From the LONDON GAZETTE, ...
The Times, 1824-10-06T00:00:00

Iu5XsJL' of- '*' .. _:;..at- CaeCat Despatches, of which thc following are extracts, dated Capc Coast- Castle, 30th of June, 17th and 22d of July, and addressed to the Right Hon. the Earl Bathurst, K.G., have been this dav received froms Lieutenant-Colonel Williamn Sutherland, of the 2d West In- ,dia Regiment, and from Licutenant.Coloncl A. Grant, of the PiYoyal African Colonial Corps:- Cape Coast-Castle, Junc30. My communication of the 31st of May, duplicate of which is en- closed herewith, would have informed vour Lordship of the state of operations on this coast to that period, except that I omitted tomention I had recalled the troops into the Castle, when, on the desertion of the Fantees, I found it would be useless and im- prudent to remain in the field. I have now thc honour to make you acquainted with subsequent occurrences to this date. All the prisoners and deserters recently breught in, concur In stat- ing, that AsLsai Tootoo Quamina, the reigning RKig at the com- mencement of hostilities, had lately died at Coorrassic, sand that Adoo Assai, his successor and brother, had left Ashantee, accom- panied by all the warriors he could muster, wvith the determination of destroying CapeCoast, an(d driving the English o-at of the country; and in order that I might not plead ignorance of his Malesty's in- tentions, he (lid me the honour, soon after his arrival at Fcmtu, to rend a Fetish (sanctified or sacred) boy to our advancel posts, with a mnessage, importing that I1 lf the wails of Cape Coast Castle were not high enough, Tought to build them higher ; and if they were not sufficiently furnished vith cannon, that I should land those beloaging to the ships of war; but that all could not prevent his tbiro;ving the whole into the sea which was ofcourse treated with contempt. After about three weeks of preparation, during which our scouts and small parties were very successful in cutting off the enemy's foraging stragglers, and by frcquetit alarms, in keeping hitn con. stantly on the alert in his camp, thereby preventing his collectine provisions, of which he was very much in want, the abovc messagt was followed up by the King's advance f.om Fetue on the 21st instant, with his whole army, to within five miles of the fort. tdriving in -without resistance a party of observation I had left at the Government Garden-lill village, where he establisbcd hiU head-quarters. On the 22d he was again in motion, and took up an extensive line or chain of hosts round great part of the settlement, distant aboat three milra, but in bush so thick that it was impossible tc judge of his strength, except by the extent of his line, or to dIR. tover that, or his position, otherwise than by the smoke from hit lires. On the 23d he a^dvanced so close that hc was seen in greet force from the. Hill-Tower, and a signal was made from thence to that effect. I was consequently in momentary expectation of being at. tacked--the townsmien were ordered to make aUl possible resistance; the womcn, children, provisions, and valuables, were taken for pro- .Majesty's ship Victor, aadmerc iTi1sitFiPe JlPLo ILz i guns, and every other prepamtion made fordefence-when theenemy. ,who appeared to have good information of our proceedings, hesitatec -halted-his resolution seemed to fail him; and although at dusl and during the niglht he occupieda Parson's-Croom (village), withlir one mile of the fort, he retired early on the 24th to the eneampmen he had quitted two dayx before, from whence, to the end of the month. ie contented himself with detaching strong parties to lay waste thi country roundaboout, and to burn and destroy all the villaget within reach, which he was enabled to do with perfect impanity, my garrison at the timc for both castle and tower (independent of a very small unorganized force, in which little depetidence could be placed7 only amrounting to 316 ratnk and file, many of them very young sol. diers, and of whom 104 were in hospital, 12 sick in quarters, 32 re. cruitt, 12 