Towards the end of the year 1878, serious disputes arose between the
British authorities of Natal and Cetewayo, the King of the Zulus, a
savage monarch possessing a large army of warriors, composed of men
well-trained according to the savage idea of warfare, and possessed of
extreme bravery.
The ill-feeling had commenced at the time that the British took over the
Transvaal. Between the Boers and the Zulus great hostility prevailed,
the Boers constantly encroaching upon the Zulus' ground, driving off
cattle, and acting with extreme lawlessness. The Zulus had long been
preparing for retributive warfare; and as the Boers had proved
themselves shortly before unable to conquer Secoceni, a chief whose
power was as nothing in comparison with that of Cetewayo, the Zulus
deemed that they would have an easy conquest of the Transvaal. The
occupation of that country by the English baulked them of their expected
hopes of conquest and plunder, and a very sore feeling was engendered.
This was heightened by the interference of the English with the tribal
usages. Wholesale massacres had been of constant occurrence in
Zululand, the slightest opposition to the king's will being punished not
only by the death of the offender himself, but by the destruction of all
the villages of the tribe to which he belonged. Every fighting man was
in the army, and the young men were not permitted to marry until the
king gave permission, such permission being never granted until after
the regiment to which the man belonged had distinguished itself in
fight. Hence it happened that frequently the men were kept single until
they reached middle age, and this privation naturally caused among the
whole of the younger population an intense desire for war.
The British Government, seeing the danger of such an organisation, and
feeling that unless it was broken up war would shortly break out, called
upon Cetewayo to abolish this institution. At the same time the
Government was acting as arbitrator between the Zulus and the Boers on a
question of frontier, and there was also a minor dispute concerning some
chiefs who had crossed the Tugela, the frontier river, and carried off
some captives.
In December a _durbar_ was held, in which the Government gave the
decision on the frontier question in favour of the Zulus, ordered the
persons who had violated the frontier to be given up, and at the same
time gave in an ultimatum to the Zulu king respecting the dissolution of
his army. It was not known what answer the king would give; but it was
believed that it would be unsatisfactory. Accordingly every effort was
made to place a strong force upon the frontier. Three columns were
assembled, one near the mouth of the Tugela, which was to march along
the coast; another was to cross the river at Rorke's Drift; a third was
to enter Zululand from the Transvaal. The first of these was to be
commanded by Colonel Pearson; the second would be commanded by Colonel
Glyn, and accompanied by the General, Lord Chelmsford, himself; and the
force acting from the Transvaal would be commanded by Colonel Evelyn
Wood.
On the 31st December, Cetewayo returned an answer, expressing his
willingness to give up some of the persons whose surrender was demanded,
and to pay the fine imposed upon him. As to the other points, however,
his answer was purely evasive, and preparations were made to cross the
frontier at once. On the 3rd, General Lord Chelmsford left Capetown for
the front, and the time given to Cetewayo to return a favourable answer
was extended to the 11th. On the 12th, no further reply having been
received, the British troops crossed the Tugela River. Lord
Chelmsford's column moved slowly forward, and occupied no less than ten
days in getting to Isandula, a place little more than ten miles from the
frontier. On the morning of the 22nd, Lord Chelmsford, taking with him
the main body of the column, advanced to reconnoitre the country
beyond,--five companies of the 1st battalion of the 24th, one company of
the 2nd battalion of the 24th, two guns, two rocket tubes, 104 men of
one of the frontier corps, and 800 natives remaining behind to guard the
camp. These were further reinforced in the course of the day by the
arrival of Colonel Durnford with a body of frontier troops. The Zulus
were presently seen advancing towards the camp. This was situate in a
valley. At the back of the camp was a very high and steep hill, which,
had time been given, could have been occupied and held against
overwhelming forces. Unfortunately, however, no steps had been taken to
occupy this point of vantage, or in any way to strengthen the camp. Had
the force been pitched in Salisbury Plain, it could not have acted as if
in more perfect security.
Upon the Zulus making their appearance, advancing in their usual
formation,--namely, that of a great crescent,--two companies of the 24th
advanced to meet them, and Colonel Durnford, with his horse, went out to
skirmish. The Zulus, however, were so numerous and came on with such
determination, that even the rapid fire of the infantry rifles scarcely
sufficed to check them for an instant. The cavalry were forced to fall
back; the infantry, after resisting to the last moment, also retired
hastily. In the meantime the wing of the Zulu force had swept round,
and came down upon the baggage waggons in the rear of the camp. Then
the whole body fell upon the little force of British.
So sudden and determined was the attack, so unexpected in its character,
that the British force had scarcely time to prepare in any way for it.
