3-056-374 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The War on the Gold Coast: bombardment and burning of Bootry by H.M.S. Argus and decoy, Oct. 28, 1873. 'Bootry,...east of Dix Cove, was chastised by Commander Percy Luxmoore, aided by Lieutenants John Hext and Young, with the boats of H.M.S. Argus, sloop, and H.M.S. Decoy, gun-boat, and with a force of small-arm men and marines, a shore rocket party, a few n*gro soldiers of the 2nd West India Regiment...and some n*gro policemen...Bootry was the chief village of a district under the influence of the Ashantees, and has given much annoyance to the loyal people of Dix Cove. Beginning at six in the morning, with a heavy fire of shell from the ships at 800 yards' distance, Commander Luxmoore...landed [a party], and set fire to the "town"...A continual fire was meanwhile kept up from the rocket-boats and guns, to prevent the enemy gathering in the bush, the Decoy at the same time firing up the river, where most of them had gone. None of our side were even wounded. In the sketch here engraved we see the burning "town" or village; the old abandoned British fort appears in the centre. On the left are the paddle-box boats of the Argus firing into the dense bush; and to the right the ships and rocket-boats are firing up the river and into the bush'. From "Illustrated London News", 1873.