although it had
forbidden them to fight on a Monday, had not made any provision against
the commission of acts of spoliation, for these people were the very
first to plunder the Ashantee camp, and then to run off with the booty,
as fast as they had fled from the field of battle.

The Ashantees lost in this engagement the whole of their camp baggage,
including a great quantity of gold. Towards the evening a number of
prisoners were made, for our allies, tired of slaughter, contented
themselves with making as many prisoners as they could for slaves. They
were supposed altogether to have lost 5000 men, amongst whom were most
of the principal chiefs, and the King himself was wounded. One of his
wives (to whom Mr. Bannerman introduced me at Accra) and a female child
were taken prisoners. Our loss was comparatively trifling, not
amounting to more than 800 killed, and 1600 wounded. Colonel Purden
received a contusion on the higher part of his right leg, from a spent
shot, and Mr. Richter received a shot through one of his thighs.
Amongst the deaths, there were three native chiefs, who commanded in
our lines.

Soon after the battle, some of the Annamaboe people brought several
heads of Ashantees whom they had slain to Captain Hutchison, as a proof
of their personal courage, and individual prowess. Some of these heads
were recognised by Captain Hutchison as belonging to natives who had
been known to him. Amongst the spoils one head was found by the Aquapim
chief, which excited curiosity, by the care with which it was enclosed
in wrappers, and Captain Hutchison desired that the covering should be
removed. On taking off the first wrapper, they found the second to be a
fine parchment, inscribed with Arabic characters; beneath this was a
final envelope of tiger's skin, the well known emblem of royalty among
the Ashantees. The evident pains which had been taken in the
preservation of this head, satisfied all the by-standers that it was
the head of Sir Charles McCarthy, to which it was generally understood
regal honours had been paid by the natives. The gratification which
this discovery gave to our countrymen may be easily conceived, and they
lost no time in sending the head to England, together with the first
account of the battle of Dodowah. The head, however, had scarcely been
forwarded to its destination, when some prisoners who had been taken in
the action, made the disagreeable disclosure that the head belonged,
not to Sir C