FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151  
152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   >>   >|  
en, who have run away from their own country, to avoid the penalty of the law. They are principally from Niffon, Baddon, and Pickaninny Cess. CHAP. VII. Recollections of the Ashantee War--Battle of Essamacow--Accession of Osay Aquatoo to the Throne--Battle of Affatoo--Investment of Cape Coast--Flight of the Ashantees--Martial Law proclaimed--Battle of Dodowah--Ashantee Mode of Fighting--Death of Captain Hutchison I cannot sufficiently express my sense of the uniform kindness I experienced from the residents at this station. My excellent friend, Capt. Hutchison, lodged me in a good stone house, which was entirely appropriated to my own use, and I had also apartments allotted to me at the castle, so that I passed my time as agreeably as I could possibly desire. The interesting conversations in which I had the good fortune to participate, afforded me a variety of curious and valuable particulars respecting the natives; and, when it is remembered that the gentlemen from whom I derived those anecdotes and descriptions, had mingled personally in the scenes to which they referred, they acquire an enhanced value, from so unequivocal a proof of their authenticity. Many incidents, connected with the Ashantee war, were related to me with all the fire and energy which the soldier exhibits when he enumerates the dangers he has escaped, and the victories in which he has shared; I wish I could transfer to my pages the spirit which inspired my informants; but I must leave the imagination of the reader to supply the strong feelings of personal interest involved in the details, contenting myself with a plain recital of a few short reminiscences. The battle of Essamacow, which is registered in the Gold Coast Almanack, with the significant prefix of "fatal," was fought on the 21st of January, 1824. Hostilities commenced about two o'clock in the afternoon, when both parties opened a brisk fire across a small river, that separated their forces. Our troops consisted of only a few regulars, a small body of militia, and some irregular native allies, the whole commanded in person by his Excellency Sir Charles McCarthy, Governor of Sierra Leone. The regulars and militia alone were armed with bayonets, so that, in the event of close collision, in which, unfortunately, this conflict terminated, we were at a fearful disadvantage, contending against a foe so much superior in numbers, and so expert in the use of their hand-arms. Th
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151  
152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Battle
 

Ashantee

 

militia

 

Hutchison

 

regulars

 
Essamacow
 
recital
 

involved

 
interest
 

details


contenting

 

reminiscences

 
registered
 

contending

 
January
 

fought

 
Almanack
 
significant
 

prefix

 

battle


personal

 

superior

 

transfer

 

shared

 

victories

 

expert

 

dangers

 

numbers

 

escaped

 

spirit


inspired

 
supply
 

strong

 

feelings

 

reader

 
imagination
 

informants

 
disadvantage
 

Sierra

 
Governor

consisted
 

troops

 
forces
 
McCarthy
 

person

 

Excellency

 
commanded
 

Charles

 
irregular
 

native