Defeat Of The Ashantees.
The Times, 1824-10-01T00:00:00

a es eceivedk the followiniotellia,euce as late as half- past 70oelock Yesterday morning: it consequiently appeared ;nI part only of our impression:- "PORTSMOUTH, SEPT. 29, Arrived His qajesty's frigate Thetis, of 46 guns, Sir Jobn Philimore; Knt., with despatches from Cape Coast Cattle, afl'fOuncittg that the Ashantees vere totally defeat- ted in anl action Wbich took place on the 1I th of July, be. zween their force, comrnanded by the King in person, anti I Britiah allied force uinder thb command of Lieutenamtt ColIenU Sutherlandin whichi our force sustained a loss of abbont 00 men in killed and woounded, principally of the YFaitee force. captain wvas the only offlcer killed, The amount ofthe loss Of theAshantees is not known. Their force 'as etimated at about 15,000 raen. We hlad opportutnity, in this baUte, of the use of field-pqieces, from which were 2ree grape aind cani-ter shot, which caused great havoc a3tong the enemy, and so much surprised themn, that they tabowed no disposition whatever to renewv the battle. They came doNvn with a determined intention to tuke the Castle. The battle was fought about three quarters of a mnite from the shore. Parties of marines and seamen rere landedi from the Thetis to aid in the contest. Whlen the Theti5 left Cape Coast, on the 22d of July, nothing had been heard or seen of the enemy since the battle, although parties bad been sent out in search of them. It vwas there- fore supposed that they had given up the cointest, and had zetired to their own country. Colonel Sutherlan' came homc in the Thetis.` -j In the course of -esterday Government received de- uspathes t4 the samle cffect. Colonel Sutherland had left o olnel Grant in command, One of the results of the battle i5 said to have been the release of hr. Williams. An eveining paper (the British Travteller) publishes the foltowing extracts from private letters:- Cape Coast, July 19. i"Ve had abattle within half amile of Cape Coast, onthe lIth nast., with the Nshantees ; they thought they could4enter the town, buv`t=li hitppy to inform you they were defeated, and an itmmer,se o-rtoerof th?em killed. L ieutenant Ss'anzy, of the Royal African 4sr.as killed, vhich was the only loss we sustained. The eoxray were beaten, and afterwards retreated. Colonel Grant has arrived. "When I arrived here on the 11th, martial law was in force. The Ashantees were not eight miles off the fort. I went, on shore, and there was war in all itS horrors. There were bust few houses standing, and these Were uncovered from the flames. Mlen, women, and ehildren were all huddled tip togethier as close as they could get to the walls of the fort. There was not even room inside for the 'whole of the men.of Nar's officers landing provisions. WS'e could not get the natives to work, they were so panick-strick. Every thing whs in this state, wvhen poor John Swanzy, the morning I arrived, went out at day.light with hiis party, and before eight o'clock he was brought in dead, being sshot thirough the head. However, the Ash. antees have met with suchi a tirubbing that they have retreated, and titings begin tr) appear a little more settled." A letter Prom St. George del Afina, dated the 9th of July, states id)at l,k J. T.T Williams had been released. 11 Cape Coast, July 18. " The enemy descended thyougih the gorges of the hills last Sun. day, the Ilth instant, about three o'clock, and a smart engagement took place, and as it is said, with the whole of the enemy. Night .gnly separated the combatants, and the enemy were repulsed at every point where they attacked,while part of the left wing wheeled sound, nzud burnt and plundered two of their camnps. Our loss was trifling, but Lieutetnant John Swanzy, a fine gallant young officer, was shot tbroughi the brain, and died on tiue spot, whilst he was gallantly leading on a division of our allies. His Maje.,ty of Ashantee han decamped, bag and baggage, and I guest he will never revisit Cape Coast in a warlike manner again. The enemy are still some miles distant, and will try to lay the Fantee country waste as much as he can before the King shown his humbled head in his goed town of C0oomasaie If our auxiliaries could be induced to pursue them, tlere-would very few recross the Pra; bet tltougli Colonel Suther- lan-d has been tryiTtg, I fear he will aot succeed." Another evening paper published last night a second edi- tion, with the very news 'erhati;m, wllichi we publish- etl at nine o'clock in the iutorning. DRPR4TsOP 7o19- AS7TAyTBES.