IN BESIEGED KUMASSI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2433, 31 October 1900, Page 10

IN BESIEGED KUMASSI.

THE EXCITING STORY OF A STARVING GARRISON. .

By an Imperial Officer. (Daily Mail, July 25.) [The writer of the following cablegram, which is the first full story of the actual siege of Eoimas&i — the story of its relief was issued by the Colonial Office yesterday — is an Imperial officer who accompanied the reinforcement of Lagos Constabulary which fought its way into Kumassi on the evening of April 29. Kumasai was closely invested from -April itQ until June 23, when Sir Frederick Hodgson, with most of the troops, made a miraculous escape to the coast. All the officers mentioned aie attached to the Lagos or Gold Coast Constabulary.] Cape Coast Castle, July 22. On April 18 the Hausa Constabulary from Lagos landed here under orders for 250 men to proceed at once and with all .despatch to Kumassi, where Sir Frederick Hodgson, Governor of the Gold Coast, then was. No information had been received from the Governor for some days. All the troops he had with him in Kumassi were the garrison of 120 men and ISO men which arrived under Captain Middlemist just before the rising took place. Preparations were hurried on. The Hausas from Lagos made a night march following the day of their arrival here. Owing to an insufficient number of carriers, many stores had to be left behind. """The first night the column halted at Akroful, and the next daywas spent in subsidising carriers. A short march was made, and in the evening the column reached Dunkwa. Prahsu was reached on the 23rd. Here we waited for the stores which had been left behind. As they never came, we pushed on, and on the 26th reached Monse Hill. The natives were apparently friendly so far. On the 27 th two deserted villages were passed beyond Esumeja,- where we found some wounded traders. AN ATTACK IN FRONT. At 1 o'clock on that day the troops were attacked by Ashantis in front. The engagement lasted nearly an hour. There were no stockades. Here Mr Cochrane was wounded in the shoulder while trying to mend the Maxim. Most of our casualties were caused by Ashantis who fired from trees, up which they had climbed. The forest was so dens^ that we could not see two yards ahead of us.

As twenty-five of our men had been wounded, it was decided to remain in Essiagu that night, only seven miles from Kumcssi. We were left unmolested. It was impossible to estimate the losses of the Ashantis owing to the 'dense jungle. On the 29th we left Essiagu, after burning it down, and proceeded on, expecting every moment to be attacked. The march was a slow one, owing to the seven-pounder having to be dragged by hand. At noon we were heavily attacked both front and rear, and on the flanks. The enemy were driven off in the rear after one and a-half hour's fighting, but the position in front was very strong owing to a stockade. Both the 4.50 Maxims jammed, and ammunition for the 7-pounder ran short. After .several ineffectual attacks on the stockade, the jposition was turned at 5 p.m. The Ashantis had all the while been firing incessantly. Captain Aplin was wounded slightly, Mr Read was Avounded severely, having a broken arm and three wounds from, -dugs. Mx Ralph was. wounded. An $he neck