boys, exclusive of a few artificers and militia. It is proper I should here make your Lordship acquaintedl with a circumstance, wvhich, during this menaced attack, led to censidera. ble losg of property to several individuals by fire. Some time previous to the approac! of the enemy on the 22ii, and on that day,I ordered somehouses whicil, within tbirty yards, coin. manded and overlooked tie principal ramparts and defences on the land side, to be pullei dlown, to prevent our being driven from our batteries from them by the cnemy, and to remove such obstructions to the range of outr guns. These repeated orders were disregarded bythe town's-poopic, and the garrison was too weak to execute them, I considered it, therefore, niy duty (wvliet on the 23d, the officer co!mmanding in the tower threw out the signal. " the enemy is ad. sancin, from the westward"), to order fouT Of these houses to be set on firer and I am sorry to say, that owing to a sudden riseof vind the flames extended much ftirthier titan was anticipated or intended; and, in spite of every effort to arrest their progress, burnt the grass thatch off most of theI hats and houses in the sown, and consumcd several. Owing, however, to the previous retisoval of goods, &c., into the fort, and the peculiar construction and swist floors (mud thickly plastered over stroog laths) of the houses rcsisting the action of fire, there was much: Ic8s loss of prTperty than could-have bcen supposed: goods, furniture, and even gunpowder, having been found untouched in some of them after their thatch lhadt been consumed. In concluding this comsnuiiication, I beg leave to express mv best acknowledgments for the cordial co-operation and pronmit assistance rendercd to mc throUghIoUt the most critical portiotl of this period by Captain Scott, acting commantler of His Alajesty's ship Victor, which had arrived a few diays before, and was at the tiie the only misan of war on thle Gold Coast. Captain Scott not only repeatedly landed the scamen and marities of his own ship, but as often prosured volunteers from the crews of the merchant ahips in the roads, to assist the garrison in case of attack, and with great celerity fitted up -and equippel three gaun-boats to scour the approaches by the beach, and flank such of the defences as were in themnselves weakest; and I sincerely hope his officer-like exertions on all occ;aions will be rewarded as they justly merit. I must also mention my sense of the scrvices of Licutenant W. 0. Aiteceson, Roval Marine Artillery, in terms of the warmest approbation. This officer having heard of thc recCutdisastrous de- feat of our forces, that the offleers were al sickly, and that there was no artillery officer on the coast, being actuated by feelings and zeal which always characterize the tiuc soldier,, imme- diately volunteered his services from Ascension, where he was sta- tioned, arrivcd ir the Victor on the 10th instant, and lhas ever since been indefatigable in getting up, mounting, and pladng guns on the works to most advantage, in arranging the ordnance stores and ma. gazines, and in performing ether important duties, whikh, as Super. intentdant of Artillery and Military Engincer, have been axsigned to hinm, and I trust your Lordship will permit me to recommend him otrongly to yoour notice. - ~~~W. SUTHECRLAND, Lieut.-Colonel 2d NVest India Reginient, commanding the Forces. Cape Coast Castle, July 17. WCen nsy d(spatch of the 30th ultimo was written, this settle- nientwas nerarly surrounded by thc Ashantces, wlho were encamred within three or four miiles of it, ravaging the country anti bur:ing the villages. I have rw the honour to infonn your Lordship, that since then, these, barbarians have beca defeated; their arty is now dispersed, and theyare, by Atil accountsi, retiring in small parties to their own country, in thc best way, and as fast as they can. Early this monSh the advance of a boddy af auxiliaries, which had been colleeted, with infinite trouble ,nd difficulty, about Acera, and countries in that direction,and,j suppose, the arrival