User:Setergh/sandbox
The Third Anglo–Ashanti War took place in 1873–1874[1]
Background
[edit]British presence
[edit]The British had claimed a vague protectorate over the Fante, Assin, Akyem, Akwapim, Denkyira and Wassa people that lived 40-50 miles from the coast of the Gulf of Guinea to the Pra River. To the north of the river was the Ashanti Empire.[1]
British–Ashanti relations
[edit]In 1817, Thomas Bowdich established political and commerical relations with the Ashanti. Despite this, the two sides clashed in 1823–1831 (First Anglo-Ashanti War), 1853 and 1863–1864 (Second Anglo-Ashanti War). These were often due to competing or misunderstood claims of sovereignity over the protectorate nations.[1]
By the 1860s, a large part of Birmingham's 100,000 to 150,000 guns exported to Africa each year went to the Gold Coast.[2]
Prelude
[edit]Ashanti preparations
[edit]The Ashanti Empire had no formal standing army as men were maintained as part of a quota system and called up when needed. The Asantehene demanded contingents from subject tribes. They could expect to raise between 60,000 and 80,000 armed men, with the main army consisting of close to 40,000 being led by Amankwatia. The quality of their firearms and powder was poor, but their tactics mitigated this by using thick undergrowth to get as close as possible to an enemy before firing.[2]
British preparations
[edit]Sir Garnet Wolseley was given command of the Ashanti expedition under the rank of major general.[2] It was a key event in his cultivation of an inner circle of officers. In 1873, he got Redvers Buller to lead his intelligence apartment and William Butler to recruit a nation against the Ashantis.[3]
Wolseley equipped his soldiers in a custom uniform designed for jungle conditions. The officers wore canvas-covered cork helmets, grey homespun (light tweed) Norfolk jackets, and boots with gaiters along with revolvers. The troops wore light Indian helmets, grey smock-frocks, trousers, and long boots. The West Indians, Marines and Naval Brigade sailors wore their regular uniforms. All ranks carried the Elcho sword bayonet with a cutting edge to go through undergrowth and a saw-edged back to remove branches and trees.[4]
Meetup with the Fante
[edit]Once he arrived on the coast, he summoned the Fante kings and chiefs, insisting they provide levies of soldiers to act in their own defence. They formed the first of two native levies under Lieutenant-colonel Evelyn Wood and Major Baker Russell. Wood's Regiment was made up of the Fante from the Cape Coast, along with men from the Bonny River and Susu, who refused to fight with anything but swords, causing them to be issued naval cutlasses. Russell's Regiment was made up of the Hausa from Sierra Leone. The artillery officer, Captain Arthur Rait, trained Hausa gunners to man the two 7-pounder breech-loading armstrong cannons, Hale's rocket tubes and the first two gatling guns deployed by the Army.[4]
British expedition plan
[edit]The plan was for four separate columns to attack the Ashanti from different directions. Butler was sent to the Western Akyem, while Captains Dalrymple and Moore were sent to the Wassaw. They were instructed to persuade the hosts of these tribes to invade Ashanti territory. However, the columns never substantially materialised, with Butler titling his campaign "Akim-Foo: The History of a Failure".[5]
The Ashanti army was unable to provide any cavalry. However, due to draft animals being unable to survive in West Africa, the entire British transport system relied on human carriers from the protectorates.[6]
Britain's aims
[edit]The Earl of Kimberley of William Gladstone's Liberal Party was against any increase in Britain's presence on the Gold Coast. Edward Cardwell's instructions directed Wolseley to force Karikari (the Asantahene) to release captive missionaries, withdraw his army, guarantee future territorial security for the Ashanti, and renounce all claims of tribute from British areas. He was also advised to try and trade with the Ashanti and discourage human sacrifice if possible.[6]
Ashanti's aims
[edit]Karikari's war aims expanded during the conflict due to early successes and being upheld by a court tendency to sugarcoat any news that got to him. He asserted a claim to Elmina when his invasion began in January, and he followed this up by claiming the Akyem, Assin and Denkyira territories in April. This served his domestic and regional objectives, as a successful raid south would assert him as a strong leader and inspire fear among other regional enemies, causing them to want to side against the Europeans.[7]
British request
[edit]After assessing the situation in the protectorate which was filled with disease, Wolseley sent a request for British troops, stating that the Fante were unwilling and unable to fight. The Earl of Kimberley granted this request, however declaring that 'you will not employ this force, especially in the interior, a day longer than the paramount objects of your mission may require'. The dry season was less dangerous and attacks of fever were less frequent and less severe. This thus gave Wolseley a limited time window for his expedition.[8]
War
[edit]The first phase of the war occured from October–December 1873.[8]
On 5 January 1874, a 63-yard bridge was completed, with a Gatling-armed bridgehead on the north side. Afterwards, the next set of fortified camps were built by scouts, engineers and labourers. Wolseley and his troops crossed on 20 January, 5 days behind schedule. During the march, Wolseley and Karikari engaged in a diplomatic exchange through envoys and letters. While this happened, Karikari focused on buying time for his forces to prepare defences. Wolseley continued to demand that the Asantahene accept the War Office's list of war aims. The Ashanti did, releasing all captive missionaries who arrived at British camps on 12 and 21 January.[9]
Battle of Amoafo
