"Widmann to Basel"

Reports panic in Akropong on the rumour that the Asante army is in Akim…His understanding of the war is that when two Asin princes entered into an agreement with the Asantehene, the British government imprisoned them in Cape Coast, on which an Asante army of 1500 was sent to the Pra. A small British force of 50 under a white officer sent to the Pra was almost captured. The Akwapim were asked to join an expedition which marched to the Pra (composed mainly of Fantes and Assins). Now there are plans for an expedition against the Akwamus (whose casus belli against Crepi is said to have been the beheading of two Akwamu princes in the market place at Peki). The role of Akwapim is not clear - the only sentence reporting events in that state says: ’Our king returned with his people, he must wait for a message from the Governor as to whether to procede against the Akwamu or not.’

22.04.1853

22.04.1853

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