Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1874-03-27
HIS, TENN: FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 27, 1874

bring one into position-did splendid
service. Advancing boldly in front Of
the line Of the Forty-second, ably assist
ed by Lieutenant Saunders, he poured
round after round of grape into the cne-
my, until their fire slackened little,
and the Forty-second were again able to
advance. Step by step they won their
way through the camp and up the
! hill. Here the dead Ashantees lay in
heaps, attesting the terrible nature of the
fire and the determination with which
they had fought. Beyond the camp upon
| the hill the bush was thicker than ever,
and here, where it was impossible for
the white soldier to skirmish through the
bush, the Ashantees made a last desper-
ate stand The advance was now rapid.
Sir A. Allison was now in front. The
decisive moment had arrived, and, with
a rush, the regiment went up the narrow
path and out into the open clearing be-
yond. For short time the Ashantees
kept up fire from the houses, and from
the other end of the village, but the
Forty-second soon drew them from the
houses, and a shell from the gun down
the wide open space which divides the
village into two portions, bursting in the
group at the further end, killed eight,
and drove all further hope of resistance
in that direction from their minds. All
now seemed likely to end quietly, when
a tremendous fire broke out, at about
l2:45, from the rear of the column,
showing that the Ashantees were max
|. ing last and desperate effort to turn
/ 40 nj 80 L.. bn nxftll
which we had driven them at eight
o'clock in the morning. For a moment
! the scene in the village was quite exclt-
| ing. The column was less than lO0yards
| from us, and so near was the enemy that
the slugs fell fast among us, striking
several, but in no case penetrating.
Every one sprung to his feet the Rifles,
who were watching the right of the vii
lage to prevent similar attack being
made there, faced round; and all the
armed men who were on guard ever the
reserve ammunition prepared to resist
an attack But we had still plenty OF
strength in reserve. Three more COM
panies of rifles we're sent up to strengthen
the line, and for awhile the roar of mus
kerry was as heavy and continuous as it
had been at any time during the day.
| For nearly an hour the Ashantees kept
up their attack, and then, as the lire
slackened, Sir Garnet gave the word tor
the line to advance, sweeping round from
the rear so as to drive the enemy north
ward before them. The movement was
admirably executed; the Bonny men,
who had fought silently and steadily all
the time that they had been on the de-
fensive, now raised their shrill war-cry
and singing their rifles and drawing their
swords, their favorite weapons, dashed
forward like 80 many panthers let loose;
by their side, skirmishing as quietly and
steadily as if on parade, the men of the
Rife Brigade searched every bush with
their bullets, and in FIVE minutes from
the commencement of the advance the
Ashantees were in full and final retreat.
The battle ended at about l:30, having
lasted rather more than five hours.
Although our men were excessively
fatigued by over seven hours fighting, it
was determined to press on to Coomas-
sic. and we reached the Ashantee capi-
tai at dusk. In entering the city the same
order was maintained as had been OBJ
served in our progress from the Prah.
The first man actually in Coomassie was
Lord Clifford, who has gallantly led the
way with his scouts and been in the
thickest of all the fighting He was
! wounded, and had to be carried into the
| city. Next came the Black Watch,
which has fought so gallantly and lost
heavily. Their ranks have been sadly
thinned by the fighting Of these last few
| dave hut thav were vet in sufficient
force to raise tremendously hearty
Highland cheer as they came within the
black capital. All felt that they were
entitled to the shout of triumph. Next
followed the detachment of the Twenty
third regiment, after them the Rife bri-
gade, and finally the gallant Naval bri-
gade.
King Koffee's capital is a much supe-
rior town to what we had expected to
find. The Kings palace is really a
handsome building. 1t was found to
contain a quantity of silks and large
amount of curious and even valuable
furnishing, all Of which, by the Majors
command, has been jeslously guarded.
In the night there was some shooting
and the Fantees fired several houses,
causing immense CONSERVATION among
the inhabitants who remained. Every
thing has been done, however, to keep
our native allies within bounds, and
some looting Kossus have been hanged
by way of example. One frighttul
drawback to the place is the stencil OF
exposed copses which is encountered IN
all directions. The scene at the execu-
] q, bouca annallInn