3-053-555 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The War on the Gold Coast: destruction of the villages of Ampenee and Akimfoo, October 14, 1873. 'The people of Ampenee had...captured and killed the crews of two canoes belonging to Cape Coast Castle. For the punishment, therefore, of Ampenee and Akimfoo...were first bombarded, the same morning, by H.M.S, Decoy, under command of Lieutenant Hext, and then a party landed from that gun-boat and H.M.S. Argus, sloop, which lay outside, under Commander Percy Luxmore...The landing-party...had some skirmishing with the enemy, who came out of the bush and fired upon our men within thirty yards' distance, but only one sailor was slightly wounded. The houses of Ampenee and Akimfoo, built of bamboo, were not much damaged by the bombardment. As soon, therefore, as the troops with the Commander-in-Chief arrived, these villages were set on fire and quickly destroyed. Our Illustration is from a sketch by one of the naval officers engaged. The village to the right hand is Akimfoo; to the left is Ampenee. The party from the ships are seen to the left of Ampenee, in conflict with the enemy in the bush behind; their boats, one a steam-launch, are upon or near the beach. The Decoy lies inside the barrier of surf, opposite Akimfoo, while the Argus lies outside'. From "Illustrated London News", 1873.