The History of the Rifle Brigade (the Prince Consort's Own) Formerly the 95th

by William Henry Cope

Sir Garnet Wolseley having thus determined to push on to Coomassie without impedimenta, enquired of the soldiers on this evening whether, as it might take six days to advance to Coomassie and to return to Aggemamu, and there were but four days’ rations in hand, they were willing to do the six days’ work on four days’ rations. The response was a unanimous assent. The General told them at the same time that they might probably get a fortnight sooner to the coast by this sacrifice than if they halted at Aggemamu for further supplies to come up. Eventually one day’s additional ration of preserved meat, biscuit, and tea, came up.

On the 3rd the Battalion started at half-past five, Major Nicholl’s company leading, and on reaching Adwabin, the advanced guard, with which were Cary’s and Lascelles’ companies which had passed the night there, were pushed forward. They soon felt the enemy, with whom they became engaged about half-past eight. The first point at which he made a decided stand was in a hollow through which flowed a stream, a tributary of the Ordah. The overloaded guns of the Ashantees carrying high, they chose positions, as in this case, below the attacking force. They were in cover behind a large fallen tree from which they kept up a heavy fire. Nicholl’s company was sent forward to reinforce the two companies already with the advance. On the road was a gun with an escort of part of Lascelles’ company and some natives. On the left of the road was the remainder of Lascelles’ company and Cary’s; further on the left was Nicholl’s company, part advanced beyond the stream and part on its left bank. Lieutenant the Honourable T. Scott’s company was afterwards moved up in support, and these four companies were hotly engaged at this point, when about noon a flag of truce came in, and the firing ceased on our side, though the Ashantees continued their fire and actually wounded a native while the envoy was being passed to Head-quarters. However, his mission was fruitless, and he was very soon passed beyond the front. The fire was then renewed, and eventually slackened after lasting for about five hours. The advance then pushed on followed by the other troops; but the progress was slow; for the Ashantees, finding we could beat them fighting in the bush, now tried ambuscades, and a good many men were thus wounded. The other troops followed the advanced guard, which about three o’clock in the afternoon reached the bank of the river Ordah, here about three feet deep and forty yards wide. Here they hutted themselves; Captain Dugdales company being on picquet.

In this affair eight Riflemen were wounded. The men carried their great-coats, which they found an incumbrance in skirmishing in the bush, and on the next day they were handed over to the carriers. Colonel M’Leod, who commanded the advance, praised the manner in which Cary’s company had fought on this day.

Some captive Ashantees had stated that 10,000 of the enemy were around, and every precaution was taken to protect the camp from a sudden assault. A chain of sentries was posted at twenty yards apart at about 100 yards from the camp. A tremendous thunderstorm came on about six in the evening and lasted till two in the morning. The Riflemen had indeed built huts; but as no banana, plantain, or palm leaves were at hand to thatch them, they afforded a very insufficient shelter against the storm. However a cask of rum was brought in about three, and a ration of that spirit helped to revive the soldiers, while fires were lit to dry their clothes.

Meanwhile the Engineers and blue jackets had been busy in making a narrow bridge over the river, which was ready for their advance in the morning.

Accordingly, about seven in the morning of the 4th, the force crossed the bridge; the advance was led by some native troops; a gun with some rockets followed, with three companies of the Battalion; Captain Cope’s commanded in his absence at Aggemamu by Lieutenant Stopford-Sackville, Captain Slade’s under Lieutenant the Honourable T. Scott, and Major Sotheby’s. This advance was under the command of Colonel M’Leod. The rest of the troops followed, the remaining companies of the Battalion leading. Soon after passing the bridge the native troops became actively engaged. But as the native soldiers were firing wildly and ineffectively, Colonel M’Leod halted them, and passed Sackville’s company through them to the front, and ordered him to extend to the right of the road. The gun was also brought up with Scott’s company in support on the road. As the first company was extending two or three men were wounded. One, Brown, was badly hit in the side, but refused for some time to go to the rear, and went on skirmishing. The road or path rose from the river, and after running for some distance along a ridge with ravines on each side, descended again, and finally rose to the village of Ordahsu. The gun having been brought up was fired up the road and into the bush on each side. It was advanced gradually by the native bearers as ground was gained, the Riflemen in support lying down on each side of it while it was in action, and then with it resuming the advance. Colonel M’Leod had asked for and obtained a reinforcement of three companies of the Battalion, and Captain Cary’s company was extended in the bush on the right of Sackville’s. Sotheby’s company was also sent by Colonel M’Leod into the bush on the left of the road.

Major Stephens with Scott’s company pushed steadily on by the road, one section of this company supporting the gun. At last they reached the clearing which surrounded the village of Ordahsu. ‘Then the Rifles gave a cheer, and with a sudden rush cleared the way to the open, and carried the village without a check.’[334] This was Scott’s company, or part of it; and Lieutenant Harington, with the remainder, swept round the edge of the clearing, and having thus outflanked the Ashantees in the village, also rushed into it. The village was held by fifty or sixty of the enemy, who fought bravely, and were most of them killed. Major Stephens, with Scott and his portion of the company, passed through the village and to the edge of the clearing beyond it where the Riflemen lying down kept up a constant fire on the enemy. Sackville also brought up his company, one section being still with the gun, and as Scott’s party had purposely left the road clear the gun made good practice to the front. It was afterwards taken forward beyond the village to where Major Stephens, with Scott and his party, were, and a heavy fire of shell and of rockets was kept up. The Ashantees here made a most determined resistance, coming up to the very edge of the clearing and discharging their pieces. Sackville shot one with one of the men’s rifles. Meanwhile Major Sotheby was steadily advancing through the bush on the left of the road, and soon came up on the left of Scott’s company. Here Private Taylor of Sotheby’s company observed a chief and two other Ashantees in a tree about fifteen yards from him. He shot one man, and the other fled into the bush. The chief tried to hide himself in the leaves, and brought up his piece to his shoulder; but Taylor was too quick for him, and rushing up, ran him through with his sword before he could fire. For this act of valour Taylor received the medal for gallant conduct in the field.

Cary’s company had at the same time been advancing on the extreme right, and was engaged in keeping back the Ashantees who were pressing on to the east of the village. This company was afterwards moved over to the left of the village, and the ground between it and Sotheby’s on the extreme left was occupied by Captain Somerset’s company; which, as well as Major Nicholl’s, Captain Lascelles’, and Captain Dugdale’s, had been pushed on to Ordahsu.