For a few minutes they fought fiercely, and then the Zulus, with a
tremendous rush, were upon them. Then, in a moment, all was confusion
and disorder. Some stood in groups and fought desperately, back to
back. Others broke and fled. But to all, whether they fought or fled,
the same fate came. A few, and a few only, of the mounted frontiers
succeeded in cutting their way through the enemy and making for the
river but the footmen were, to a man, killed.
The loss was over 1000, and scarce 50 of those engaged effected their
escape. Among the dead were Colonel Durnford and Lieutenant Macdonald,
Royal Engineers; Captain Russell and Captain Stewart Smith, Royal
Artillery; Colonel Pulleine, Major White, Captains Degacher, Warden,
Mostyn, and Younghusband; Lieutenants Hobson, Caveye, Atkinson, Davey,
Anstie, Dyson, Porteous, Melville, Coghill; and Quartermaster Pullen of
the 1st battalion 24th Regiment; and Lieutenants Pope, Austin, Dyer,
Griffith, and Quartermaster Bloomfield, together with Surgeon--Major
Shepheard, of the 2nd battalion 24th Regiment. A large number of
British officers commanding the native contingents were also killed.
Among those who had ridden off while the fight was raging were
Lieutenants Melville and Coghill. These were both mounted, and Melville
bore the colours of the regiment. Cutting their way through the
surrounding Zulus, they rode for the river, hotly pursued by the enemy.
Lieutenant Coghill swam safely across; but upon reaching the other side,
perceived that his comrade was helpless in the river, his horse having
thrown him, and he clinging to a rock. The gallant young officer at
once returned and rescued his friend; but the delay was fatal. The
Zulus were upon them, and, after a desperate resistance, the young
officers were both killed.
In the meantime, by some extraordinary neglect, the column under Lord
Chelmsford was marching on without having any idea of what was happening
in its rear, no communication whatever being kept up between the two
bodies. At last, late in the afternoon, just as it was preparing to
halt, the news was brought of the attack upon the camp. The column
marched back with all speed; but only arrived at the camp late at night,
to find it deserted by the enemy, and strewn with the bodies of those
they had left in high health and spirits in the morning, and with the
remains of waggons and stores of all descriptions.
That night the force lay on their arms on the scene of the encounter,
and next morning marched back to the Tugela, and crossed at Rorke's
Drift.
Here another conflict had taken place upon the previous day; and had it
not been for the gallantry and presence of mind of two young officers,
not only would the depots here have fallen into the hands of the Zulus,
but the retreat of the column would have been cut off, and in all
probability it would have shared the fate of those at Isandula.
At Rorke's Drift was a depot of provisions and stores. This was guarded
by a little force of some 80 men of the 24th Regiment, under the command
of Lieutenant Bromhead; Lieutenant Chard, Royal Engineers, being senior
officer.
In the afternoon the news reached them that the enemy were approaching
in force; and without a moment's loss of time the young officers set
their men to work to form an intrenchment with the grain bags and boxes,
to connect a house used as an hospital with the storehouse. Scarcely
were the preparations complete, when the Zulus, several thousand strong,
crossed the river and advanced to the attack. The little garrison
defended themselves with heroic bravery. Fortunately, among the stores
was a large quantity of ammunition, and they were therefore enabled to
keep up a steady and incessant fire all round, without fear of running
short. Several times the Zulus charged up to the breastwork and
endeavoured to climb over; but each time these efforts were repulsed.
The little force, however, was unable successfully to defend the
hospital, which, after desperate fighting, was carried by the Zulus and
burnt, the garrison then being concentrated in the storehouse and a
small piece of ground enclosed by meal-bags in front. For twelve hours
the fight continued, and then the Zulus, after suffering a loss which
they themselves admit to exceed 1000, fell back, and the all-important
station was retained.
Upon the 23rd, as Colonel Pearson's column was advancing from the lower
Tugela Drift, they were attacked by the enemy at the Ebroi River, and a
fierce fight ensued. The Zulus, however, were kept at bay by the fire
of the rifles, artillery, and rockets, and were unable to come to close
quarters. After making several efforts to charge, they fell back with a
loss of 300 killed. The force pushed on as far as Ekowe, and there
receiving the news of the defeat at Isandula, Colonel Pearson set to
work to intrench the position, sent back his mounted men and the native
contingents, and determined to hold the place to the last.
