{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1730343"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1730343/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NH9868/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2023NH9868/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2023NH9868","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NH9908","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NH9869","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2023NH9870","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1730343/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1730343","accessionNumber":"MSL/2022/2","objectType":"Manuscript","titles":[{"title":"Diary of the Ashantee War by an Eye Witness from 1873 to 1874","type":""}],"summaryDescription":"This diary is a first-hand account by A/C George Little of his experiences as a member of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade on the British expedition to the Asante capital, Kumasi in West Africa in 1874. The diary is an important piece of historical context relating to the political, military and imperial circumstances leading to the acquisition by this museum in 1874 of looted items from the Asante Court Regalia, during the Anglo-Asante Wars of the nineteenth century. Little annotates the title page of his diary, 'Gibraltar 1875' suggesting he wrote it up as a more formal account from daily notes and his logbook at the end of the campaign. The diary positions Little at the centre of the two most political aspects of any imperialist 'punitive' raid: the theft of royal regalia removed the symbols of office denying the right to govern. Destroying palaces eliminated historical seats of power. Little's diary records his presence at the looting and his participation in the burning. ","physicalDescription":"The diary is written in black ink on lined paper slightly larger than foolscap, with a marbled card cover. Commensurate with its age, it has some loose pages and dog-eared corners. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Little, George (A/C)","id":"AUTH397755"},"association":{"text":"authors","id":"AAT25492"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"},{"text":"card","id":"x30344"}],"techniques":[{"text":"writing","id":"AAT54698"},{"text":"drawing","id":"x32498"},{"text":"collage","id":"AAT138699"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Black ink on lined paper, marbled cover","categories":[{"text":"Manuscripts","id":"THES48922"},{"text":"War","id":"THES257202"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES48605"},"images":["2023NH9868","2023NH9908","2023NH9869","2023NH9870"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"NAL","id":"THES251738"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Manuscript","id":"AAT28569"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Gibraltar","id":"x30741"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1875","earliest":"1875-01-01","latest":"1875-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"368-1874","id":"O116890"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"369-1874","id":"O116883"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"370-1874","id":"O116882"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"371-1874","id":"O116884"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"372-1874","id":"O116886"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"373-1874","id":"O116891"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"374-1874","id":"O116972"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"375-1874","id":"O116887"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"376-1874","id":"O116877"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"377-1874","id":"O116878"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"378-1874","id":"O116885"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"379-1874","id":"O116969"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"380-1874","id":"O116892"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"895-1875","id":"O116957"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"7-1883","id":"O116881"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"M.256-1921","id":"O116893"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"M.454-1936","id":"O116879"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"3-1875","id":"O116974"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"4-1875","id":"O116975"},"association":"Object"},{"object":{"text":"5-1875","id":"O76455"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Given by Stephanie Rodger, Nick French and Neil French in memory of Jill French","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"32","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"A/C GEORGE LITTLE, 2nd BATT. RIFLE BRIGADE GIBRALTAR 1875","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inside cover"},{"content":"Diary of The Ashantee War BY AN an Eye Witness from 1873 To 1874","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Title page"}],"objectHistory":"This diary is a first-hand account by A/C George Little of his experiences as a member