ofHis Mlajeaty's ship T7letiis, on the 4th inst, from England, withl troops, induced the enemv to recall his detachments, for the ourpose of concentrating his army, part of which, on the 7th, was distinctly seen defiling in great force over a hill, by geveral paths, towards some heights which h6-occupied nearthe left of his potitien, where wve could perceive the King's tent. On the 8th, the Accra auxiliaries, who had arrivech on the 6th, and been supplied with arnms and ammunition as far as our very limited means would permit, were, with the Cape Coast people, placed in poiton on a strong and commanding chain of heights (opposite to tile enemy), round the town and fort and busily eimployed until the Ilth in clearing away the bush, fortifying their posts, and watchiviO the motions of the Ashantees, with whom there was occasionally some skirmishing, and who were busy cutting paths towards us. On the Ilth (Sunday), soon after day-light, the enemy was seet dCe$=nding in several masses of great strength irtto, and forming his jine across, the vaully leading to the right of our position, which was absuthalfa mile from the town; and about two in the afternoon, his zdvance havin, been fired uponby our skirmishers, a general en- g4gement was brought on, which at dusk, half past six p. m., I-am ba,ppr to say, terminated in his being defeated at all points, and obliged to retire; two campa on the right of his position, which he sad ekened to reimfore his left, having been bumrt and plndered lb- partofeni;r unorganized lforcers, who, although daily driven out-of t-swn totbieir posts at the p~oint of eisebayonet,to do thes 3uistice,fought np tdiii oMSoo for four hours with great courage, particularly on tleIh~~Int whccltuto Toetrts of the enty h fought bravely, were adirected, .and which he repeatedlyadvanled iti masses to turn end to attack, without however making the last no pressio f h. c Our kno ein killed ancil ouner m aso per annexed return-a m sorry to say, has been.eonsi4ct----e 4nofier ieteat waz 4 Royal A frican. Coloni-al Cdrps, P.,-Moatzaluanprmigyun man, anl twice slightly woundee, before ther faal bsht oo effe4s and one hiundsred aind three men k Ied,l a four kun re e forty- eight men woundcdai buit it is maLtter ogreat satisfacto,afta vOuas ttof Ikewptell thle action ust I been ustained, fitho gwhina thick bufhr th,at the enemy, by his own account, hasnt to boast of having cut off a single head rorn our killed, or of are jugtakn een neprisoner fromi us of any dmesription-a circum ve th numerousnor rarkable, it' the lnumerical disparity of the ca desertendi broes isconsidered; otuars, In position, where a strong reser e was lway kep,,nt exceeding nineteen offiders aind five thousand orand ank anre fille, aof whom only 235 were regulars (vide marginl; Ohnlt the Ash tce fore,y as seen dapring the morning, cannot be estitendy at les thand1s,0n0ofighting men. Their losa in hilld anpi wouded ons nthxis day could not be ascertained, but their dead are very nuimrous on te s of etion, and niumbers of prisonefr ahd deserters, brought in since state it to be great, and that many chiefs or capsains were killed antl wounded. on the I 2tho the ernemy again appeared drawn up in the Valley, a=arntly witb the diesign of matking anothier attempt on our posi- tionstd ad fin order to draw him into some movemeniret that might expose his intentions, twhice or thrice ordered a body of skirmishers to creep up to, open a fre oil him, antd then retire. This fire was each t aking returnh eith greet animation from the enemy's whole line for about half an u,ur (his divisions, it is said, and as I thought at the time, firi. g on each dOier,j after our kir- mishers lied, agreeably to their odeslrs oe nctid unoberi op. )3ut as he maci no demonstration of advance up to two in the aftemoon, I directed a few random shot from a field-piece to be fired through the buih in his direction, on which he retiren towards the Weedi of the valley, where he still remainedy ut the 13th, during tne 7i1it of which he disappeared altogethfer, taking, the