When the news of the disaster at Isandula reached England, the effect
was immense, and preparations were instantly made to send reinforcements
to the Cape, to the extent of six battalions of infantry, two regiments
of cavalry, and two batteries of artillery. The 88th Regiment, which
was at the Cape, was at once hurried round, and every available man who
could be spared landed from the men-of-war. For a few days a panic
pervaded the colony, as it was feared that the Zulus, inflamed by
victory, would cross the river and invade Natal; and had this bold
policy been carried out, there can be no doubt that wholesale
devastation could have been caused by them. Fortunately, however, the
Zulus, satisfied with their victory and to a certain extent appalled by
the tremendous loss which had been inflicted upon them, both at Isandula
before they overwhelmed the 24th, and at Rorke's Drift, where they
failed in their attack, fell back from the frontier and allowed the
British preparations to be made without interruption.
The column of Colonel Evelyn Wood was attacked two days after the battle
of Isandula; but having received news of that disaster, they were well
prepared, and repulsed the enemy with much loss. They then fell back to
the frontier, and, like the other columns, stood on the defensive.
The troops on the way from England made rapid passages, and arrived at
Durban earlier than could have been expected. About the same time
Prince Napoleon, who had gone out from England with the permission of
Government as a spectator in the war, also arrived there, and was
permitted to accompany the British column. Upon the arrival of the
first troopship at Natal all fear of an invasion passed away, and as
vessel after vessel arrived with its load, the hopes of the British,
that the defeat of Isandula would speedily be wiped out, rose high.
There was, however, considerable delay in obtaining the waggons and
mules required for transport.
The first operation to be undertaken was the relief of Ekowe. This
position had been attacked, and had not only defended itself
successfully, but the little garrison had sallied out, and burned
various kraals in the neighbourhood. Considerable anxiety, however, was
felt as to them, for they were entirely cut off from news. A few
runners only had managed to make their way through, and these had now
ceased, the Zulu watch being too strict to allow any of them to pass.
Fortunately the Engineers were able to establish communication by means
of flashing signals, and from that time news was received daily, giving
an account of the camp, and acquainting those there of the preparations
which were being pushed forward for their relief.
On the 12th of March, 100 men of the 80th Regiment, under the command of
Captain Moriarty, when marching from Durban to Luneberg, on the
north-western frontier of Zululand, were attacked in the night by the
enemy; Captain Moriarty and half the force being killed, while the
remainder of the party, who were encamped upon the other side of the
river Intombi, succeeded in making their escape.
On the 29th of March the column of relief advanced from the Tugela. It
consisted of the 99th, 91st, 57th, 3rd, 60th, several companies of the
Buffs, the Naval Brigade, 200 cavalry, and two battalions of the native
contingent. The Naval Brigade, consisting of the men of the _Shah_ and
_Tenedos_, with two 9-pounders and three Gatling guns, led the advance.
No enemy was met with during the first day's march, and they encamped on
the Ioyuni, nine miles north of the Tugela, where they threw up
intrenchments at once. The next day they marched to Matacoola, and
thence on the following day seven miles farther, to Gingihlovo.
This camp was situated on slightly rising ground, and the tower of Ekowe
was distinctly visible from it. From this Colonel Pearson flashed
signals that a large force of the enemy was on the march. Intrenchments
were thrown up, and the force remained in readiness for an attack. At
half-past five in the morning large masses of the enemy were sighted.
They crossed the river Inyanzi, and advanced in their usual
crescent-shaped formation. The camp was formed in a square; the 60th
Rifles were holding the face first threatened by the enemy. For half an
hour the 60th were hard at work; but their steady fire beat back the
enemy at this point. Sweeping round to the right, they then made a
determined effort to force their way in on that side, but were met and
checked by a tremendous fire from the 57th and 91st.
Nothing could be finer than the way in which the natives advanced to the
attack upon the line of intrenchments, and, notwithstanding the
tremendous musketry fire which they encountered, they pressed forward so
closely that for some time it appeared as if they would force their way
to the intrenchments, and bring the matter to a hand-to-hand fight. The
fire, however, proved too much for them, and they wavered and began to
fall back. Then the little body of cavalry sallied out from the camp,
and fell upon them, and the native contingent followed and took up the
pursuit hotly. The Zulu army was composed of some of the picked men of
the best regiments of the king, and the result showed conclusively that
British troops, if only properly led, can resist an attack of any
number, even of the most gallant savages. The loss of the Zulus was
estimated at 1500.
The relieving force now pushed on to Ekowe, where they found the gallant
garrison in great straits from want of food and from disease, brought on
by living so long in confinement. During the siege 4 officers and 26
men had succumbed. Ekowe was evacuated, a force was left at Gingihlovo,
and the column then returned to the Tugela.