of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade on the British expedition to the Asante capital, Kumasi in West Africa in 1874. The diary is an important piece of historical context relating to the political, military and imperial circumstances leading to the acquisition by this museum in 1874 of looted items from the Asante Court Regalia. \n\nThe diary was given the the National Art Library at the V&A in 2022 by Stephanie Rodger, Nick French and Neil French in memory of their mother, Jill French. Jill French had transcribed and researched the diary and her notes records that it belonged to her father-in-law, Arthur Earnest French who wanted it to go to 'an appropriate archive.' Jill inherited the diary in 1969 when Arthur died. She did not know how Arthur acquired it.\n\nJill French had employed genealogist, David Nichols, to research A/C Little. Nicholls estimated that Little (service number 2110) was born in 1850, enlisted in 1871 and was discharged from the army in 1883. After leaving the army in 1883 there are no subsequent records for Little, and no indication that he had any descendants. Further research showed that no British officers died in active service with the name Little or Reg. No. 2110 between 1875-1900. Little has not been found in the historical record since his discharge.\n\nLittle was both a determined and brave soldier and an excellent writer with an eye for detail. He was politically aware. His comments and observations reflect his curious mind even if they are sometimes troubling to read. His loyalty to army and empire is, not surprisingly, unquestioning so background reading on the expedition will enable a more nuanced understanding of the diary than might be inferred at face value. Like his commanding officers and fellow soldiers he frequently accuses forcibly conscripted, coastal Fante soldiers of cowardice when some show an unwillingness to fight for Britain against the Asante. Little's perspective prevents him from seeing this as a British imperial war against powerful West African empire who shared a border with the Fante people. He speaks with missionary fervour about the impact Britain's empire and Christian religion should have on all West African people and could see resistance only in terms of weakness. Even so, for the context in which he was writing, Little's diary is an extraordinary account that does suggest a good degree of reflection betraying the range of emotions he experienced, from adrenalin-fuelled jingoism to occasional nostalgia, melancholy, triumphalism, tragedy, sympathy, respect and terror.\n\nLittle annotates the title page of his diary, 'Gibraltar 1875' suggesting he wrote it up as a more formal account from daily notes and his logbook at the end of the campaign. In keeping with the time and circumstances in which it was written, the diary does contain language and sentiments that are offensive today, some of which, for the purposes of understanding it in more detail, are quoted in the 'Diary Description' below. Quoting them here is an attempt to reveal Little's voice, not revive it. \n\nDiary Description:\n\nThe diary begins on 21 November 1873 when, with his regiment, Private (Acting Corporal) George Little takes a train to Cork, southern Ireland, and then a steamship to Queenstown to board the troopship Himalaya in preparation for the journey to the west coast of Africa. Little gives an almost daily account of life on board the ship not just during the journey but through the weeks and months they were moored off the coast of modern-day Ghana, including during Christmas and new year. He describes the games played on board and the songs they sang as well as the fish they caught. He also describes the excitement the soldiers all felt on being issued with new climate-friendly uniforms. This was one of the first occasions on which British soldiers fighting overseas were equipped with uniforms suitable for the climates in which they were campaigning, a vivid indication of the standardisation of the machinery of war. Little comments, 'We fitted our 'Ashantee Uniform' today: it is made of a very nice light tweed and the head dress is made of cork covered with India rubber. Everybody seems to be perfectly satisfied with their uniform.' (Wednesday 3 December 1873). \n\nThe tone of the diary changes markedly as Little sets foot on land on 2 January 1874. He describes the progress they make towards Kumasi, clearing vegetation, waiting for supplies and anticipating what lay ahead. Throughout the diary he makes observations about the soldiers conscripted from communities enroute, many of whom feared the Asante and had little desire to join up. He witnesses their forced labour and the brutality meted out to them if they failed to follow British army orders. \r\n\r\nLittle observes the progress made by the engineers in building roads and putting up telegraph cables both features historians  characterise as part of the thorough military planning and ambition of commanding officer, General Sir Garnet Wolseley. Little describes the frequent bouts of sickness that afflicted his regiment and discusses some of the prominent casualties of the