Debris was everywhere, including half-burned tents, bits of uniforms, smashed boxes and scattered personal effects. This misjudgement led to thousands of deaths - and an unsavoury, high-level cover-up - as Saul David explains. Famous for the bloody battles of Isandlwana and Rorkes Drift, the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 saw over 15,000 British troops invade the independent nation of Zululand in present-day South Africa. His befuddled senses could barely make out their surroundings, but he was reassured by the sight of British soldiers in their distinctive red tunics going about their business. 8 Ulundi, 4 July 1879 The ultimatum was a legal faade to mask Freres aggression, but the High Commissioner felt the die was cast. Dartnell had encountered perhaps 1,500 Zulu. An hour later, as the hard-pressed British defenders fought for their lives, a portion of Chelmsford's force at Mangeni Falls received word that the camp was in danger of being overrun. At around 11am on 22 January a British Native Horse contingent discovered some 20,000 Zulus hidden in a valley within seven miles of the lightly-defended British camp. He served as deputy adjutant general to the forces in Bombay from 1861 to 1862, and was promoted to brevet colonel in 1863. They only one this single first battle where losses were not that far apart (1300 British for 1000 Zulus). Far from cowing the Zulu, the Sihayo skirmish galvanized them into action. NNC units on the right also began to fall back, and soon the entire defensive line was in shambles. Cinema Specialist . Pearson, was to cross into Zulu territory at a place called the Lower Drift (crossing) on the Thukela River. The story goes that two Lieutenants Nevill Coghill and Teignmouth Melville attempted to save the Queens Colour of the 1st Battalion 24th Regiment. 12th March 1879 A Zulu force of 500 men attack a British supply convoy at the Battle of Intombe. The diplomat Wilfred Gilbert Thesiger, who served in Addis Ababa in 1916, was another son, and father of the author and explorer Wilfred Thesiger. Our database is searchable by subject and updated continuously. Most experts say approx 1000 -1500 Zulus died, ie very similar to the British losses. Commandant Hamilton-Browne was surprised at the openness of the camp, declaring that someones mad. Captain Duncombe added, Do the staff think we are going to meet an army of schoolgirls? Isandlwana Hill today, with a white cairn in the foreground highlighting a British mass grave. I think the most important aspect of the battle was the tragic heroism displayed by both sides. Mkhosana was killed instantly when a Martini-Henry slug tore a bloody hole through his skull, but his words had taken effect. Their Nguni forbearers came from East Africa and migrated down over the centuries but they were not Zulus as we know it. 29th March 1879 Chelmsford leads out the central column to relieve Eshowe. But Dalton, an ex-NCO, came from what was considered the wrong background, and was ignored for almost a year. Faced with a demoralized command, Chelmsford ordered that the camp proper was to be off-limits. Chelmsford was going to split his force, leaving roughly half in camp while he took the rest and marched in support of Dartnell. By the afternoon of the 21st the two units had met not far from the Mangeni River. In taking over the Transvaal, Britain also inherited a long-standing, festering border dispute between the Boers and the Zulu. A number of officers and a journalist, Norris Newman, ventured into the camp anyway. And the notion that some revolution might topple Cetshwayo from his throne was also to prove illusory. NCOs barked the command Load-Present-Fire with clockwork regularity, Martini-Henrys spitting death with every disciplined volley. Once Durnford reinforced Isandlwana there would be 67 officers and 1,707 men to guard the camp, a number that Chelmsford deemed more than adequate for the task at handnot that he felt the camp would be in any danger. Call us at (425) 485-6059. He spoke darkly of Cetshwayos faithless and cruel character and atrocious barbarity, even though he had never met the king and most of the stories were hearsay. 15th July 1879 Sir Garnet Wolesley takes over from Lord Chelmsford. He camped for the night, and requested reinforcements from Chelmsford, but initially the request was denied. If I had a good horse I would ride straight to Maritzberg.. Zulu Film Exhibition opening in Cardiff Castle, 5 key reasons Churchill lost the 1945 general election, Fact-file: The Seaborne Causes of the War of 1812. Talking shite mate. Copyright Historic UK Ltd. Company Registered in England No. Hall 1978 quotes the London Standard reporting 473 counted dead and another 1000 or more wounded. What Was the Sudeten Crisis and Why Was it So Important? Nor were the boxes particularly difficult to open although reinforced by copper bands all round, access to the rounds was by means of a sliding panel in the lid held in place by a single screw. They felt this a prudent course as all of Quebec was held by around 600 regulars and intelligence indicated that the French-speaking population would be favorably inclined towards . The evening of January 22 would have a new Moon, a time when evil supernatural forces would be abroad. You are just a bit upset that the British gave them a taste of their own medicine and comprehensively defeated them. lots of wounded. One breakthrough, and the whole defense would be torn asunder. Very true.The British were the bullies and Ilegal Invaders who Waged wars to Rob something that never belonged to them.Its Racism at its best. [1][2], In May 1855, he left for the Crimean War, in which he served firstly with his battalion, then as aide-de-camp from July 1855 to the commander of the 2nd Division, Lieutenant-General Edwin Markham, and finally as deputy assistant quartermaster general from November 1855 on the staff at Headquarters, being promoted to brevet major. 4th June 1879 Aware that Chelmsford is preparing a second invasion of Zululand, Cetshwayo sends envoys to discuss peace. that would have been some story today. Of the original 1,750 defenders - 1,000 British and 750 black auxiliaries - 1,350 had been killed. Chelmsford did have his excuses. By now a defensive perimeter had been formed in a kind of half-moon in front of the camp. 4th July 1879 - The main Zulu force of around 15,000 men attack Lord Chelmsford's army at the Battle of Ulundi. The Boer Transvaal Republic became bankrupt, so insolvent it was annexed by Britain in 1877. Shaka had real military genius, and introduced such innovations as the short stabbing spear that revolutionized native warfare. Another described Chard as 'a most useless officer, fit for nothing'. Disraeli lost the 1880 election and died the following year. The incident gave Frere two reasons for war. 