t afternoon the
first blood north of the Prah was shed. It being known that a body of
the enemy were collecting at a village a little off the road the force
moved against them. Lord Gifford led the way, as usual, with his scouts.
The enemy opened fire as soon as the scouts appeared; but these, with
the Houssa company of Russell's regiment, rushed impetuously into the
village, and the Ashantis at once bolted. Two of them were killed and
five taken prisoners.

The next halting places of the advance troops were Kiang Bossu and
Ditchiassie. It was known now that Ammon Quatia was lying with the
Ashanti army at Amoaful, but five miles away, and ambassadors arrived
from the king finally declining to accept the terms of peace. Russell's
and Wood's regiments marched forward to Quarman, within half a mile of
the enemy's outposts. The white troops came on to Insafoo, three miles
behind. Quarman was stockaded to resist an attack. Gordon with the
Houssa company lay a quarter of a mile in advance of the village,
Gifford with his scouts close to the edge of the wood. Major Home with
the engineers cut a wide path for the advance of the troops to within a
hundred yards of the village which the enemy held.

Every one knew that the great battle of the war would be fought next
morning. About half past seven on the morning of the 81st of January the
42d Regiment entered the village of Quarman, and marched through without
a halt. Then came Rait's artillery, followed by the company of the 23d
and by the Naval Brigade. The plan of operations was as follows. The
42d Regiment would form the main attacking force. They were to drive the
enemy's scouts out of Agamassie, the village in front, and were then
to move straight on, extending to the right and left, and, if possible,
advance in a skirmishing line through the bush. Rait's two little
guns were to be in their center moving upon the road itself. The right
column, consisting of half the Naval Brigade, with Wood's regiment, now
reduced by leaving garrisons at various posts along the road to three
companies, was to cut a path out to the right and then to turn parallel
with the main road, so that the head of the column should touch the
right of the skirmishing line of the 42d. The left column, consisting of
the other half of the Naval Brigade with the four companies of Russell's
regiment, was to proceed in similar fashion on the left. These columns
would therefore form two sides of a hollow squar