Then three regular volleys were fired, making, from the heavy charges used, a tremendous roar.
Scarcely had these ceased when the King of Abra, a splendid looking negro standing nearly six feet four in height, stepped out from behind the breastwork and shouted a taunting challenge to the Ashantis to come on.

They replied with a loud yell, and with the opening of a continuous fire round the edge of the wood.

On wall and roof of the village the slugs pattered thickly; but the defenders were all in shelter, and in reply, from breastwork and loophole, from the windows and roof of the church, the answering Snider bullets flew out straight and deadly.
Several times Ammon Quatia tried to get his men to make a rush.

The war drums beat, the great horns sounded, and the men shouted, but each time the English bullets flew so thick and deadly into the wood wherever the sound rose loudest that the Ashantis' heart failed them, and they could not be got to make the rush across the hundred yards of cleared ground.
At five o'clock the fire slackened, but shortly after dark the attack recommenced.

The moon was up and full.