With Wolseley to Kumasi: A Tale of the First Ashanti War

by F. S. Brereton

While he is lying there, with plenty of friends about him to see to his welfare, we will step aside for a little while, and review matters at the coast. War, for war’s sake, is seldom waged, except amongst savage tribes. And even with them there is usually some grievance, some cause which leads to the outbreak of hostilities. It may be that more country is desired, that the men of a certain tribe desire to take wives from another, or that some injury done to a nation or a race years and years before has left a feeling of bitterness and a desire for vengeance; a grudge is owed, and is paid back at the first moment when those who have sustained the injury are strong enough to fight. But Britain does not conduct her wars in that manner. The numerous little expeditions and minor campaigns upon which she is so often engaged are almost invariably the direct result of molestation from some race living on her borders.

For years, perhaps, she has patiently suffered the injury, hoping by diplomacy to put an end to the whole trouble. Then, when her patience is exhausted, and diplomacy has failed; or when the aggressors have become still more audacious, she finds that war is necessary, that nothing but armed interference will bring peace to that particular border. Too often her patience and forbearance have been mistaken by an untutored race for weakness, and thus it happens that the foes she has to meet are more numerous than they might have been. However, the history of these small wars is, as a rule, so very similar that one campaign differs only in detail from another. Troops are sent to the part, there is an invasion, and, most likely, severe fighting. Villages are taken and burned, forts are stormed, and men killed and captured. There may be a reverse, for one cannot hope for continued good fortune. But persistence, good training and discipline tell in the end. The tribe is conquered, a fine is levied, and in numerous cases the British Commissioner left to aid in the administration of the country settles down peaceably, and a new order commences to reign. So much so that in time the very race which had been opposed to us begins to see some virtue in our friendship, and when another campaign takes place against some neighbouring chief, old enemies are united in the effort to subdue the common foe.

Britain had had trouble with the men of Ashanti before this time, when Dick Stapleton had been practically the first to have a brush with them. We had crossed swords with the Ashantis more than once, and with varying success; but, unlike other races, these men inhabiting the forest beyond the coast-line had maintained their independence and their bitterness. For they had always a cause for war, and as the reader will see presently, that cause had been increased since we acquired the town and port of Elmina from the Dutch. The Ashantis were at this time a powerful nation, for the most part trained to war, and it will have been gathered that, owing to the fact that there is ample gold in their country, they were a wealthy nation as compared with many others in a similar condition of civilisation. Moreover, the commercial spirit was strong within them. They traded with the interior, and for many years caravans had passed to Kumasi across the country lying still farther from the sea, carrying products of Africa, ivory in large quantities, food-stuffs and cottons, and what was appreciated far more perhaps, slaves in plenty. And in return the men who brought these caravans to Kumasi received gold dust, and the highly prized kola nut. Thus, it will be seen that the Ashantis were unlike many savage races. They were in friendly communication with far-off peoples, and, owing to the peculiar resources of their country, to the gold found there, and mainly to the kola nut, which grows in profusion, and which was then extensively cultivated, they were rich and prosperous. It was only natural that, with money to spend and a coast so near, they should desire to have a port where they could trade with other nations, and through which, in exchange for their surplus gold, they could obtain European goods, and, above all, guns and ammunition. For much wealth brings the desire for more. It engenders a feeling of pride and superiority in the savage breast, and it is hardly to be wondered at that the Ashantis, looking about them and comparing their own degree of comfort and civilisation with that of their less fortunate neighbours, desired to increase their wealth. With guns and powder they could fight, and could conquer neighbouring nations. And with guns they could make sure of a port on the coast.

It will be realised that with her object gained, Ashanti would hardly look favourably upon any nation which attempted to put a stop to her coast trade, and there is no doubt that it was Britain’s determination to arrest the import of guns and ammunition which led to the war which had now commenced. For the reader will recollect that Elmina had just passed into our hands, having been purchased from the Dutch, who had for very many years maintained a trade with the Ashantis. Now, however, Britain, being in possession of this port—if Elmina can be given such a title—determined to put an end to the trade in guns, and indeed to all trade, till matters were satisfactorily settled with the King of Ashanti. For if he had a grievance, so also had we. For years we had been on bad terms, and how, when Ashanti armies were threatening the coast, and a demand was being made for free trade with Elmina, a request on our part met with refusal. King Koffee held certain Europeans as captives, and before we would discuss the question of trade with him, we desired the return of those captives, a request which was refused, a large ransom being demanded. Then followed negotiations, till King Koffee, a despot ruling over an extensive country, and with much hoarded wealth, lost all patience. He was a powerful king, he said to himself, and could put fifty thousand armed and trained men in the field. Why should he take “nay” from a race of white men living on the coast? Why should Ashanti be hemmed within her forests? She was powerful and could eat these white men up.

Promptly the armies were organised, and while Britain still dallied, the King of Ashanti invaded our protectorate. But still Britain held her hand, for this was a native war, and because the Ashantis had attacked the Fantis and other tribes, there was no reason why we should send troops to this notoriously unhealthy coast, and fight their battles. Thus it happened that matters at Cape Coast dragged on, while all trade with the interior ceased.

