War 159 



noon without ceasing. It recommenced shortly afterwards, 

 and continued with greater fury than ever till 2 p.m., 

 when it gradually slackened. At 3 p.m. it was nearly 

 over, and we then sent all the wounded — about 200 — 

 back to a small village called Quahman, about li mile 

 to the rear. This was only defended by a small stockade, 

 hurriedly constructed on a very low bank, with a shallow 

 ditch, and guarded by thirty West Indian soldiers. 



Referring again to the diary, I take the following 

 extract : — " Is^ February. — During the course of yesterday's 

 engagement, after the firing was over, at 3.30 I was 

 ordered to call in the skirmishers from the hill on the 

 right of Egginassie. I went through the huts, and just as 

 I was stepping into the bush, a chicken ran out before me. 

 Thinking it would give me a meal — all our baggage was 

 miles in the rear — I ran after it, striking at it with my 

 sword, as I feared to fire my revolver, being afraid the 

 report would create an alarm. The bush was so thick 

 that I could not hit the chicken, and I had pursued it 

 nearly to the top of the hill, when I suddenly heard firing 

 break out heavily in the rear. Feeling sure that the 

 Ashanti army was attacking the fort at Quahman, where 

 the wounded are, I ran straight back to Sir Garnet in the 

 middle of the village and told him about it. At first he 

 would not believe me, but I said, ' If Colonel Graves will 

 accompany me up the road at the back, he will see if I am 

 right.' Colonel Graves said, ' Perhaps I had better go, 

 sir ' ; and, as Sir Garnet assented, we started off. I said to 

 him, ' We had better double, sir ; there's no time to lose,' 

 so we ran on. Before we got half-way up, he said, ' By 

 George, you are right ! Now, what men have you got.' 

 I said, ' F Company and D Company are on the road, 



