Isandhlwana Battle Site

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sat 30 Nov 2019 23:37
The Battle of Isandhlwana
 
 
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We left Beez Neez and Slow Flight at nine heading for the Champagne Valley in Drakensberg for our next road trip. Instead of the fast route (three and a half hours) we took a scenic route for Bear to tick off a major wish by visiting Rorke’s Drift. We watched the countryside change to wide open fields, through thousands of acres of eucalyptus farms. There was no reason not to stop at Isandhhana as it was en route – the first of three battles we would learn about. 
 
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The Wicked Witch took us on a parallel track and we ended up away from the official visitor’s car park (found later) and took us behind a few small houses. Not to be thwarted we bimbled toward a high fence and hoorah, a kissing gate, through a field, we went toward a memorial away to our left.
 
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Memorial erected in 1907.
 
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From this memorial we could look across toward many graves of men who fell on the battlefield. Inside pamphlet ‘Wars of the Region’ shows map of eighty places of battle and memorial with brief descriptions. On the reverse are brief histories of who fought with who and why. From Early Zulu History.........By the mid 1820’s the Zulu Nations had emerged as the most powerful and influential nation in southern Africa......... The final sentence reads: Despite understandably subjective criticism, contemporary accounts from shipwrecked sailors in the 18th century and early hunters and adventurers describe the Zulus with whom they came in contact as cheerful, prosperous and law-abiding people. ...........
 
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Drawing of a Zulu warrior (British Museum)
 
The continuing strengthening of the independent Zulu nation by King Cetshwayo was perceived as a growing threat to the colonists of Natal, and in December 1878 the British Colonial government issued an ultimatum that was impossible for the Zulu Nation to accept as it required them to disband their army and swear allegiance to Queen Victoria.

The terms which were included in the ultimatum delivered to the representatives of King Cetshwayo on the banks of the Thukela river at the Ultimatum Tree on the 11th of December 1878. No time was specified for compliance with item 4, twenty days were allowed for compliance with items 1–3, that is, until the 31st of December inclusive; ten days more were allowed for compliance with the remaining demands, items 4–13. The earlier time limits were subsequently altered so that all expired on the 10th of  January 1879. 1.    Surrender of Sihayo’s three sons and brother to be tried by the Natal courts. 2.    Payment of a fine of five hundred head of cattle for the outrages committed by the above and for Cetshwayo’s delay in complying with the request of the Natal Government for the surrender of the offenders. 3.    Payment of a hundred head of cattle for the offence committed against Messrs. Smith and Deighton. 4.    Surrender of the Swazi chief Umbilini and others to be named hereafter, to be tried by the Transvaal courts. 5.    Observance of the coronation promises. 6.    That the Zulu army be disbanded and the men allowed to go home. 7.    That the Zulu military system be discontinued and other military regulations adopted, to be decided upon after consultation with the Great Council and British Representatives. 8.    That every man, when he comes to man’s estate, shall be free to marry. 9.    All missionaries and their converts, who until 1877 lived in Zululand, shall be allowed to return and reoccupy their stations. 10. All such missionaries shall be allowed to teach and any Zulu, if he chooses, shall be free to listen to their teaching. 11. A British Agent shall be allowed to reside in Zululand, who will see that the above provisions are carried out. 12. All disputes in which a missionary or European is concerned, shall be heard by the king in public and in presence of the Resident. 13. No sentence of expulsion from Zululand shall be carried out until it has been approved by the Resident.

To ensure that there was no interference from London, Frere delayed informing the Colonial Office about his ultimatum until it was too late for it to be countermanded. The full text of his demands did not reach London until the 2nd January 1879. By then, Chelmsford had assembled an army of 18,000 men- redcoats, colonial volunteers and Natal African auxiliaries- along the Zululand border ready for the invasion.