military action recorded elsewhere by later historians. \r\n\r\nLittle describes in great detail, over several pages, his role and the actions of the army on the way to Kumasi, where he arrives on Wednesday 4 February 1874, the day the Asantehene (Asante King) had fled after his attempts to negotiate peace were unsuccessful. Although Little does not describe the looting of the gold court regalia, he does reference the possessions left behind more broadly: 'A short time afterwards we heard the good news that the enemy were in full retreat on Coomassie [sic] and in great confusion. In fact, they are in such a great hurry to get out of our way that they have left chiefs' state umbrellas and war drums etc behind them. We had nothing to do now but to march into Coomassie, in doing which no time was lost and that evening the British flag flew over a conquered tyrant''s dominion and some of his army were carrying water for the much dreaded white men.' (Wednesday 4 February 1874).\r\n\r\nThe following day Little does refer to looting: 'The sides of the town were all in flames, either set on fire by men looting or the enemy, in the hopes of burning us out.' He also visited what he described as a 'Sacrificing Ground' and recounted a grim scene. 'We came away sick of the sight and thankful we belonged to a Christian country.' He followed this with, 'On Friday 6th February 1874 Rouse sounded at 4.30am. We had breakfast and paraded at 5.30. Broke a lot of rifles, blew up the Palace and left Coomassie in flames, set on fire this time by the British, and started on our way for Old England.'\n\r\nThe diary ends back in England on 30 March 1874 when Little's battalion marched through Windsor before Queen Victoria and was addressed and thanked by General Sir Archibald Allison before heading to their barracks in Winchester. He concludes his journal with the words, 'Thus ended a campaign carried on against a nation who occupying the heart of a dense unhealthy unknown and almost pathless forest were dimly reported as being sunk in the lowest depths of barbarity and superstition and yet who by courage had held in subjection or kept in terror all surrounding tribes for upwards of a thousand years.'","historicalContext":"A/C George Little's diary represents an eyewitness account from a British soldier's perspective of the key events leading up to the acquisition of what has become today one of the most sharply spotlit collections at the V&A, given the focus of European museums on decolonisation, restitution and provenance research. The diary records Little's role during the British army's march on - and destruction of - the Asante capital Kumasi in February 1874, under the command of Major General Sir Garnet Wolseley to nullify Asante claims to the gold- and former slave-trading port of Elmina. In Ghana, this conflict is known as the Sagrenti War after the local pronunciation of Sir Garnet. \n\nBy 1874, Britain and the Asante had long been uneasy trading partners. From the late seventeenth century, European powers, most notably Britain and the Netherlands, began supplying the newly established kingdom of Asante with weapons, metals and luxury goods in exchange for enslaved people, gold and spices. The enslaved people were shipped across the Atlantic to work the plantations and mines whose products were sent back to Europe for conversion to luxury goods as part of the triangular trade. The gold fed European markets for money and luxury goods. Europeans had rarely ventured inland since the Portuguese first built St. George's Castle at Elmina in the 1470s and still today, dotted along the coast are the remains of nearly 100 forts, lookouts and staging posts from where the Portuguese, Dutch, Danish, Swedish and British had traded in enslaved people and natural resources most notably gold.\n\nThe British Parliamentary abolition of the slave trade in 1807 tightened the focus on gold trading and Britain became increasingly assertive over claims to coastal forts in West Africa as other European powers withdrew their interest. In 1870-71 the Dutch ceded control of the area of coastline around busy port of Elmina to the British giving Britain almost total control over a 300-mile stretch of coastline. Although Elmina was in Fante territory, the Asante had claimed longheld rights to the port and launched an attack against the British garrison in the castle.\n\nIn response the British Army sent what was known as a 'punitive expedition' to exact reprisals against the Asante. 