3-065-719 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Ashantee War: counting and inspecting ammunition of the Bonny men, 1874. Third Anglo-Ashanti War. The British Army in West Africa. Illustration depicting '...Lieutenants Irwin and Douglas inspecting the ammunition of the Bonny men, and counting the rounds of cartridges in the possession of each man. These irregular troops are armed with the old smoothbore musket, converted into a breechloader, which they have learned to use pretty quickly, but are still very indifferent marksmen. Each man has to carry seventy rounds of ammunition, in two small pouches, ready for immediate use, besides a larger pouch containing a reserve; also a blanket, a leather havresac [haversack] for his rations, and commonly an old preserved-meat tin, which serves for cooking rice or other food. They are much addicted, however, to robbing each other, and will quarrel noisily about it when the officer's back is turned. Colonel Macleod, 42nd Highlanders, has been appointed brigadier to command the irregular regiments - that is, Colonel Wood's mixed regiment of Fantees, Elminas, Bonny men, and Kossohs, and Captain Rait's Houssa gunners, with Major Baker Russell's regiment'. From "Illustrated London News", 1874.