On the 28th of March, the day before the relief column started for
Ekowe, very heavy fighting had taken place in the north-west of
Zululand. Colonel Wood had, during the whole of the time of inactivity,
harassed the enemy with great success. A chief by the name of Umbelini,
however, had made repeated attacks, and it was now determined to punish
him by an attack on the strong plateau of Mhlobani, on which Umbelini
kept the greater part of his herds. On the morning of the 28th, Colonel
Buller, with all the mounted forces, started, gained the plateau without
much difficulty, collected great herds of cattle, and prepared for the
return.
When, however, they were on the point of leaving the plateau, vast
bodies of Zulus were seen approaching from the plains. These were an
army which had been sent by Cetewayo to the assistance of Umbelini. The
cavalry, scattered among the herds, and unable to act from the rocky
nature of the ground, were now in a bad position, and suffered most
heavily. Captain Barton's Volunteer Horse and Colonel Weatherley's
troop suffered most heavily, losing no less than 86 men and 12 officers.
Among these were Colonel Weatherley himself, Captain Hamilton of the
Connaught Rangers, and Captains Campbell and Burton of the Coldstream
Guards. The rest of the force succeeded in getting away, and, hotly
pursued, fell back upon the camp at Kambula.
The following day the Zulus were seen approaching in great force.
Colonels Buller and Russell, with the cavalry, went out and skirmished,
but were speedily driven in. The enemy came on in great force until
within 300 yards of the intrenchment, when a heavy fire was opened upon
them by the men of the 13th Regiment. This checked their advance upon
the front, and they then threatened the cattle laager, hard by, by a
flanking movement. Major Hackett of the 90th, with two companies, moved
to this, and for three hours a desperate fight raged round the whole
circuit of the camp. At the end of this time the Zulus, having suffered
terribly from the fire of our breechloaders, began to fall back, when
our cavalry under Colonel Buller at once sallied out and fell upon them,
and for seven miles pursued and cut them up. Our loss was comparatively
small. Lieutenant Nicholson, R.A., and Lieutenant Bright of the 90th
were killed, Major Hackett and several other officers being severely
wounded.
Many weeks now passed without striking events, and the greatest
discontent was caused by the long inactivity. Kambula and Gingihlovo
had shown how British troops, when steady, could defeat great masses of
the enemy; and it was inexplicable to all why a British force of some
15,000 men could remain for weeks inactive within but four days' march
of the stronghold of the enemy. So great had the discontent become,
both in England and Natal, at the extraordinary inaction of the British
troops, that the greatest satisfaction was diffused when, on the 26th of
May, Sir Garnet Wolseley was appointed to the chief command at the Cape.
On the 1st of June an occurrence took place which cast a gloom over the
whole country. The Prince Imperial started with Lieutenant Carey of the
98th, and six men of Bettington's Horse, on a reconnoitring expedition,
and reached a kraal some ten miles from the camp. Here they unsaddled
their horses and rested for an hour. As they were in the act of
resaddling, a party of Zulus suddenly sprang out. All leaped to their
horses and rode off, unhappily headed by the officer, who should have
been the last in the retreat. The Prince Imperial was unable to mount
his horse, and was overtaken by the Zulus within 300 yards of the kraal,
and, being deserted and alone, was killed by the Zulus, making a noble
resistance to the last. There is no blacker episode in the history of
the British army than this.
Another month was passed in tedious delays and crawling movements.
General Sir Garnet Wolseley reached the Cape in the last week in June,
and the news of his approach appears to have quickened the faculties of
the officer until then commanding the British troops, who accordingly
advanced, and upon the 4th of July fought the battle of Ulundi. The
British were formed in square, and upon their approach to the king's
head village, were attacked by the Zulus. The fight was never for an
instant in doubt. From the four sides of the square a tremendous fire
from our breechloaders, aided by guns and Gatlings placed at the angles,
mowed down the Zulus, who advanced bravely, but were wholly unable to
stand the withering fire. The conflict lasted but a very few minutes,
at the end of which the Zulus were in flight, and the war in Zululand
was virtually at an end.
After this there was no more actual fighting. Scattered bands were
dispersed and places occupied; but the Zulus lost all heart, and went
off at once to their villages. A hot pursuit was kept up after the
king, and he was finally captured and sent a prisoner to the Cape. The
troops were sent back to England as speedily as possible.
After the pacification of Zululand, Sir Garnet Wolseley carried out a
very dashing little expedition against Secoceni, who had long defied the
strength of the Boers and the authority of the English. His stronghold
was captured after sharp fighting, and for a time the South of Africa
was pacified.