 
Bartle Frere  Cetshwayo
 
Eleven days before the historic Isandhlwana battle, during which the British army was to suffer its biggest defeat ever at the hands of a native military foe, British High Commissioner in South Africa at the time, Sir Bartle Frere, had launched an invasion of Zululand after the expiry of his impossible ultimatum to the Zulu King Cetshwayo had expired. Frere was trying to establish a confederation of white-led states in southern Africa, but the Zulus stood firmly in the path of his ambitions.
 
Chelmsford  Colonel Charles Pearson  Colonel Richard Glyn,  Colonel Evelyn Wood.
 

Under the command of Major General Lord Frederic Augustus Thesigel Chelmsford, three columns were sent to converge on the Zulu Royal ikhanda – or military camp – at Ulundi. The coastal column was commanded by Colonel Charles Pearson, the central column by Colonel Richard Glyn, and the third – highly mobile – column by Colonel Evelyn Wood.

 

Colonel Anthony Durnford  Colonel Hugh Rowlands

In addition, Brevet Colonel Anthony Durnford and Colonel Hugh Rowlands each commanded an additional reserve force. General Chelmsford accompanied the central column, thereby effectively over-riding the command of Colonel Glyn. This column crossed the Mzinyathi (Buffalo) River at Rorke's Drift on Sunday the 11th of January 1879. Their first action took place the following day when they attacked the settlement of Chief Sihayo, after which they advanced to the site below the sphinx-shaped hill known as Isandhlwana, where they established a camp. As they considered it a temporary camp, unlikely to suffer an attack, they undertook no entrenchments. The column totalled some 4,907 men and included 302 wagons and carts, 1,507 oxen and 116 horses and mules.

At dawn on the 21st of January Major John Dartnell led a party of about 150 men on a reconnaissance mission, some sixteen kilometres to the south-east in the area of the Hlazakazi Hill. Commandant Rupert Lonsdale simultaneously led 1,600 men of the Natal Native Contingent in the direction of the Malakatha Mountain. During these movements some Zulus were observed on the Magogo Heights. After several skirmishes, Dartnell sent two men back to Isandhlwana to report to Chelmsford, and inform him that his party would spend the night on the slopes of Hlakazi. The following morning Chelmsford and Colonel Glyn rode out in the direction of Hlakazi and met up with Dartnell, leaving the camp under the command of Lt. Colonel Henry Pulleine, who at this point had a total of 1,768 men in the camp, it having also been reinforced by Durnford’s reserves.
On the 22nd of January, a scouting party of mounted troops, led by Lt. Charles Raw, observed some Zulus and set off in pursuit. As they approached the edge of the Mabazo overlooking the Ngwebeni Valley, they spotted the 24,000-strong Zulu main force camped below.

 
Charles Edwin Fripp - National Army Museum
 
Charles Edwin Fripp’s painting (National Army Museum) of the Isandhlwana Battle.
 

Meanwhile, on the 17th of January, the 28,000-strong Zulu army, under command of Cetshwayo's Prime Minister Mnyamana Buthelezi, had left kwaNodwengo – near present-day Ulundi – and proceeded across the White Umfolozi River. On the 18th 4,000 warriors under Godide kaNdlela set off from the main body to attack Pearson at Nyazane, near Eshowe. The remaining 24,000 Zulus camped at the isiPhezi ikhanda, their trail behind them leaving the grass flat for five months! On the 19th they split into two parallel columns and camped near Babanango mountain. On the 20th they moved a further 18km and camped near Siphezi mountain, and on the 21st they moved in small groups into the Ngwebeni valley where they remained hidden until their discovery by Raw and his men on the 22nd.
The Zulus had intended attacking the following day, but Raw's men fired into their ranks and they began to stream towards Isandlwana. Raw reached the camp around 12:15 to warn of the approaching enemy. A defensive line was established between the rump of the hill, across the rocky plan to the Nyokane donga. Durnford's men who had already commenced their advance withdrew to the donga when the rocket battery was overrun.

 
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Map showing Chelmsford’s movements in blue. Zulu movements in green and the British retreat in red.
 
