o Dompoassi,
was fired upon by some ambushed Ashantis about one hundred yards from
the latter village. The escort promptly returned the fire, but the
carriers all dropped their loads and ran away. After firing a few
desultory shots the Ashantis retired, and the escort remained with the
scattered boxes of specie, which were too numerous for them to carry on
themselves. Fortunately the fugitive carriers, running headlong into
Fommanah, spread the alarm, and Captain North, of the 47th Regiment,
immediately marched with a party of the 1st West India Regiment, under
Lieutenant E. Hughes, and a few men of Russell's Regiment, to Dompoassi,
near which he found the treasure quite safe, it having, with the
exception of one box, which had been dropped by its bearer some three
hundred yards down the road, away from the rest, and where a turn in the
path hid it from sight, been collected together by the escort. No trace
was found of the enemy, and the party of the 1st West India Regiment
returned to Fommanah.

On the morning of the 2nd of February, the head-quarters of the army
advanced from Amoaful to march on Coomassie. There were, notwithstanding
the defeat on January 31st, still large numbers of Ashantis on the
flanks of the road, in the neighbourhood of Quarman and Insarfu. During
the day succeeding the battle, they concentrated lower down the road,
and, on the morning of the 2nd of February, made a desperate attempt to
sever our line of communications by attacking the post of Fommanah.

"The post was in command of Captain Steward, 1st West India Regiment,
who had a garrison of 1 officer and 38 non-commissioned officers and
men, 1st West India Regiment; and Lieutenant Grant, 6th Regiment, with
102 of the Mumford Company of Russell's Regiment. There were also
present two transport officers--Captain North, of the 47th Regiment, and
Captain Duncan, R.A.--three surgeons, and two control officers; and in
the palace, which was situated in the main street of the long straggling
town, and used as a hospital, were 24 European soldiers and sailors,
convalescents. The pickets had reported Ashantis in the neighbourhood
early in the morning, and had been reinforced; but the village was far
too large to be capable of defence by this small garrison; and when,
about 8.30 a.m., the place was attacked from all directions by the
enemy, they were able to penetrate into it. Captain North, in virtue of
his seniority, assumed the command, but while