With Wolseley to Kumasi: A Tale of the First Ashanti War

In the sweltering night of a Gold Coast trading outpost, young Dick Stapleton lies awake on a creaking bamboo bed, the relentless surf thundering just beyond his window. Heat, mosquitoes and restless thoughts about a treacherous business partner press on him, while the distant forest remains oddly still. A sudden, mysterious footfall on the verandah jolts Dick from his uneasy sleep, and he finds himself stalking the moon‑lit shadows, clutching a modest box of his only valuables. The tension of that fleeting encounter hints at hidden dangers lurking just beyond the glow of the lanterns.

Through vivid, sensory detail the story paints a portrait of colonial life on the edge of West Africa’s coast, where commerce, loyalty and survival intertwine. As Dick grapples with suspicion and fear, the quiet menace of the night foreshadows larger struggles that will soon draw him farther from the safety of the beach and into the heart of an unfolding conflict.