It was now about twelve o'clock; but although the Ashantis had
lost their camp and village, and had suffered terribly, they were
not yet finally beaten. They had moved the principal part of the
forces which had been engaged upon our left round to the right, were
pressing hard upon the column there and the 23d, and were cutting
in between the latter and the 42d, when a fortunate accident enabled
us to meet this attack more effectively. The left column had cut
its path rather too much to the east, and came into the road between
the 42d and 23d, forming a connecting link between them; while the
right column, having at last cut away the whole of the brush wood
in which the Ashantis had so long wedged themselves between them
and the road, were now in direct communication with the 23d. They
had been reinforced by a company of the Rifle Brigade. Our front,
therefore, was now entirely changed, and faced east instead of
north. The Ashantis in vain tried to break the line, but desisted
from their efforts.
The firing died away, and it was thought that the battle was over,
when at about a quarter to one a tremendous fire broke out from the
rear of the column, showing that the Ashantis were making a last
and desperate effort to turn our flank, and to retake the village
from which we had driven them at eight in the morning.
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