Defeat Of The British Tro...
The Times, 1824-05-03T00:00:00

(Froni the Liverpool jlfercutry. ) WNVe regret to annotnce to the public some very melancholy anu snostimportant intelligence, which has been received by Messrm Barton, Irlam, and Higginson, in thiis towvn, from their friends in Barbatdoes, by the Pandora, which arrived at Liverpool on Thurs. day. It seems, that notwithstanding the amicable arrangementu which were supposed to have taken place between the British set- tlers on the coast of Africa and the ferocious Ashantees, the lattet have attacked Sir Charles 1l'Carthy, Governor of Sierra Leone. The result has been most disastrous; but we shall, for the present, forbear to hazard any conjectures respecting the origin of this dread- ful affair, of which we can only state, on the authority of the Bar- badoes Mercury of the 20th ult., that the Ashantees had, of late, made frequent incursions for the purpose of plundering the settle- ment at Cape Coast Castle. To ayenge this insult on the British fla, Sir Charles M'Carthy prepared an expedition, the fate of which is detailed in the annexed letter:_ " BRITisit ACCRA, Jan. 31, 1824. " It is with the greatest concern I have to inform you that the Ashantees have made an attack upon Sir Charles M'Carthy's divi- sion of the army npon the Gold Coast, and completely routed it, most of the officers killed, and Sir Charles himself wounded in two places, during the action, and now-rnissing. They came down 15,000 strong: Sir Charles's division was not more than one-third of that number. The battle was fought on the 21st instant, near Si- condee, and lasted from 2 p. m. until 6 p. ai., when Sir Charles hav- ing expended all his ammunition, was surrounded, and his army completely routed. The Ashantees, however, sustained agreatloss, and it is not known where they are gone to. " There were fourteen officers with Sir Charles when the actioa commenced, and only one, a Lieutenant Erskine, escaped to tell the tale of wo. Among the slain are some of the principal and oldest mer- chants at Cape Coast; those that I have heard named are George Robertson, James Headle, Edwin Jones, and Mr. Tedley, the Staff Surgeon, killed; Captain L'Etrange'died of fatigue; M!ajor Rickets severely wounded; many othiers that I da not know the names of, killed; and many wounded and missing. They were expecting an attack at Cape Coast, by the latest intelligence,and they had actually sent down a vessel to get 7,000 stand of arms, which it was reported at Cape Coast that I had here.-As this vessel will most likely call at Cape Coast, the Captain will be able to give you late accounts, and more accurate intelligence of this dreadful transaction, whichi may vet be the cause of the Gold Coast being taken from us." | This melancholy affair is thus related in the Barbadoes Mercury:- I" B3RDGFTowN, March 20, 1824.-The brig Elizabeth, which arrived on Thursday last from Africa, gives an account of a sangui- nary conflict that lately happened between the Ashantees, a very powerful race, and a force composed of about 4,000 natives and others of Cape Coast Castle, an English settlement in that neigh- bourhood. The former had, of late, made frequent incursions for the purpose of plundering the latter territory; and in one of these, had seized a British sergeant, whom they murdered, and afterwards mutilated in a most horrid manner. To avenge this crime, and the insult offered the English flag, Sir Charles M'Carthy, Governor of Sierra Leone, immediately prepared this expedition, which was formed into three divisions, one of which he commanded, and was accompanied by many merchants as volunteers; but, before the three parties eould form a junction, Sir Charles was inter- cepted by 10,000 of the Ashantees, whom he fought as long as his ammunition lasted; but being at length overpowered by such an immense number of the foe, he and those with him were either massacred or made prisoners; and, from their blood-thirsty character, it is feared the first of these disasters has befallen him, and tinder circumstances of aggravated cruelty. Although fourteen days has elapsed since the departure of this expedition, no intelligence of Sir Charles or of the merchants had reached the Cape when the Elizabet/ left that caast. It has been surmised, that the Ashantees had been instigated to their late ill conduct by some foreign traders in a neighbouring district, on ac- count of the exertions of the British in intercepting the African slave trade." The foUowing is an extract of a private letter from an officer of rank on board the Owen Glendo-ver, which not only confirms the disastrous tidings above given, but adds to them the melancholy in- telligence of the death of that enterprising traveller Belzoni:- " CAPE COAST, Feb. 8.-All is confusion here. The Ashantees have beaten the Governor: he is a prisoner or killed: so are all the vwhite men of the party, about seven or eight, and more than two- thirds of his force. Our marines garrison Cape Coast Castle. We have been at duty night and day of the severest nature. " I almost thought the other day that my jaw-bone would have ornamented an Ashantee drum: fate would have it otherwise. We have had two marines antd one Kreoman killed, and two marines and five seamen wounded. " We are all ready for harder work, and as the Ashantees show no quarter, but torture those they take, if our lads are obliged to land (which is rmore than probable), i land too; no prisoner will any of us be : that is determined. The country overrun by the Ashantees is in a horrible condition; every male old person and child is put to death; the girls just arrived at a proper age are saved. A Captain L'Estrange was so affected by the dreadful sights whichi lie saw on the march, that, on secing two children hung up by the neck, and two with their bellies cut open, he dropped down and died. " Belwni is no more. He died at Benin of dysentery, after every thing that could be wished was done and settled for his proceeding into the interior." 2DEFEAT OF THE BRrrtSh TROOPS BY THE I gASIANTkES.