The main Zulu attack began at 12:30 with 20,000 men, 4,000 being held in reserve. At first the British line, comprised mainly of the 1st and 24th regiments, held firm with the two guns keeping a steady fire. However, as many as a third of the Zulus were armed with some type of firearm, which eventually began to take its toll and the warriors advanced to within 800 metres of the somewhat extended British line, due to a shortage of men who had also begun to run short of ammunition. A simultaneous partial eclipse of the sun during the fighting added an eerie quality to the battle.
Realising that the initial attack had failed, the Zulu commanders sent Ndlaka and an induna (headman) forward to encourage the warriors. At this point Durnford’s position on the right collapsed and his men fell back towards the saddle, through which the warriors surged across the British line. As their line fell back from the Zulu advance, the right horn of the Zulu force had made its way behind the hill to cut off any British retreat back towards Rorke’s Drift.
By about 15:00 the British position had been overrun, and those who tried to escape the slaughter attempted to flee via the saddle between Isandhlwana and Black’s koppie. Most of these fugitives were stopped by the Zulu’s right horn, and only a few on horseback got away. Lieutenants Melvill and Coghill bravely attempted to save the battalion’s Queen’s Colour but were killed in the attempt, the colours being washed downstream and recovered on the 4th of February.
Chelmsford, who had been operating in the hills to the south-east, was informed of the disaster at 15:00 and the remnants of the central column cautiously returned to Isandhlwana as evening fell. The reality of the situation together with the reports of the ongoing battle raging at Rorke’s Drift made him resume his march before dawn, reaching the Mzinyathi River shortly after the Zulus had returned to Zululand.
Both sides lost heavily in the battle of Isandhlwana. Estimates of British losses were 1,357, and approximately 3,000 Zulu warriors were also killed. At this news, King Cetshwayo said “alas, a spear has been thrust into the belly of the nation”.

Of the battle BBC History says: Word of the disaster reached Britain on 11 February 1879. The Victorian public was dumbstruck by the news that 'spear-wielding savages' had defeated the well-equipped British Army. The hunt was on for a scapegoat, and Chelmsford was the obvious candidate. But he had powerful supporters.

On 12 March 1879 Disraeli told Queen Victoria that his 'whole Cabinet had wanted to yield to the clamours of the Press, & Clubs, for the recall of Ld. Chelmsford'. He had, however, 'after great difficulty carried the day'. Disraeli was protecting Chelmsford not because he believed him to be blameless for Isandlwana, but because he was under intense pressure to do so from the Queen.

Meanwhile Lord Chelmsford was urgently burying all the evidence that could be used against him. He propagated the myth that a shortage of ammunition led to defeat at Isandlwana. He ensured that potential witnesses to his errors were unable to speak out. Even more significantly, he tried to push blame for the defeat onto Colonel Durnford, now dead, claiming that Durnford had disobeyed orders to defend the camp.

The truth is that no orders were ever given to Durnford to take command. Chelmsford's behaviour, in retrospect, is unforgivable. Many generals blunder in war, but few go to such lengths to avoid responsibility.

 

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We bimbled toward Isandhlwana Hill and the white isiVivaneni. 

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John Philip Archbell. 

 

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The next memorial we came to and its four panels. 

 

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A plaque. 

 

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A very tall monument atop a plinth with very steep steps and a heavy chain across read: To the memory of 22 Officers and 590 N.C. Officers and men of the 1st and 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment who fell in action on the field of Isandhlwana on the 22nd of January 1879 and in the defence of Rorke’s Drift on the 22nd and 23rd of January 1879. Erected by their comrades past and present and by old friends of the regiment Anno Domini 1913. 

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Kimi and Bear taking it all in.

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A memorial to the Old Boys of Pietermartzburg High School.

 

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We made it to the car park and information boards.

 

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Graves around the very edge of the site. 

 

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We bimbled back toward the car leaving the site.

 

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Going back across the field we stopped by a local tree, now known as a Pepe Tree.

 

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We took in the peace about us and headed off to find Rorke’s Drift. 

 

ALL IN ALL SUCH A WASTE 

                    ONE OF THE MOST MOVING BATTLEFIELDS I HAVE VISITED