New-York tribune., 1874-01-02
SIEGE OF ABRA KRAMPA.

-.,. oypc,.I CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRiBUNE.J J
c,pr Coast CASTLE, Nov, 12.-l closed my 'ast
.ou,rn,cation Of Nov. 4 suddenly, Tor the news "i
rived that the position al Abra Krampa mao oecn a''
.a.Lod bv Tho kshantees; that. although peaten
hocL tbev had renewed the attack at nlgn'ian an,
hat fighting was still going on. Inc news arrive"
h,o in tho middle of the night ana aithough IL Ws
errl, believed that Major Russell could hoId DIE
oos;tion still as the whole AshaDtec army was con
,t,oted in front of him, ii was considered adVls~
,ln % march az oneo to his relief. Orders were
civ sent on board ship for the debrkation
- aoo marines and sailors. These were ashore by
,eo and nj o'clock were on the march, accompanied
hv Sir Garnet Wolseley and his stafi' Inc
heat was Overpowcrng; the sun biazed down
with lie rays untempered by breath OF WIND
sp0 during the first four FIVE miles of the march
there u scarcely any shade whatever. The eonse
opences we're not long IN showing themselves. Man
after man fell out from the ranks on their march, or
asppable 10 rise after the halts Before the village
which is situated about midway between Cape Coast
and Assabor was reached 20 men out of the 800 had
fallen out The halt here was welcome relief; but
by the time that they reached AssabOr not more
than 80 at most were IN condition to proceed
Here however there was halt for two hours and
half The men had chocolate and preserved meats
served out 10 them, and long ere the expiration OF
he halt almost all the stTagglers came In. Fifty
marines who formed the garrison of Assabor, were
ordered to march 10 Batoana, village two miles
further upon the road. 1t was from tins village that
the path which we were 20 follow brancbed Oft for
the direct and much shorter path from Assabor to
Abra Krampa was in the hands of the enemy, and 1t
was desirable, If possible, to arrive without the
enemy knowing that reGnforcements were on the
way OF at any rate without his knowing the extent
and nature Of those reGnforoOments
While at Assabor we could occasionally hear the
flut sounds OF distant hrDg. and were told that IT
had begun again at II IN the morning. One hundred
and fifty of the freshest of the marines and sailors
we're picked out. and now that 10 was known that
fighting was going on. nearly the whole OF the 800
tynced their Willingness 10 20 on and declared
themselves perfectly recovered Ivy their halt How
ever only $50 were taken, the Others remaining be-
hind to garrison Assabor in case the enemy should
fall back by the road through that village. At a
htte before o'clock the selected band started, and
were Joined at Batoana by the 30 marines who had
gone on from Assabor and by 80 men of the West
lOdIan Regiment who had come down from Akroful
70 meet us. The King of Abra was also there with
bme twenty of his men. he having come out
from Abra Krampa to inform us that the road was
dear aud to offer his escort TO Sir Garnet. King
Abn is one of the best of the native kings lie IL
not very powerful monarch; but he can put 200 OF
s0 men into the field and although, like the other
fsntee tribes, they can lay no claim whatever to
being heroes stin they arc really brave men by the
Ede Of these Cape Coast towards. The king himself
i the tacst native have seen indeed he tops most
Of his people by fun head, being six feet three
inches high. He is thin. and by no means broad in
proportion to hls hight IIo has a pleasant face
with quiet gentle expression. lie fought well at
the great battle in the Spring, which ended in the
overthrow of the entire Fantee army. He marches
70 battle carrying a symbol of Office.
Throughout our march the sOund OF heavy and
veIsus aimed lnfaatTy fire grew louder and louder,
until as we ncare1 the camp, it appeared 50 close
that those in the rear of the little column thought
that their comrades in front were hOtly engaged.
Every gTasped his rifle and kept his eyes upon
The bushes upon either side. No shot came, how
ever and we presently emerged from the wood at
about 80 yards from the beleaguered place. A
leayy fire was kept up against il from three sides the
place being only open on the side by winch we had
uttered. Sir Garnet Wolseley was received at the
entrance to the village by Major Russell the com
nandant. This officer is typical specimen OF the
English cavalry officer. lie stands six feet in his
rockings, with broad shoulders and active frame.
he wears his cheeks and chin closely shaved, even
here, where every one else has laid aside his
fazors lie has a hearty, genial. / may almost say
oval manner, and is an unmease favorite with both
cheers and men. He is a strict disciplinaran. and
sthe terror of the cowardly natives under him. lie
Is kAaor IN the 9th Hussars, one of the crack regi-
hents OF English cavalry. He expressed himself
eelghted at the arrival of Sir Garnet with his re-
sniorcomeDts, although the position had not been
really seriously attacked, owing to the Ashantocs
beng unable TO screw their courage up TO the point
required for general rush. The anxiety was neces
1rily very great, as the village was an extensive
one and the troops had all been in their places ex
peetng an attack for twenty-four hours. Sir Gar
net thanked Major Russell for the manner in which
he had conducted the defense, and in which he had
With only few wounded on his side, kept at bay
he whole Ashantee army.
AL this time deafening fire of musketry was kept
Up and we made for the center of the village, when
the men were all told off to the different native
soOses The men who had been so long upon watch
zee relieved by the new cOmers and as dark came
% the fire sackened aud by me o'clock save for An
occasional dropping shot, the place was az quiet as if
toenemy had been within q hundred miles OF ms.
Ihaye described Abra Krampa in a previous letter.
shd need only repeat that it is of the form of an
Irregular Triangle the church, which forms the
apex standing upon the highest ground, and its fire
- great extent covering two sides of the village
me whole ground around had been cleared to O
Instance Of fully 2c0 yards that the enemy would
,Ve to advance that distance of open ground
Se''e reaching the nearest house. Thi
nO'ed tho safety of the place, for there
'n Dc no doubt that, had the Ashantees
'u able 10 approach close to it
nat then heavy fire of slugs could have silenced
nfe OF the garrison at any point, they could have
i'ed the whole village at rush, save only tn,
'ucO which, occupied as it was by 81 sailors and
could have held out against the whole Asian
Amy Tor an indefinite time, Asit was, the Asian