF Mampon, the
third monarch OF those tributary to the King OF
Asnantee, who, with Amanquatico, commanded the
enemy at the battle Of Amoalul, and who was
wounded. has since died OF his wounds.
THY KINGDOM Is PASSED AWAY.
The Ashantee Kingdom has thus collapsed like
the bladder to which 1t was apty compared
There were six great tributary kings, who were
the main props OF Ashantee proper. One has died
and his people are scattered The Kings of Jwsbin
and Adansi have expressed their willingness to
surrender and have abjured their allegiance to
Ashantee. The supreme King is q fugitive, hurry.
ing with disorganzed army towards some point
In the North Coomassie is q mere smoking ruin,
and Ashantee Is hencef0rth but name. These
are great indisputable facts, which 60 far to
amend Sir Garnet wolseley's faults and fallings as
a General. Since oil has ended we'll promising a
still better end it is hardly worth while to criti
else one who have no doubt in England will be
hencetorth Landed most fusomely, and who as
soldier has distinguished himself worthily.
woLsELEY AS A COMMANDER.
know shall run counter to the majority in my
opinion OF Sir Garnet but my duty does not lie in
! following the views OF the majority, but in eX-
pressing what think or Sir Garnet's conduct in
this campaign and my reasons for this view OF
him. make the following charges against him =
| First-He did not pay attention TO the control
department OF his expedition SUFFICIENT TO save 1t
from the constant series OF failures which must be
attributed 70 It, which on campaign SO peculiar
ceASnR care and attention.
secoad-He was too yacillating in his demands
for what Exeter Hall might say to the detriment
OF tine mission imposed on hlm.
Tnt'd-He Tittered away MS time when the
Kings treachery was evident, In seeking to recall
and win him to friendly alliance by treaty with
nm, when he should have directed 4 watchiul eye
upon the enemy's capital Whlca lay, to use his own
! words at his mercy.
bou'th-He did not adopt the Usual precautions
|
plumber, until the city had been fired and almost
wholly pluHdered by the retreating enemy.
Fn-He gave n9 orders prohibiting ms plumber BY
the act and most cruelty strangled as an example,
when it might have been prevented by timely
! proclamation ana adopting proper precauton.
Strn--Owing TO the failure OF his transport he
was obliged to retreat rom Coomassie before his
full duty was accomplished. No one is positively
sure that Coomassle was entirely burned except
Captain Sartorlus. who came In i've days after
! wards) as we could not wait to witness the effect
he N "a mi
i Serenth-lne most important place OF all-viz,
4 the Bantammah, or the sacred clty-tne Mecca OF
Ashantee, distant mile or so rom Coomasse-was
\ not even visited, nor was Aminecha the Kings
country residence, touched, though IT was so near
i EfgiN-lhe most serious next so the seventh
mistake Sir Garnet committed was the permission
arms their hands be ore ne had come to any
terms whatever with them.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.
But all these errors and omissions, which are
only enumerated in order that you may be able to
Judge Sir Garnet accurately, are made to appear
small by the series OF things which have happened
since Sir Garnets hasty retreat from Coomasse,
over which Sir Garnet personally had no control,
but were the happy results OF the perpetual de.
feats the Asnantees had suffered at the hands of
British troops in the battles preceding the fall OF
Coomasse. These happy accidents, all tending to
crown a successful campaign with glory, may,
therefore, in great measure atone for the
faults and faillngs OF the General commanding
The desired end has been attaine d-the
Ashantee power has been crushed, thoroughly
believe, irrevocaby, and this was the object OF the
British expedition to Coomassie. But supposing
as each OF US had right to suppose. Judging rom
what an astute and stubborn enemy might have
done, that the Ashantee spies had logged the
footsteps OF the rapidly retreatng British army
and the King had set to work TO surround and de-
stroy Glover with the guns which Sir Garnet per-
United the Ashantees to bear away from Coomas-
sic, what would the word have said OF a gen.
eral who had cruelty and needessly abandoned
such gallant fellow as Captain Glover to his
fate
supposing that the Ashantees had, upon the re-
treat OF the British army Immediately taken it
into their heads to rebuild Coomassie, which they
could easily do within a week and had heonn To