der of the
body apprehensions of weakness. This cowardly conduct of the Danes
compelled the centre to fall back, and abandon all the advantages their
valour had obtained, a movement which immediately exposed them to a
galling fire from the enemy, who now rushed onwards in immense numbers
to crush the retiring troops. At this important crisis of the battle,
Colonel Purden advanced with the reserve, who brought rockets with
them, a few of which thrown amongst the enemy spread the most appalling
confusion. The hissing sounds of these novel messengers of death; the
train of fire; the explosion; with the ghastly wounds inflicted by the
bursting of the rockets; led them to suppose that this terrible
instrument could be nothing less than thunder and lightning.

While these proceedings were going forward in the centre, another party
of Ashantees attacked the left wing of King Chebbo (of Dunkara), the
Winnebahs[25] having fled at the first fire, and never paused until
they reached Accra. King Chebbo, however, was in advance with a handful
of his people, driving back his opponents, and a few rounds of grape
fired over the heads of our troops soon relieved his party from their
assailants. On the right wing, the battle was never doubtful throughout
the day. The King of Akimboo swept all before him, penetrated to the
King of Ashantee's camp, took them in flank, and shewed his rapid and
victorious progress by a column of smoke that extended to the very
heart of the enemy's lines.

The example of the Ashantee Captain, who blew himself up to escape from
the hand of his adversaries, was followed by several other Ashantees in
command. The sight of these suicides on the field of death was
terrible: the explosion of the gunpowder, the shouts and groans of the
combatants, the discordant noises produced by the rude instruments of
the barbarian soldiery, the general _melee_ of the raging battle, and
the confusion that arose in consequence of the grass having caught the
flames from the firing and the exploding powder, presented a scene
which, with a little aid from the imagination, might have been easily
translated by a poet or a painter into a vivid picture of the infernal
regions.

The effects of the rockets and grape-shot, produced so extensive an
alarm amongst the enemy, that they fled in all directions, and were at
last completely routed. The Danish flag now advanced from the rear, and
it was soon seen that the Fetish of the recreants,