fully under his predecessor, he departed from his capital to
take the command of the army, which was then advancing on Cape Coast. On
this occasion, agreeably to the superstitious usage of the natives, the
head of the late king was carried into the files of the Ashantees, as a
charm to protect them in the battle, and an incentive to the performance
of valorous deeds. When the King had made some progress towards the
encampment, he sent a sarcastic message to the Commander-in-chief, who
was then at Affatoo, within ten miles of Cape Coast, which abundantly
shewed the confidence by which he was animated. His message was to the
effect, that he had learned, in Coomassie,[22] that all the white men
had been killed in the late action, and demanding to be informed, what
he, the Commander, and all his young men were about, that they had not
taken the Castle.--"Stop!"--was the _naive_ reply of the General to the
messenger--"Stop till Friday, when the white men are going to attack us:
then you can carry back to the King the news of what you see, and of
what the young men have to do." Friday came in due course, and the army
of the Ashantees went forward to redeem the pledge of their exulting
General. This was the battle of Affatoo, which took place on the 21st
of May, 1824. The result was disastrous to the cause of the King. The
natives were completely routed and driven from the scene of action,
without the loss of a single officer on our side, and with but one
wounded (Capt. Hutchison), who commanded the Annamaboe militia, and who
was shot through both arms, while he was leading his men to the charge.

The Anglo-Fantee army, immediately after the battle of Affatoo, fell
back on Cape Coast Castle, as had been previously arranged by Colonel
Sutherland, who had arrived from Sierra Leone just before the battle.
This movement of that portion of our troops, enabled Major Chisholm,
who possessed the entire confidence of all the soldiers, to take the
command in the field. The King of Ashantee, now joined the army, which
he headed in person, and concentrating all his forces, he advanced
towards Cape Coast Castle with the intention of blockading the town.
On the 10th of June, 1824, he pitched his gorgeous pavilion,[23]
sparkling with its rich colours and costly embroidery in the effulgent
sunlight, on a height to the northward of the town; in the valley
between which and the back of the town lay the ground where the
important issue was to be