'Punitive' is a term loaded with imperial entitlement. Punitive expeditions were characterised by responses that were often out of proportion to the perceived provocation. Their purpose was twofold. They aimed to remove all possibility of future interference in Britain's imperial and commercial interests overseas by weakening the government of communities who resisted British encroachment. They also sent a message to other European powers that wherever in the world you challenged Britain's interests, Britain would reach you. From the mid-nineteenth century, an important aspect of the punitive raid was the use of broadcast media. Correspondents and photographers joined traditional war artists in desribing events to an eager readership. The famous writer and explorer, Henry Morton Stanley, accompanied the British expedition to Kumasi and wrote up his accounts for both the New York Herald and the Daily Telegraph. Later in 1874, he published 'Coomassie and Magdala: the Story of Two British Campaigns in Africa' outlining his experiences on the Asante expedition and on another punitive raid from which the South Kensington Museum (now V&A) acquired looted artworks, that of Maqdala, Ethiopia, in 1868. \n\nUnder the leadership of Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley, the British sent three ships to West Africa in late 1873. In early January 1874, they set foot on land about 8 miles east of Elmina near Cape Coast Castle, centre of British administration along the coast. Engineers cut roads, set up telegraph cables and built bridges as a first wave marching the 100 miles inland towards Kumasi. A/C George Little was part of the second wave of riflemen. They reached Kumasi on 4th February.\n\nIt was during the raid on Kumasi that large parts of the Asante royal regalia were looted by British troops. 'Looting' is another term that needs explaining in a nineteenth-century British military context. Today the term suggests uncontrolled violence and a chaotic free-for-all. During punitive raids the looting took place after the violence and was a carefully orchestrated administrative procedure by officials armed with clipboards. Anyone caught helping themselves was brutally punished and Little makes it clear in his diary that West African troops conscripted by the army who looted in Kumasi were met with more severe reprisals than the regular soldiers. Looting was offical policy and in Kumasi, Wolseley appointed 3 prize agents to gather the most valuable materials so that they could be taken back to London and sold. The proceeds went partly towards paying for the expedition. The gold regalia and other pieces sold at Garrard's, the Crown Jewellers in London in April 1874. The gold was bought by museums and private collectors including the South Kensington Museum (now V&A). The V&A has thirteen items of gold and silver bought directly at the sale (Museum nos. 368-380-1874) and four acquired later (Museum nos. 895-1875, 7-1883, M.256-1931 and M.454-1936) that passed through private ownership. A week after the sale, the museum also bought two further items of jewellery and a copper-alloy goldweight from a Serjeant Pearce (Museum. nos 3-5-1875).\n\nThe raid was one of the key events in the Anglo-Asante Wars of the nineteenth century that culminated in Britain claiming Asante and neighbouring territories in 1901 as The Gold Coast Colony. Ghana, as a country of separate communities linked by a single border, became an independent nation in 1957.\n\nA/C George Little's diary therefore offers invaluable context to the circumstances surrounding the acquisiton by this museum of items of gold regalia looted during the Anglo-Asante Wars of the nineteenth century. It is an eyewitness account of the two most political acts that took place during the Asante campaign leading to the gold regalia coming to the museum. On nineteenth-century punitive raids, the theft of royal regalia removed the symbols of office denying the right to govern. Destroying palaces eliminated historical seats of power. Little's diary records his presence at the looting and his participation in the burning. ","briefDescription":"Manuscript, Diary of the Ashantee War by an Eye Witness from 1873 to 1874, by A/C George Little, 2nd Batt. Rifle Brigade, Gibraltar, 1875.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Henry Morton Stanley, Coomassie and Magdala: The Story of Two British Campaigns in Africa, S. Low, Marston, Low & Searle, 1874"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Edward M. Spiers, 'The Victorian Soldier in Africa', Manchester University Press, 2013"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"W.E.F. Ward, 'Britain and the Ashanti 1874-1896', Transactions of the Historical Society of Ghana , December 1974, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp. 131-164"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Henrietta Lidchi and Stuart Allan, 'Dividing the Spoils: Perspectives on Military Collections and the British Empire', Studies in Imperialism, Manchester University Press, 2020"}],"production":"Diary of a soldier during the third of the so-called Anglo-Asante Wars (in Ghana known as the 'Sagrenti War') of 1873-4, compiled from notes, memory and possibly logbook in Gibraltar in 1875","productionType":{"text":"Unique","id":"THES48864"},"contentDescription":"Anglo-Asante War 1874: Diary of George Little","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[{"text":"Ghana","id":"x30041"}],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["38041022014435"],"accessionNumberNum":"38041022014435","accessionNumberPrefix":"","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"NAL barcode","id":"THES50330"},"number":"38041022014435"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"2022-09-16","availableToBook":false}}