unsettled state. Gov, McCarthy was not equal to the situation. He fell
an easy prey to the fawning and lying Fantis. They received him as the
champion of their declining fortunes, and did every thing in their
power to give him an unfriendly opinion of the Ashantees. The king of
the Ashantees began to lose faith in the British. His faithful
messenger returned from the coast bearing no friendly tidings. The
king withdrew his troops from the seacoast, and began to put his army
upon a good war-footing. When all was in readiness a Negro sergeant in
the British service was seized, and put to a torturous death. This was
a signal for the grand opening. Of course the British were bound to
demand redress. Sir Charles McCarthy was informed by some Fantis
scouts that the king of Ashantee, at the head of his army, was
marching for Cape Coast. Sir Charles rallied his forces, and went
forth to give him battle. His object was to fight the king at a
distance from the cape, and thus prevent him from devastating the
entire country as in former wars. Sir Charles McCarthy was a brave
man, and worthy of old England; but in this instance his courage was
foolhardy. He crossed the Prah River to meet a wily and desperate foe.
His troops were the worthless natives, hastily gathered, and were
intoxicated with the hope of deliverance from Ashantee rule. He should
have waited for the trained troops of Major Chisholm. This was his
fatal mistake. His pickets felt the enemy early in the morning of the
21st of January, 1824. A lively skirmish followed. In a short time the
clamorous war-horns of the advancing Ashantees were heard, and a
general engagement came on. The first fighting began along a shallow
stream. The Ashantees came up with the courage and measured tread of
a well-disciplined army. They made a well-directed charge to gain the
opposite bank of the stream, but were repulsed by an admirable bayonet
charge from Sir Charles's troops. The Ashantees then crossed the
stream above and below the British army, and fell with such
desperation upon its exposed and naked flanks, that it was bent into
the shape of a letter A, and hurled back toward Cape Coast in dismay.
Wounded and exhausted, toward evening Sir Charles fled from his
exposed position to the troops of his allies under the command of the
king of Denkera. He concentrated his artillery upon the heaviest
columns of the enemy; but still they came undaunted, bearing down upon
the centre like an a