The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-03-20
c00mASSIE'S FALL
Graphic Herald Correspondence
Recording the Great Mill
tary Event Of Africa.
MARCH ON THE CAPITAL.
Battles Of Amaof1l, Bekwah, Age
manu-, Dab and Ordasu.
BUSH FIGH TIN g.
The Inhuman Sacrifices
to Fetichism.
ENTERING CoOMASslE.
Duplicity and Flight
of the King.
PLUMBER OF THE PALACE.
The City Finally Burned and
Blown Up.
HOMEWARD BOUND.
ENTERING cooMAs SIZE.
Duplicity and Flight
of the King.
PLUMBER OF THE PALACE.
The City Finally Burned and
Blown Up.
HOMEWARD BOUND.

HOMIE w ARD BOO MI.
CooxAssIE, Capital of Ashantee. Feb. s. 1874.
have an extremely long chapter of incidents
and scenes which have TRANSFERRED during the last
five busy days to write, besides q summary Of what
the British army in Ashantee has done, and have
but twelve hours to write the whole; otherwise
shall lose o mall and your letter would be delayed
20 long that 1t would be hardly worth publishing
after the accounts which your English contempo-
raries will give. In order to preserve your credit
for enterprise propose this time to condense as
much as possible into the form OF narrative
what account Of the battles may be able to give.
The 31st Of January began this interesting chap.
ter with the battle Of Amaofui OF which 1 have
already given you an account.
We made our quarters the night of the Slst ult
within the town Of Amaofui, which might have
contained population IN peaceful times Of 5000
souls. The next day, at one p. NJ, q force consist.
ing Of 1000 Europeans, composed Of the Forty.
second Hl0hlanders, company OF the Twenty
third Royal Welsh Fuslleers, and the Naval
Brigade. besides Major Russell's regiment Of
native allies. the whole under the command Of
Sir Archibald Allison nOmipally. but really under
Colonel Mcleod, who took the most active part,
moved upon the large aud important town Of
Bekwah, which lay mile to our lett from the main
road. Tie advance Of this lorcc were the Ap0boes
and Houssas, who crept into the outskirts of the
village with silence as OF death, and suddenly
opened upon the unguarded people with ire
mendous tusillade, which they main tanned without
intermission Tor over half an hour, two companies
OF the Naval Brigade IN close support OF them. The
natives soon began to recover from tleir astonish
menr, and ~ usual, crept into the bushes, whence
they began to fire in return with q will which
threatened to intimidate tie native allies Of the
British. until Colonel Mcleod ordered the sailors
to charge on the village over the PROSTATE Hols.
sas AND Apoboes. The Jolly blue jackets answered
the command Of the Colonel OF the Forty.secon
with rouslng cheer, and 0ocrded along the road
Into the village from which they drove the people
lying into its iurthest end. While they were run.
ming along the main street Of the village the sailors
ran after them maintaining most w,thering Gre,
which slaughtered great numbers Of the fugitives.
At the furthesr end or the village q few, to
escape the volieys poured into them 10 the open
street, ned into the houses nearest to them, which
ehey loopholed, and from which they succeeded in
uyina some most ANNOYING shots at the sailors,
killing one and wouhding some halt dozen; but
the column, advancing and spreading Itself out
on both sides Of the village poured rain Of bullets
Into the huts that riddled them through and
through. 80 that within three quarters of an hour
the town OF Bekwah was completely in the hands
VI tuS DIltASu tGOOps. a loW UlQuteS were gwen
Tor breathing pause; then the village was fred
from end to end, and the work of destruction
was seen to be complete when the torch was ap.
pied to the last house. Among the curiositIes
found within the deserted village before 1t was
destroyed was small Albino child, halt starved,
who, being mounted on the shoulders OF kind.
hearted old tar. was conveyed to Amao-
lul, where, l presume, sailors, being pro.
verbally Kind to their pets, he will
be well taken care OF until our return by that post
toward the sea. The casualties on this day on
the British side did not amount to over fifteen
Killed and wounded The only European killed
was blue jacket named Taylor, OF Her Majesty's
steamer Active. Those OF the enemy are meal.
cuable. because 1t would have cost more lives to
have counted them than the interest in 1t de.
manded; but there were fifteen dead bodies seen
In the streets, while many were taken away By
their friends or slaves alter they were seen to
iaiL Girord's scouts mad an excellent opportunity
" the enemy while they We're c0ngregated at the
end OF the main street Seemingly irresoluce what
TO do, and Lord clifford declares that under the
fierce fire directed ut them more than 100 fell to
the ground; 80 that ! am probably within tho
mark when l put the loss OF the enemy In killed
and wounded ac about 200.
Though Sir Archibald Allison was the orlgadler
the cool old onicer, Colonel Mcleod, of the
FORTY SECOND. deserves the principal honOrs Of
this day. 1t was under his own immediate su.
pervision that the brilliant assault took places 1t
was under his own eye that the affair was begun
aud completed. This Mcleod Is quiet unassuni.
Ing old gens,eman, with an eye which burns like
nre-coal wnen In action.
The next day, at the usual hour, the entire army
resumed its march toward Coomassie, leaving
Colonel Weber, with eighty.two Of the second
West Indians, o. q garrison Tor Amaoiu.
The army WAS preceded by CHORDS scouts, rus.
ssPs regiment OF native allies and Rats artillery,
the Zine Brigade following with ito special stock
Of Ammunition anu baggage and hammocxs; then
the General and stan. followed by the Twentythir
Iuslsers and the Forty.second Hghlanders, who
ioyinsa the rear guard on this march.
Inc latal battle OF Amaoful had caused the fugi.
nves wha Ned from 1t 10 leave many q bloody
trace along the road. The heightened thousands,
urged on by Wild fear. had tramped the usual
narrow ratn into uroad smooth road which.
nndor the shade OF the archlng branches. an.
peared like delightful avenue. One coud almost
have READ wnat fearful thoughts haunted eacn
mind Us they hustled over ono another in the
eagerness that possessed them to put distance be.
tween themselves and the scsne or their great
disaster Wy each article which encumoo,sd tho
road. Here were finely carved stools, cotton p.
lows, thousands OF loads OF Indian corn and al.
most every tneh strown with grain pssxets
palanQulns Or wicker eots scraps OF skin cartridge
bSxss, wooden pswaSf bottles, sousds GIN ssttos
spa SCORES OF otAsy tAadsB SEQ sslviAi II nsNtibn