[edit]The Ashantis prepared their defense at the village of Amoafo, awaiting the British approach. The following battle on 31 January ended in complete British victory. Following the battle, the Ashanti launched multiple attacks on the supply train in the British rear. This led to Wolseley not having enough supplies or carriers to continue his expedition regularly, however he had to continue as the rainy season was approaching.[9]
Ashanti preparations
[edit]Amankwatia set up a defensive ambush just outside the village of Amoafo, with his main army of 15,000 to 20,000 soldiers deployed in a horseshoe formation on a ridge that over-looked a ravine of dense bush and swampland. As the Ashanti had the high ground, the British would need to go along a single narrow path, as any troops off of the path would be slowed by the terrain and blinded by the vegetation.[10]
British preparations
[edit]Wolseley was warned of the ambush by one of Buller's Fante scouts. The plan was to form a hollow square formation consisting of 2,200 men, and advance along the main path straight toward the Ashanti army. The Highlanders were at the front extending 300 yards on either side of the path, along which Captain Rait moved his two 7-pounder Armstrong guns. On the left was Russell's native regiment, while half the Naval Brigade formed another face. On the right, Wood's native regiment and the rest of the Naval Brigade formed another. A rocket trough was positioned at each of the two front corners. The 2nd Rifle Brigade formed the rear face. Wolseley, his staff and the 23rd Fusiliers moved in the centre of the square. Engineers and laborers were to cut parallel paths on both sides of the main path to allow the Brits to advance. The rest of the resources such as baggage, field hospital and reserve ammunition were left behind to be guarded by the West Indians.[11]
Battle
[edit]Wolseley's square began its advance on the morning of 31 January. Once the 42nd had descended into the ravine, they were pinned down by Ashanti fire. Visiblity was low due to the thick bush, which the Ashanti used and waited to fire at close range. The first hours of the battle would consist of the Highlanders having to fire blind. Once the British engaged with the Ashantis, the square began to lose its shape. The left lost contact with the 42nd, being forced to cut a diagonal path to the right to reconnect. As soon as the right began to lose contact with the front, they encountered heavy Ashanti fire, making them unable to reconnect the line. Captain Buckle was then killed, while Lieutenant-Colonel Wood was hit by a nail which barely missed his heart and had to be carried to the rear. Wolseley began to send the reserve Fusiliers and the Rifle Brigade rear to the front.[12]
Thanks to this, Ashanti soldiers were able to infiltrate into the centre. Lots of friendly fire occured between British battalions due to them mistaking each other as Ashanti or firing at Ashanti but their shots cutting through vegetation toward their comrades. A group of Ashanti soldiers broke through the front-right and came within a hundred yards of Wolseley and his staff. The 42nd had been operating without artillery support for over two hours, causing Rait and his men to struggle to haul their Armstrong guns through the swampy lowland. They managed to get one of them up onto a clear section from the path, allowing them to directly support the front line. They fired 15 rounds of case shot from less than 50 yards away, due to which the bush provided minimal cover for the Ashanti. The Highlanders then charged forward, and the Ashanti centre went into retreat.[13]
Aftermath
[edit]Much baggage was left behind, and on 2 February a force of 1,611 men left the area. The following night they were soaked with rain while sleeping rough. They fought multiple ambushes and counter-attacks, ending with the British defeating the last Ashanti stand at the northern bank of the Oda river, however two of Wolseley's men were killed and he himself took a direct hit to his cork helmet. After this victory, the 42nd forward was sent to take Kumasi, which they did practically unopposed on 5 February. The Asantehene and his court had fled, therefore a treaty of surrender was impossible. Due to rain thunderstorms and fires (possibly set by Fante prisoners who were released from captivity or the carriers), Wolseley was unable to wait, and ordered a retreat to the coast. The royal palace had its treasures seized by officers, before being blown up with Ashanti stores of gunpowder by engineers. The city was then set on fire, with the force withdrawing while the 42nd maintained a rearguard.[14]
Arrival of Glover's column
[edit]Because of the British withdrawal, Karikari didn't have much reason to negotiate. Despite suffering a major defeat at Amoafo, he did not need to sign a treaty. This was until two days after Wolseley's withdrawal, when he learnt that another British column was approaching from the southeast. It consisted of a tiny force of Hausa and native levies led by Glover. Due to this, Karikari sent an envoy with a payment of gold dust to find Wolseley and negotiate the Ashanti surrender. Glover briefly entered Kumasi before leaving for the coast without having done anything.[10]
Aftermath
[edit]
Notes
[edit]boiiii whatchu say bout notes
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- ^ a b c Agha et al. 2021, p. 106.
- ^ a b c Agha et al. 2021, p. 111.
- ^ Agha et al. 2021, p. 112.
- ^ a b Agha et al. 2021, p. 113.
- ^ Agha et al. 2021, p. 113-114.
- ^ a b Agha et al. 2021, p. 114.
- ^ Agha et al. 2021, p. 114-115.
- ^ a b Agha et al. 2021, p. 115.
- ^ a b Agha et al. 2021, p. 118.
- ^ a b Agha et al. 2021, p. 119.
- ^ Agha et al. 2021, p. 119-120.
- ^ Agha et al. 2021, p. 120.
- ^ Agha et al. 2021, p. 120-121.
- ^ Agha et al. 2021, p. 118-119.
Cited sources
[edit]- Agha, Sameetah; Atwood, Rodney; Beckett, Ian Frederick William; Brice, Christopher; Collins, Bruce; Crawford, John; Johnson, Rob; Knight, Ian; Laband, John; et al. (Stephen M. Miller, Ryan Patterson, Douglas M. Peers) (2021). Queen Victoria's Wars: British Military Campaigns, 1857-1902. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press (published 17 June 2021). ISBN 9781108490122.