If the invasion of the protectorate had ended with an attack upon the Fantis and other races, Britain might well have continued her policy of aloofness, for she had nothing to gain by invading Ashanti. She had tried to do so on former occasions, and had failed disastrously. And so she was minded now to leave matters till King Koffee and his armies had settled their quarrel with their neighbours, when perhaps there would be a satisfactory ending to the negotiations, and peace would result. Then trade would be reopened, guns and ammunition excepted, and the white men on the coast would have ample opportunities of reaping a harvest, for, as has been said, Ashanti was a wealthy country. However, matters did not stop at invasion of our protectorate. While Dick was at the mine, looking after the affairs of his employers, the forces of King Koffee attacked Elmina. They induced the natives of that town and other places bought by us from the Dutch, to join them, and Britain suddenly awakened to the fact that the enemy was at her very door, and that they meant to wage war with the white man. If there had been any doubt as to the intentions of the Ashantis, the attacks made by their friends and allies on the boats of the Rattlesnake were sufficiently convincing proofs. It was war, and Britain found herself, as is too often the case, utterly unprepared for it. But she girded on her sword, and preparations were pushed forward so as to enable us to drive the Ashantis back, and march on their capital.

That was the condition of affairs existing when Dick reached the coast, and it was only because of the isolated position of the mine that he had failed to hear earlier of the Ashanti invasion. There were few troops at Cape Coast Castle, and few officers. There were practically no stores, and certainly insufficient to support an expedition. All was being prepared in Britain, while ships were loading every sort of item likely to be serviceable in the coming campaign.

Sir Garnet Wolseley, a brilliant officer, and one of our youngest generals, had been chosen to command, while a staff of officers had been appointed who would help him in the campaign and make success as sure as possible.

And now a few words more before we leave the subject of Ashanti history. Cape Coast Castle was settled by the Portuguese, and was ceded to the Dutch in 1641. In 1655 we captured it, and it was secured to Britain by treaty. Thus, at the time of this outbreak, we had been in possession for more than two hundred years. And what had we done during that time? The reader who is accustomed to the tale of British progress in our Colonies and India, in fact, in any part where men of our race gather, might well expect to find improvement here also. But such was not the case. Cape Coast Castle at this moment was much the same as it had been when we took it from the Dutch. No efforts had been made to clear the forest, and to provide an open space. The town was as unhealthy a place as could well be found. Trade flourished to a certain extent, but might have been vastly improved. And lastly, we might have encouraged the advances of the powerful Ashantis, and thereby gained a vast trade. We might have opened up roads to the interior, and dredged the rivers, thus enabling our own manufactures to find a market, and in place of sending numerous presents to the reigning monarch of Ashanti, with a view to conciliating him, we might very well have made a treaty with him, whereby commerce might have been improved on both sides. Both those who ruled British affairs on the Gold Coast practised a short-sighted policy, with the result that we had come into conflict on at least four occasions with the Ashantis, and on nearly all these occasions the question between the two nations was one of commerce. The powerful Ashantis were impatient of the white man’s interference. We blocked the way to the sea, and the people of Kumasi desired a free opening, by means of which they might exchange home products for guns and other items much in request by them.

And now the position was precisely the same, only the purchase of Elmina had brought matters to a head. King Koffee had demanded the fort there, claiming that it was his, and had been met with curt refusal. Then, it is said, our Governor on the Gold Coast attempted to interfere with the barbarous customs of the Elminas, a mixed race inhabiting the neighbourhood of the town. This people had never encountered difficulty on the same score from the Dutch, and they naturally resented the action. More than likely also they were bribed by the Ashantis. But, as has been seen, they promptly retaliated by throwing in their lot with King Koffee, and by inviting him to invade the protectorate. And that invasion had carried the Ashantis up to the very edge of Cape Coast Castle, and had resulted in a bombardment of Elmina. Then matters had settled for a time, and little was heard of the armies of the potentate of Kumasi, till our hero rushed down upon them on the Prahsu. But for that chance meeting and the outrageous ambush laid for the sailors, those in authority at Cape Coast Castle would have still gone on with the comfortable thought that King Koffee meant no great harm to the white men. True, he had joined with the Elminas, and there had been an incursion of his armies to that place, necessitating an attack by the guns of the fleet. But he had since disappeared, and though complaints came from the Fantis and others that they were still suffering, there was no evidence of that fact at the coast. It seemed, indeed, as if the trouble were subsiding, and as if King Koffee realised the hopelessness of the struggle. It was thought that he would treat with the Government again, and would hand over the captives; then a treaty could be made with him, and trade be revived. Meanwhile it was risky to ascend the Pra, or enter the country of Ashanti. Think, then, of the astonishment of the officials on the coast when Dick returned with his news, when, added to the treacherous attack made upon the Navy, resulting in such severe losses, came definite news of a large Ashanti army on the Prahsu. And very soon the advance of this same army was reported by friendly natives, so that there could no longer be any doubt that serious trouble was impending. The eyes of those in authority opened very wide indeed. Already it had been decided that troops were wanted; but now that need was undoubtedly urgent.