from- slugs. The Ashantis were cleared out of the stockades at 5 p.m. "We proceeded to Eamas&i, which, v> as only tv> o miles further on, where we learnt that a heavy engagement had also taken place, but that the rebels were beaten off. A SAVAGE HOST OF 20,000. In the second attack on Kumassi the Ashantis weie estimated to number 20,000.. All the Europeans were now in the fort, and crowds of women, traders, and refugees were living in shelters around it. On the 30th the cantoinnsiits' were reoccupicd, and ihe men in the fort were 'placed in sheltered trenches around the prison. ■* The Blockade was also occupied. The dead Ashantis, numbering 130, killed the day before} were buried; most of the corpses, however, had been carried away. On May_2 Captain Armitage with native levies attacked the, stockade by the Wesleyan Misfuon. He-was unable to take.it, but inflicted heavy loss on the enemy, we having many wounded. The Asha.iiis subsequently evacuated the <.tocka,de, but ,on May 4- they returned and burned the missions. On April 25, when the Ashantifi had driven in our garrison from the cantonments, they made manholes running through the walls facing the fort, which they loopholed, and from this -vantage fired safely on iis. The walls were thick- and quite impenetrable. Kumassi was invested frpm April 30. The A&hantis used fo spend half-rhe night in mur muring and shouting. They did this especially on the night when Captain Middlemist died, a fact which was made known to them by spies. VAIN ATTEMPT TO BRING IN FOOD. , On May 10 an unsuccessful attempt was made to bring in food, there being none practically in Kumassi, one sheep being killed every third day and divided among the Europeans. On May 14 palavering took place , with the rebels in order to see what terms could be made. Negotiation,-, were broken off owing to the arrival of liajor Morris from the northern territories with 250 men. He had had four days' fighting, but while negotiations were proceeding he was not attackod. Cairiers going outside Kumafoi en foraging expeditions were continually killed or wounded. On May 21, after a bombardment by the 7-pounder, a sortie was made by the garrison on the Krobo road, and also on the Accra road. Neither was successful. As our ammunition was running short, it ? had to be nursed. Mr Leggett was te\erelj - wounded in the arm and eight men wounded. On May 23 rations were reduced : the Europeans were cut down to iwo biscuits and a. pound of meat, and others to one and a-half biscuit, and a quarter of a pound of meat. The carriers grubbed up small roots and picked leaves until the trees became quite bare. On May 24 Mr Cochrane and Mr Ralph went out before"" daybreak with about 100 men in border to stay and .bring in food, oi to find tliereamp ojLihe relieving column. Not finding^ii^they returned. , The^ue^n's^ijiUjd^ parade was attended by 300' men', tlfe"r v e ; sl" j cb T uld'not l be spared from the trenche§fg\Qp. the->2sth- Mr Coehrane and Mr Ralph^ "Tvftn* WtKmeii, were sent out scouting. A stockade was discovered and taken. „Mi%-Ralph**was~severely wounded in the arm, and ten men "wounded. On the 27th Captain Armitage went with natives towards the Mampon stockade, and crawled up unobserved, followed by Hausas. THE LAST COW. Our last cow was killed on this day. Rumour.-* reached us of troops on the road, which we had arranged to sweep clear of the enemy. The rumours were contradictory. On May 29 Captain Marshall, with 220 men, attacked Mtidu, where he, found the enemy too strong. Poor Marshall was shot through' the heart. The rains were getting heavy. The Ashantis continued to keep up their nightly concerts. " Mr Berthon was now busily engaged in making bombs to throw into the Ashanti camps. The first was thrown on June 5, and another was thrown on June 9. This was reported to have landed in the middle of the chiefs when palavering as to what forces should be sent against Bekwar. On June 11 a reconnaissance was made in force down the Cape road to determine the position of the stockade. It was found nearly a mile from Assaiii, facing south" towards Prahsu. Amouj carriers and civilians the death rate was 20 a day. On June 16 a rocket was sent up and a star shell. The latter was affected by the climate, and showed no light. We cannot hold out much longer. On June 18 more 'signals were made ; six common shell being fired at five-minute intervals. Preparations were now being made for death or freedom. The day on which we were to start was kept a secret, only the Governor and Major Morris knowing. Carriers were rationed. The death rate now increased to 40 a day, men dying when receiving rations. The trenches were used as graves. In the fort were Sir Francis and Lady Hod^s.QJOU_,MaiifMLMa£-_

ris, Captain Armitage, missionaries, and others from the villagers outside, the Europeans occupying the European quarter. Oil June 23 wo made our first btarfc on the way down, to the coast.

The escape was a miraculous one. We .were assisted by Yaw Amia, the Ashantis thinking we were going by the Prahsu road. We frought at Terrabam and Ekwanta, and tasted freedom after the Ofin River.