23. The Tables Turn on an Arrogant Governor
Governor Hodgson hastily retreated into Kumasi’s fort, along with his wife and military escort. They were soon surrounded by thousands of warriors, deep inside Ashanti territory and hundreds of miles away from the coast and British military rescue. The fort’s machine guns and modern artillery held the besiegers at bay. So the Ashanti, who lacked artillery to breach its walls, settled down to a prolonged siege, cutting off the defenders from supplies and hoping to starve them into surrender.
Asantewaa continued displaying her badass chops. She had her men erect massive barricades along the routes to Kumasi. Made of stone, logs and dirt, they proved highly resistant to British artillery. Between the barricades, ambushes, and other Ashanti delaying tactics, a British relief expedition dispatched to rescue Hodgson found its pace reduced to a crawl. A relief column of about 700 men finally reached the fort, only to end up besieging themselves. With supplies running low, the governor organized the healthiest men into a breakout, which spirited him and his wife to safety, while leaving the sick and wounded behind.