direction of the Government Garden, Eln ina, and Feitu, towares Doonaqfual, whinh is on the direct route to AshaRtee- We have since heard that the result of the action and unpopu- larity of the war, together with the enemy's horrible suffer- ings and eesses, from disease and want of provisions, had eli- cited stronlg symptomns of insubordination and disconteoit In the Ashsantee armyw that as early as the night of the Ilth whole bands had deserte fro the King ; that four out of six captains, who had betn retaken, had been behifeae after bring tortured, the other two remnaining prisoners in heavy logs; but thiat, notwithstand- ing these examples, is Majesty wfas now making his way back, ac- companied by only a few hundreds, of' follower!, in proot' of which, it is said., he was yesterday obliged to move with his own guard to covler a c-onvoy of gunpowder fronm Elmina, which h-ad been wasal- ed, and thiree barrels captured by fifty or sixty scouts I had ordered out in that direction, with a view of ascertaining his hiding place ; and I have little doubt that numbers of the Ashantees will be cut off, during their retreat, by the Wassaws ap,d Fantees. I am happy, to inform your Lordship that I have reason to ap- prove of thc eonduct of every individual, whether of the ,rmy, navy, _____ : 1- 't- --n -hc nrninhirl: if'..........s nm hri71i-nt- were at least extreOrenylar&sng anne artluvus, anl rurougnourl which I trust = is Majesty's Government will be satisfied that all did their duty; and that up to this period as much has been effected as our means, the nature of the country in which we acted, and cir- cumstances we were placed in, would permit. Wlhere all cvinced zeal and alacrity in the dischargeof theirseveral duties, it may perhaps be deemred supererogatory to particularizeany; but I cannot, in justice to the service, omiiit to direct your Lordship's attention to the merits and devotion to the publicservice always dis- played by Mlaior Chisbolm, Royal African Corps, whose conduct in command of the right btigade, which bore the brunt of the battle of the 11th, was every thing I could wish:; as was that of Captain David Campbell, of the same corps, at the head of the Cape Coast I division, on the extreme right, which was warmly engaged through. out the day; of Captain Dowson, of that regiment, commanding the reseTvc (regulars nnd militia) also engaged ; and Of Lieutenant lV. 0. Aitcheson, Roy31 Alarine Artillery, in charge of the field- pieces in position on this occasion. I beg leave also to request your Lordship's notice of the services of Mlajor Purdon, Royal African Corps, commanding the left bri. gadel; of the zeal and enterptise of Captain Blenkarne, of the sanic regimcnt, who some time ago volunteered to proceed to Accra, in an open canoe, to assist in collecting these auyi liary forces, whose opportune arrival at tlis crisis is to maiiily attributed to his praise-worthy anm indefatigable exertions, and who, in these operations, commandcel the British Accra Divi- sion (iu the left brigade), part of which, on the I Ith, burnt two of the enemy's camps, of the important services of Captain Ricketts, 2r Wrest India Regiment, Brigale Ml\ajor to the Fosces, in perform. ance of various essential duties, an(d who was wounded in the action in which the late Governor w-as killed; of Captain ilutchison. Aiinamaboe Militia, ,who having been severely wounded in the affair of the 21st of May, was placed, on his partial recovery, in command of the Hill-Tower, where he gave tip his whole time to improving the defences of his post, the disciplining of his garri- son, and to a most zealous and effectual discharge of his military duties ; of Captain Scott, of hlis MNlajesty's ship S'rvinger, late if the Ji7t'.r; and of, Lieutenant Drew first of the Thetis, who com- manded thc seamen and marines employctd on shore. f deem it a pleasing duty to acquaint your Lordship. that I re- ceived the most cordial co-operation and effcetual aid froin Mlajor de Ricrhelieu, the ffovernor of his Danish Mllajesty's settlements on the Gold