Cutting a War Path.
From a series of Sketches from 3rd Ashanti War (1873-1874) by Orlando Norie from sketches by Col Pomeroy Colley, CB, and other officers who were engaged in war.
The thickness of the forest made it almost impossible to leave the path except by cutting a way through the bush, and the troops were accompanied for this purpose by a body of Engineer labourers. Cutting war paths plays an important part in Ashantee tactics. When giving battle they always try to cut paths round their adversary’s flanks, to envelope him.