S3E23: The Third Anglo-Ashanti War Part 1 - The Offensive of 1873

 

British soldiers landed on Cape Coast in 1873

In 1873, the Ashanti and British once again went to war. Under cheering crowds, Ashanti soldiers marched from Kumasi, down to the Pra River, and eventually marched south into the British Gold Coast. Their main objective was to capture the disputed territory of Elmina while capturing major British ports like Accra and Cape Coast to prevent the British from receiving supplies and reinforcements. The Ashanti force of 80,000 was divided into two columns, one which attacked the east to capture Accra, and a larger force in the west to capture Elmina.

The uniform of an Ashanti officer (1873)

Initially, the offensive went according to plan. The Ashanti routed the British in early battles in the East, while the western force gradually pushed the British further and further south. Eventually, the commander of the Ashanti army, general Amankwatia, reached the walls of Cape Coast while capturing much of the city of Elmina. At this point, the British were in desperate straits, with only a few hundred men available to defend the city. However, for reasons that aren't especially clear, Amankwatia chose not to launch an attack against the cities. The British would use this time effectively, importing thousands of Hausa mercenaries to help them defend the cities, followed by thousands of more British soldiers.

An Ashanti soldier poses for a photograph taken by a group of missionaries. Here, he is demonstrating how Ashanti soldiers removed their shirts before going into battle.

By the end of 1873, Ashanti arms supplies were in a desperate state. Gunpowder supplies were short, forcing Amankwatia to ration power among his men. As a result, Ashanti gunners often used only a fraction of the needed gunpowder for their weapons, meaning that the slugs they fired came out at a slow trajectory and left only welts. Guns were also in short supply, meaning that many Ashanti were forced to use obsolete smoothbore muskets rather than the standard-issue 1843 carbines. The worst problem, however, was food. Amankwatia had expected a quick victory and planned accordingly, meaning that he was incredibly short of food supplies after several months of fighting.

The maximum extent of the Ashanti offensive in 1873

With British reinforcements arriving in droves and the Ashanti becoming increasing short on food, ammunition, and weapons, the Ashanti were forced to withdraw back across the Pra, ending their offensive of 1873. However, this did not mark the end of the war, as the British would continue to press on and invade Asanteman the following year.

Garnet Wolesly, who would be christened "Sir Garnet Wolesly" for his success in the Ashanti War