But before Captain Somerset’s company had moved up to the front, about twenty Riflemen had been detached from it, and attached to Major Nicholl’s company, which, as we have seen, was on the right, supporting the Naval Brigade and the native levies under Colonel Wood. By noon the Ashantees had been driven from the ridge which they occupied beyond the stream, their camp had been taken, and the village of Amoaful carried by the 42nd Regiment. The direction of the combat was now changed; and, as far as the front and left faces of the square formation were concerned, it had terminated, and the fire, which had been kept up without cessation from eight in the morning, was now lulled. But about one it began again, and the brunt of the fight now fell on the Riflemen; for the Ashantees, pursuing their usual tactics, swept round and fell on the right flank and rear, attacking the village of Egginassie on the north-east.
About one o’clock the fire was renewed. Captain Cope’s company was sent into the village, and lined one side; and Captain Cary, with a portion of his company, was sent through Egginassie, and extended to the east of it. This attack of the Ashantees was most determined; they came up in numbers, and were shot down by the Riflemen. The din was tremendous. Besides volleys and file-firing, and the heavy report of the Ashantee guns, tom-toms, horns, and the yells of the Ashantees and of the native troops, made the bush and all the surroundings hideous. In this fire a man of Cary’s company was shot in the face by a slug fired by an Ashantee in a tree; but two of his comrades soon brought his assailant down, and killed him. After about an hour of this work, during which the Ashantees kept up a fire as continuous and heavy as it had been during any part of the fight, their fire slackened. Then an advance was made by Major Sotheby’s and Captain H. Lascelles’ companies, and part of Captain Cary’s. The line advanced towards the north-east up the valley; and pivoting on the left, bringing up the right, moved forward to the edge of a clearing, which had been made by the right column. ‘This was admirably executed. Skirmishing as quietly and steadily as if on parade, the men of the Rifle Brigade searched every bush with their bullets, and in five minutes from the commencement of the advance the Ashantees were in full and final retreat.’[330]
The Ashantees having been thus driven from the high ground to the northward of Egginassie, Captains Lascelles’ and Cary’s companies were withdrawn; and passing by their left, regained the main path, and by it the village of Egginassie, which they at once began to entrench and fortify; the other portion of Cary’s company, which had been detached under Lieutenant Taylor, being called in to assist in this work.
But the day was not over for the Riflemen. Hardly had the firing lulled about Egginassie, when heavy firing was heard in the rear. A large force of Ashantees, sweeping round from the west, had attacked Quarman, about a mile to the south, on the line of communication, which was held by a detachment of the 2nd West India Regiment, and a few Europeans, under Captain Burnett, of the 15th Foot. Captain Dugdale’s company, which formed the rear-guard of the Battalion, was at once ordered to Quarman, and on the way was somewhat exposed to the fire of the detachment there, who did not know of his approach to relieve them, and whose bullets whistled over the heads of the Riflemen as they passed through some low ground on the way. The bush had been cleared round Quarman, and Dugdale at once extended his company, and drove the Ashantees who were attacking it back into the bush with considerable loss. He then entered the village, and being senior officer assumed the command. The position was very important, for it connected the front at Egginassie and Amoaful with Insarfu. Soon after Dugdale had entered Quarman, Captain Slade’s company, under Lieutenant the Honourable T. Scott,[331] joined him. The attack was soon renewed; the Ashantees now not venturing into the clearing, but firing from the surrounding bush. This attack had just been repulsed, when Major Sotheby with his company reached Quarman. He had started from Egginassie, escorting a long train of hammocks containing wounded, and also some wounded men who were able to walk, and had passed through Quarman on his way to Insarfu, when he heard firing in his rear. Colonel Colley, who was passing through Quarman at this time, directed Captain Dugdale to take his company out; who, marching about half a mile towards Egginassie, and turning into the bush, outflanked the Ashantees, and fired several volleys which effectually drove them off. Major Sotheby, finding that Quarman was again attacked, turned back when near Insarfu. His bearers flung down the wounded, and fled into the village. Colonel Colley was also attacked as he was bringing up a convoy from Insarfu. As soon as Dugdale knew of this attack, he detached Scott with his company to help him. The enemy occupied the side of the path and kept up a heavy fire, wounding two of Scott’s men. However, he kept up the fight till after six; when, as it was getting dark, Dugdale recalled him to Quarman, which these two companies occupied during the night. Thus Dugdale had saved and retained this important post, connecting the front with Insarfu, whence the supplies were to be drawn, and to which the wounded were to be escorted.[332]
Major Sotheby, finding that it was considered of importance that ammunition should be conveyed to the front from Insarfu, left that place about eight in the evening with his company, and having some carriers with him picked up some of the baggage abandoned by the cowardly bearers, and having parked it at Quarman, reached Egginassie at eleven at night. Here the Head-quarters and, on Sotheby’s arrival, six companies of the Battalion were camped. For Somerset’s company had been about six o’clock withdrawn from the marsh to higher ground in the rear, and had, with Nicholl’s company, rejoined the Battalion about eight, while Cary’s, Lascelles’, and Cope’s companies, after their fight, were employed in clearing the bush about Egginassie. This was very hard work. The men and officers had no food but the biscuit and sausage issued the day before, which they carried in their pockets. But happily there was no hot sun, so that the Riflemen were able to clear a considerable space, and to throw up a breast-work. Three officers, Major Stephens, Lieutenants Smyth and Sherston, and 6 Riflemen, were wounded on this day.
The main position of the Ashantees on this day was at the camp on the ridge north of the stream, which was carried by the 42nd; and they had other advanced positions and smaller camps on the right and left of the path by which the troops advanced. Their design seems to have been, while holding their main position, to turn the flanks and attack the rear. Directly the advance was made on the main position, the Ashantees attacked in strength against the left; failing in this they fell on the right, and made a furious effort to get to Egginassie and so to establish themselves in rear. Foiled at all these points, they attempted to capture Quarman, and cut the line of supplies. This attack was repelled by Captain Dugdale and his company.
Though the central column forced the Ashantee camp and took the village of Amoaful, and so had the most conspicuous share in the events of the day, yet before the fight was over almost all the troops were engaged more or less; the Riflemen heavily and successfully before the close of it.
Six companies, as I have said, camped at Egginassie, Captain Lascelles’ company being on outlying picquet; and two occupied Quarman.