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A colonial administrator of vast experience, Frere landed in South Africa in April 1877 determined to implement a policy called confederation. And behind that imagined threat was the looming specter of a general native uprising against the white population. The Zulu regiment closest to the valley rim, the uKhandempemvu (white headedprobably a reference to their headdresses), rose as one man and began to climb the slope toward Raws tiny patrol. The Battle of Isandlwana, probably the worst defeat the British army ever suffered at the hands of a native foe, was over. Anne Boleyn and Katherine of Aragon Brilliant Rivals, Hitler vs Stalin: The Battle for Stalingrad, How Natural Disasters Have Shaped Humanity, Hasdrubal Barca: How Hannibals Fight Against Rome Depended on His Brother, Wise Gals: The Spies Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage, Bones in the Attic: The Forgotten Fallen of Waterloo, How Climate and the Natural World Have Shaped Civilisations Across Time, The Rise and Fall of Charles Ponzi: How a Pyramid Scheme Changed the Face of Finance Forever. As more Zuluambutho from the chestappeared, Pulleine recalled Cavayes and Mostyns companies, which were dangerously exposed. A solitary redcoat held out in a cave high up in the crags of Isandlwana, but he was finally shot, and then all was silence. These were generally white settlers who were good shots, could ride well and in some cases could speak native tongues. There were lessons to be learned from this campaign against the amXhosa, but unfortunately Chelmsford probably drew the wrong conclusions. The British had shown their hand, so Cetshwayos path was clear. The camp proved free of Zulu, so Chelmsford ordered his troops to snatch a few hours rest. British soldiers in formation, the celebrated thin red line, didnt need wagons to hide behindmassed volleys were their laager . Artillery support for the column was provided by N Battery, 5th Brigade Royal Artillery, Maj. Stuart Smith commanding. The British line was composed of regular redcoat companies interspersed with colonial and native units. Follow-up to the Battle of Isandlwana: Chelmsford's force was unaware of the disaster that had overwhelmed Pulleine's troops, until the news filtered through that the camp had been taken. It was an awesome spectacle, a living black carpet of some 20,000 warriors quietly waiting with scarcely a murmur. Please note that this is a military history forum and not a political one. The plain was also scarred by one or two dongas (watercourses), and not far away a conical kopje poked up out of the ground. Just before Durnford reached the donga near the camp, the Zulu had scored their first local success by overrunning a rocket battery that had accompanied him. In that time, the British force, reliant on ponderous ox-drawn transport and a poor excuse for a wagon road, has covered only 12 of the 85 miles to King Cetshwayo's capital at Ulundi. Five Boys were killed at Isandlwana, most of them in the 24ths band, and the youngest was 16 not quite the innocent lads immortalised in sentimental paintings of the time. On 22 January 1879, Chelmsford established a temporary camp for his column near Isandlwana, but neglected to strengthen its defence by encircling his wagons. View this object . We are all settlers here! After the clashes at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, an ad-hoc army of Massachusetts farmers hastily gathered together and placed British-occupied Boston under siege. Cinema Specialist . They were regulars, highly trained and disciplined, and armed with the Model 1871 Martini-Henry rifle. A Zulu officer by the name of Mkhosana kaMvundlana came on the scene and was disgusted by the sight of so many warriors taking cover. Early on it was decided the main British objective would be oNdini, which the whites called Ulundi. Only around 60 whites and 400 blacks lived to tell the tale. Excellently made. Re-enactment of the Battle of Isandlwana The women sit on one side of the hut and the men on the other. Read More With only around 100 British troops protecting the convoy, this is a decisive Zulu victory. BBC 2014 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. The most factual book written that accounts the history and development of South Africa is by Cuan Elgin, called Bulala (Zulu for kill) to fully appreciate the military skills and the ruthlessness of the Zulu, it is a must read. 22nd January 1879 The right column, led by Colonel Charles Pearson, engages 6,000 Zulu troops near to the Inyzane River. Most of what Chelmsford told the Queen was a pack of lies. Minerva, I agree with you we were not the only empire but we seem to be the only nation who should feel bad about the past. Historical Trips - Book your next historical adventure, 6 Secret Historic Gardens in the United Kingdom, Join Dan Snow for the Anniversary of the D-Day Landings, War of The Worlds: The Most Infamous Radio Broadcast in History, The King Revealed: 10 Fascinating Facts About Elvis Presley, 10 Facts About American Poet Robert Frost, 12 Facts About the Battle of Rorkes Drift. the Zulus now rob tourists and have decimated South Africa of values. Spectacular waterfalls lay along the river, but nature appreciation was the last thing the British had on their minds. British imperialism and overconfidence leads to a bloody Zulu War at the Battle of Isandlwana. 12th January 1879 The central column destroys Sihayos camp. Chelmsford thus led a 12,000-strong army divided into three columns into Zululand, despite having received no authorisation from Parliament. 22nd / 23rd January 1879 A group of Zulu reservists numbering around 4,000 attack the British outpost of Rorkes Drift. For one thing, the wagons were all clustered in a park, not arranged in a defensive laager . After centuries of being attacked the British Empire grew to be the greatest the planet has ever seen. 15th July 1879 - Sir Garnet Wolesley takes over from Lord Chelmsford. Some decapitated British heads were found neatly arrayed in a circle, and a drummer boy was discovered lashed to a wagon wheel upside down with his throat cut.