3-053-458 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Ashantee War: uniform for the soldiers of the expedition, 1873. The Third Anglo-Ashanti War, also known as the "First Ashanti Expedition", lasted from 1873 to 1875. The British Gold Coast was formally established in 1867 and in 1872, Britain expanded their territory when they purchased the Dutch Gold Coast from the Dutch, including Elmina which was claimed by the Ashanti. The Dutch had signed the Treaty of Butre in 1656 with the Ahanta. The treaty's arrangements proved very stable and regulated Dutch-Ahanta diplomatic affairs for more than 213 years. This all changed with the sale of the Dutch Gold Coast. The Ashanti invaded the new British protectorate. General Garnet Wolseley was sent against the Ashanti with 2,500 British troops and several thousand West Indian and African troops (including some Fante) and subsequently became a household name in Britain. The war was covered by war correspondents, including Henry Morton Stanley and G. A. Henty. The British government refused appeals to interfere with British arms manufacturers who sold to both sides. From "Illustrated London News", 1873.