Coast, who made use of his best inflwence and means to collect and equip a strong body of Danish dependents, svho arrived at Cape Coast, under the command of Captain Poulson, anDanish officer, with the otlier auxiliarios, and fought bravely in the recent engage- inent. To Captain Sir John Phillimore, Knt., C. B., of His Mlaiesty's ship TActis, the senior naval officer present, my best thanks are emiraentlv due for the very great and cordial assistance he repeatedly rendered to me, in landing the seamen and marines of his own ship and Swringer brig of war, to garrison the fort, whenever It became nesessary to march the troops out of it, to reinforce those engaged or in position,for the liberality of the suppliesof powder,lead,&c,which hf8fQ,.F&t ~,e umos exentof his ro--- .-1 Cn, - . hzsfisfFiish,c^trJ -:,, A". which the could possibly beneft the puble service; and as this experienced officer was preseiit during the whole period ombraced in this despatch, acquainted with every occurrence detailed in it, und an eye-witness to many of them, and the difficulty we had to contend with, 1 beg leave to refer your Lordship to him for any particular information vou may wish to ob- tain relative thereto. W. SUTHERLAND, Lieut.-Colonel 2d West India Regiment, commanding the forces. Return of the killed and wounded of the organized and unorganized farces in the action with the Ashantees, near Cape Coast, on the 11th of July, 1824. 2d West. India regimrent-3 rank and file wounded. Royal African corps.-I,ieutenant Swanzy, killed. Militia.-I rank and file killed , 5 rank and file wounded. Unorganized armed Forces._102 ranik and file killed; 440 rank ard file wounded. Cape Coast-Castle. July 22, 1824. Since I had the honour of addressing your LMordship on the ]8th instant, reporting my arrival, nothing very particular has taken place respecting the enemv. Licutenant-Colonel Sutherland's roport will acquaint your Lord- ship of the enemy's repulse near this place on the ll'h instant. On the 19.h. I learnlt that he was encamped at about five miles' distance from this place, and sent out an auxiliary force, with a view to entice Ihim to approachi within reach of our guns; they returned on the fol- lowing day with a few prisoners. The enemy showel no dis- position to approach the garrison. He rmade off on the 20th, in the slircetion of Annamaboe; an(i it has just now been reported to nme, thiat soine firing had been heard yesterday at one of the Annamaboe villages, seven or eight miles inland. I fear the villages will stiffer, but I am under no apprchension for the fort. I regret to state to your Lordship, that the Europeans in garrison have suffered muchl during Cite last quarter. A. GYRANT, Lieut. Col.R. A. C. Comg. AD:1I1RALTY-OFFICE, OCTOBER 4. Extract of a letter front Commodore Ballen to John Wilson Croker, Esq.. dated on boara Hlis M1ajesty's ship Afaidsoiee, Cape Coast, Gold C(oast, July 22, 1824. T have great pleasure in being able to acqttaint their Lordlahips, by His .Majesty's ihip T/ic-i, that on Sunday week the troops under the command of Licut.-Coloncl Sutherland completely routed the Ashantee army, whichl had advanced in great force to within about two miles of the Castle, leaving an innumerable number of killed on the field: and that on account of this total defeat, they are, I learn, retiring in all haste tawarda Coomasce, their capital: this has been further confirmed by information obtained from two prisoners brought in yesterday, who state the enemy to be in fuil retreat, and suffering severely from famine (causetl bytlheir having laid ivaste the country on their advance), dysentery, anti small.pox. Too nsuch praise cannot be bestowed on Captain Sir John Philli. more, whose unremitting exertions and judicious arrangements, in taking his own ship into shoal water, manaing and arming the boats of the Thetis, Victor, and Switigr, landing detachments of seamen and nmarines to co-operate with the army, and garrison a tower on the height beyond the Castle, which he armed and placed under the command of his First