The battle virtually decided the fate of Kumasi and King Koffee. On the news of the defeat of his army the king fled, no one knew whither, and the victorious General Wolseley, with his troops, entered the blood-stained capital in the evening. Attempts were made to negotiate with the king. He preferred to keep in hiding, and after two days' stay in his capital in order, if possible, to compel him to come to terms, it was at length resolved to destroy the place and at once retire to Cape Coast Castle. Kumasi was burned to the ground on the 6th February, and the British troops having accomplished their purpose retraced their steps, and notwithstanding the swollen state of the rivers—for the rainy season had just set in—their destination was reached in twelve days. No time was lost in getting the troops out of the influence of the deadly climate, and accordingly by the 4th March the whole expeditionary force was embarked for home.
Wauchope's wounds, thanks to a good constitution, readily healed, and by the time of his arrival at Portsmouth he was fairly convalescent, though every effort made to extract the slug had been unsuccessful. He left his favourite Haussas—his 'black boys'—with every manifestation of regret, at Cape Coast Castle. Nor was the regret only on his side, for we learn from one of his brother officers that 'they looked up to him as a father, and would willingly have followed him through any danger, even to death itself.'
Home again
For his conspicuous bravery in the various engagements in Ashanti, Sir Garnet Wolseley's despatches brought Wauchope under the favourable notice of the Government, and he was awarded the Ashanti medal and clasp. On the return of the troops, they were received with the utmost enthusiasm, commanders and men being fêted and thanked, both at Cape Coast Castle and in England, for their brilliant services. The expedition entered Portsmouth in March 1874, with loud demonstrations of welcome, the Black Watch especially coming in for a large share of popular attention.
Sir Garnet Wolseley had in London and elsewhere a repetition of the extraordinary reception he and his followers had experienced at Cape Coast Castle on their triumphal return from Kumasi.
A civic banquet was given in April by the Lord Mayor of London in the Egyptian Hall, at which nearly three hundred guests sat down, including nearly all the officers of the expedition. Among those present were the Prince of Wales, Prince Arthur, the Duke of Cambridge, and the Duke of Teck, besides a number of members of the Cabinet. But although the bulk of the honours naturally fell to Sir Garnet Wolseley and the senior officers of the expedition, and Wauchope's name scarcely appears in these public demonstrations, his friends in Scotland had their eye upon the young lieutenant who had in a few short months carved out for himself a distinguished reputation, and had added to the laurels of the house of Niddrie. The people of Portobello specially determined to show their appreciation of his gallant services by a public banquet, and though at first the natural modesty of the young soldier shrank from such a recognition of his services, after some persuasion he consented. The banquet took place on the 12th June in the Town Hall. There was a large gathering of the principal inhabitants. Provost Wood presided, and was supported by, among others, Sir James Gardiner Baird, Lord Ventry, and a number of county gentry.
In proposing the toast of the evening, Provost Wood took occasion to say:—'We are met to do honour to a soldier who volunteered to serve on the staff of General Wolseley in the recent war. At that time it was thought that British troops would not be required, but that the friendly natives, commanded and disciplined by British officers, would be able to cope with the savage Ashantis. Lieutenant Wauchope, on his arrival at the Gold Coast, was appointed one of the officers of the Haussas—a body of natives who proved themselves superior in courage and endurance to any of our African allies. Commanded and led by British officers—the chief being the gallant Lord Gifford—these troops did much valuable service. They formed the van of our advancing army, and were frequently engaged in the most severe and wild fighting. Our guest, in his ardour to see active service, had voluntarily separated himself from his own regiment. Yet he was destined to share with them the dangers and glory of the war. The War Office, finding that the Ashantis were more formidable than was at first expected, and that our native allies were less to be relied upon, resolved to send out British troops. This meeting must feel proud, as an assemblage of Scotsmen, that the 42nd Royal Highlanders was one of the chosen regiments, and our guest must have felt gratified when he found he had an opportunity of fighting beside his own regiment at Amoaful; and at that place, while leading on his Haussas, our gallant guest was wounded. He did not, however, fall to the rear, but continued to push forward, and, along with the glorious 42nd, he entered the now famous city of Kumasi. I need scarcely recall the events of the campaign—how a very small British army, with little assistance from native allies, in the course of a few weeks beat and shattered the enormous Ashanti forces, and compelled the hitherto unconquered Ashantis to sue for peace, and give freedom and security to the country round. It has always been the pride and the pleasure of the people of this country to do honour to those who have fought and bled for their country's cause, especially so when that cause is associated, as it was in this instance, with the spread of civilisation and the prevention and prohibition of slavery and cruelty. The newspaper reports showed us that the Lothians had gallant representatives at the Ashanti war, and the people of Portobello felt proud to see the old and honoured name of Wauchope prominently noticed. We also felt a desire to give expression to the sympathy and respect we entertain for the house of Niddrie by a public demonstration in honour of a young scion of that house, who has proved that he has within him a dauntless spirit worthy of his ancient lineage. We desire this evening to congratulate our guest, that a kind Providence has guarded his life, and protected him through the imminent risks of a pestilential climate and the dangers of a wild war; and we hope yet to see Lieutenant Wauchope rise to that high position in the service which his talents and abilities so eminently qualify him to fill.'
Banquet at Portobello
Lieutenant Wauchope's reply was characteristic of the man. He was not quite so much at his ease, or felt he was in his proper place, as if he had been at the head of his Haussas. 'He thanked the Provost for the too flattering words in which he had referred to his services. He had not deserved such great honour at their hands. His services as rendered to the State were poor and insignificant—very much so indeed. But he felt himself standing on firmer ground when he remembered that he was an officer in the 42nd Royal Highlanders. He recognised in the entertainment a desire to mark their appreciation of the conduct of the regiment to which he had the honour to belong. He had no hesitation in saying that the 42nd deserved well of its country, and he thought that it had added honour to its history.