contested.

For a whole month the belligerent parties lay in sight of each other,
mutually watching their opportunities to attempt a decisive movement.
Several skirmishes took place from day to day, but without making much
impression on either side; and during this interval of suspense, in
which our troops were exposed to the rays of a vertical sun, and in
continual expectation of a hidden and treacherous attack from a
barbarous horde, greatly superior in numbers, and with whom "revenge
is virtue," ascending volumes of smoke wreathing up into the air, and
blackening the bright expanse of heaven, marked the terrific
conflagrations that were constantly taking place in the surrounding
country.

At length the eventful day arrived on the 11th of July, 1824. In order
to understand the peculiar perils which our army had to encounter, it
is necessary to observe that Cape Coast Castle stands near the sea,
and that the town is built on the west side of it, at a short distance
from the beach. Upon three conical hills that arise close to the back
of the town, and run nearly parallel with the coast, our troops were
stationed. The right hill was occupied by Major Chisholm's division,
the left by Major Purden's, and the centre by Captain Hutchison's;
while the subordinate officers commanded the passes between the valley
and the town, which were four in number, two beyond the hills, and two
between them. These passes were choked up with a dense jungle. The
whole army was commanded by Colonel Sutherland, assisted by Sir John
Phillirnore, and most of the officers, seamen, and marines, of H.M.S.
Thetis.

At noon the enemy pushed forward in immense numbers, and with
ferocious valour towards the passes, with the design of forcing them.
Their attention was particularly directed to the right wing, as the
town was considered to be most accessible on that side. Their savage
cries, their heedless desperation, and tumultuous onset, were well
calculated to unnerve the bravery of troops accustomed to discipline
and a more honourable species of warfare, but our soldiers met the
Ashantees with an unmoved front: the resistance was as courageous as
the attack was fierce; and the first approach of the enemy was
repulsed with steadiness. It was at this crisis that Lieutenant Swanzy
fell, covered with wounds at the head of his detachment. To this fine
young man, whose gallantry was conspicuous in the action, might be
applied with truth the celebrated