1873–1875.
The Ashantee Campaign—Malta.
We left the Black Watch at Devonport in the beginning of 1873, with no likelihood then of its being called upon to engage in actual service. On the Gold Coast of Africa, however, mischief had been brewing for many years, and during the course of 1873 the conduct of Coffee Calcallee, king of the barbarous country of Ashantee, had been such that unless a decisive blow were immediately struck, Britain would be compelled to resign possession of her territory in that part of the African coast; and, as our readers no doubt know, that territory had been considerably increased by the cession to Britain, in 1872, of the Dutch possessions on the Gold Coast. Thus in 1873 the coast for many miles, both east and west of Cape Coast Castle, the seat of government, was under the British protection. The principal native population of the territory are the Fantees, who from years of oppression had been reduced to a state of abject cowardice, as was but too well shown in the brief campaign against their inland enemy, the King of Ashantee. The Ashantee territory extends northwards from the Gold Coast to a distance of about 300 miles, its middle being traversed by the River Prah, which flows in the upper part of its course from east to west, but turns at Prah-su towards the south, and reaches the sea at Chamah, to the west of Cape Coast Castle. The capital of the Ashantee territory is Coomassie, about 100 miles directly north from Cape Coast Castle, and about half that distance north of the bend of the Prah, at the town of Prah-su. The population of Coomassie had been very much exaggerated. At the commencement of the campaign it was probably between 20,000 and 30,000. Here the despotic King of Ashantee lived in great state, and in the indulgence of the superstitious and terribly cruel practices known as the Ashantee “Customs.” It is hoped that the lesson which has been read him by a handful of British soldiers will ultimately lead to the abolition of these “Customs,” and to a general amelioration of the miserable lot of the peoples in that part of Africa.
MAP ILLUSTRATING THE ASHANTEE CAMPAIGN.
We need not enter upon the very complicated event which led to the British Government sending out an expedition, under the determined, clear-headed, and accomplished Sir Garnet Wolseley, C.B., to let this barbarous despot know the strength of the British arm. The measures hitherto taken to keep the Ashantees in their place had been so inadequate, that their kings had become intolerably bold and confident, and had indeed acquired an utter contempt of the British power as exhibited on the Gold Coast. King Coffee Calcallee resolved, about the end of 1872, to strike such a blow as would utterly stamp out the British rule on that coast. And in January 1873 an army of 60,000 warriors—and the Ashantees though cruel are brave and warlike—was in full march upon Cape Coast Castle. The whole force at the disposal of Colonel Harley, in whom the administration was vested, was about 1000 men, mainly West India troops and Houssa police, with some marines. It was estimated that a contingent of about 60,000 would be raised from the friendly tribes, but this number figured only on paper. By April the Ashantees were within a few miles of Cape Coast Castle. Things were getting desperate, when a small force of marines, under Lt.-Col. Festing, arrived from England in the beginning of June. With this and other small reinforcements, the English managed to keep the barbarians at bay until the arrival, on October 2nd, on the Gold Coast of Major-General Sir Garnet J. Wolseley, who had been selected to command a force which was being organised in England to sweep back the threatening horde. He was accompanied only by his staff, and immediately on landing set about clearing the Ashantees out of several towns in the neighbourhood of Cape Coast Castle. Sir Garnet’s clear-headedness and admirable power of organisation soon inspired the few troops at his command with perfect confidence; and by the time the force of which the 42nd formed part arrived at the Gold Coast, everything was prepared for an advance towards the capital of the Ashantee kingdom. We cannot linger over the preliminary work in which Lord Gifford, Colonel Festing, the unfortunate Lieut. Eardley-Wilmot, and other officers whose names are now familiar to the British public, played a prominent part. By the end of November the Ashantee force was in full retreat on Coomassie, and by the end of December General Wolseley with his staff and some 500 sailors and marines was at Prah-su.
Major-General Sir Garnet
J. Wolseley, K.C.M.G., C.B.
From a photograph taken Oct. 22, 1874.