Lieutenaitt, contributed materiallv towards the suces of oir arms. H is personal exertions ware such at to call fqrjh the admiration of all; andl Liqutenant-Colonel Satlierlandl ac- q2Sgifis n<that no language of his can do justice to lI4 merits, or describe the cool and decisive mnanncr in ,hvllich he acted tlhroughout: and to him, who was an eye-witness of the whole trans- action, and is fully master of the subject, I must beg to refer their Lordships for further information on this subject; and I beg to as- sure them, they may rely on my paying the most vigilant attention to their directions on -tius important subject, and rcndering every assistance in my power towsard5 the attamment of so desirable an object. OGicers. Ranktand File. "Royal k4arine ArtWiry - - - I 1 2 2d tvest SnOla Regimcnt . . . I 51o Rloyal Afican Colonial Corps . . * I s 193 Total Reguliars - 17 285 M Militia . . . 2 03 UJnorg.nized * * 0 4s50 Total strength 19 5053 PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. A. antiC. Wood. Trumrp-street, Cheapside, miittnrrs.-I4. Duinsford, G. Bame and A. Boase, Tiver ten, fDlvonshire, bankers : so far as re- gards A. boase.-J. Brown, J. w. Aiston, and C. Lees, Glasgow, general merchants.-R. Dnvlesa,td B. A. 11all,11obie-strect, ChteaPside,Leghorn kat.mAnufacturers.-P. T. Ro'hinson aitd C. A. Daliner, Liverpool, mer. chants%-C. Manjor and E. Wheeler, Andover, mtlliners.J. and W. Redealfe. Mancheslter, bruash-ma,uctbturers.-C. T. Dunlevie and R. Strutthers, iiverpool.-E. att, J. Tbontpson, Klt,gston-upon-Htill anti Manchester, wiharf5ngsrs.-W. Batcheller asidT. tlgden, Dover, Kent, booksellers._11. W. Smith atid H. Barron, Albjon-soharf, City-road, eoai-merchnnts--W. C.asod .11.1 ein .cvnreatw;nchester-sitreet, mer- chants.-J. and -J Whitehead, Fore-street, Limehnous,t mast-makers.- : ., H5. WVeare, a,td r. Co.k, Bristol, Spanish anid German %vool-rier. chants; so faras regards I. Cook.-A. Brewer anld J. Jtldd, Hudders- thela, whee1wrigh ts.-W. and J. Penlston, Newv Sartum, masonis. BANKRUPCCY ENLARIGED. Wlillamn Lidditrd, Charlotte-rowv, Bermondsey, coal-mereltant, from Oct. 12 to .N-ov. 2. B N. N K RLPTS. George Ilodgstit, Livcrpool, grocer, to surrcnder Oc. 21, 22, Nov. 16, at the George Inn, Liverpool solicitor, bir. Chester, Staple-inn. Richard lerkinx, Penmaln, MlonmouthsitIre, coal-merchanlt. Oct.19, 20, Nov. 16. at the Whlte Lion Inn, Bristol: solieltor, Dlr. Platt, New Boswell-eotLr, i. lcoln's-Inn. Thomas Batidon, Dean-street, Soho,eoffee-house-keoper, Oct. 29,30, Jow. 1ff, at the Hannkrtupts' Court, Basioghall-street, soBleitors, Messrs. Jostph Emans, Ivy-lane, d ooe semler, OCt. 29 30, Nov. 1f, at thc 3snkrupts' Court, 8as1nghall-strect: soileitor,1.tr.Bro:igh,Sh ored iteh. WilDiam HuryvClaYton, Manchester, baker. Oct. 18.,19, Nov. 16, at the Star Inn. Mahstr solicitors, Mecssrs. Adiltigeon, Gregory, and Fauelkner, Bedrord-lrow. Jt,lin dmlth and Frederick Smith, Clemaent's-lane and St. Swithin's. ian hilne mrebgiitn, Oat. 1, 23v Nov. 16, at thle flankruopts' Cotxrt,X l3~ne all-str~eet: solicitor; Mr. Hiew1tt, TokenAhotuse, Lothbury. Oct.30, T. Rose RDgeiVtstreet,PaUD-maU. wlne-mercbant.n-Oct. 26, , 9aU, Pouty 3rnoer xt.,B Johnson, CherryTre Regettrefet,S.. Jalanlo, Samborn, e. fnrmer.Nov. ff, J. Robert.on, Old Broad-street, merchant.- et.. 30. Pi. Dearmann Darnsle-and. nt. Dearman, Pluder-Oalks, York- ghlr~ . mecntne.M.?ry1metn Bucklngbamashire; Isce- nere hant.-Oct. 2?; J. Taylor, Leorninster. sltlnner.-uct. 30, F. Doret Berke2ey-e uere,euet!oneer.....ov;2, B. Berry. J1. Broadbent, and J. ana L so,Satn Yorksilfre, mauuf2cturers of fancy cloths. CERTIFlCATES to be granlted, unless causelbe Shown to the eontrary on or before Oct. 2tS. e. Austin, Luton, nedfordshlre, banker.-G. Hunt, Leleester.sqtuare llnendraper.-B. Buller, Stratford-upon-Avon,. Warwlekshlre, cern- dcaler.-. Sitze. Tdtnes, DevGnshlre, grouer.-C. H. Banbury, Wood- strcet, Cheapside; sillk-manufacturer. v- ih, .L() AD(O GAZETTF. Tiaidayv, Oci. 5. ---------- CZ- --. -,,- . ? -Illn- 'nnlXrWTV& QIPP-P.V.r- R'FPT. 30.