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The Zulu War—1879 |
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How It Came To War.
In 1868, diamonds were discovered in Kimberley. This was the issue that tipped the decision for Britain. The potential for colonial wealth and economical development for the British government in the backwaters of Zululand was too great. A scheme known as Confederation was to be implemented. In 1877, Sir Henry Edward Bartle Frere was sent to the cape to implement it. His goal was to bring together British colonies, Boer interests and small African kingdoms under one rule. Standing in his way was the kingdom of Zululand. Frere had to remove the threat of the massive well trained Zulu army and it’s king, Cetshwayo that stood in the way, for he would not agree to this.
Frere had at his disposal, British forces under the command of Lieutenant-General Lord Chelmsford, already in the cape area.
Technically, he had to pick a fight with King Cetshwayo and he did so with the issue of an ultimatum given to the Zulu’s on 11th December 1878 on the banks of the Lower Thukela River. Cetshwayo was given 30 days to respond to this ultimatum which included the disbanding of the Zulu army. This and other terms which King Cetshwayo would never agree to. The ultimatum was delivered using the reasons of minor border incidents amongst others.
30 Days later on 11th January 1879, Cetshwayo had not responded or accepted it within the time limits set.
Lord Chelmsford had time to plan his strategy. His plan was to send five invading columns into Zululand on 11th January 1879. Chelmsford himself chose to accompany No: 3 Column or centre column under Col Richard Glynn and crossed into Zululand from the shallow crossing at Rorke’s Drift. Above him 50 miles to the North—Evelyn Wood also crossed the Buffalo River. This was to be known as the Northern Column. On the coast, No: 1 column invaded. Colonel Charles Pearson in command. No: 2 column under Col Anthony Durnford RE was positioned South of No: 3 column and was expected to provide assistance to No: 3 column on the way to Ulundi—the kings royal homestead.
Cetshwayo selected Glynn’s No:3 column for the Zulu impi to attack. The Impi moved from Ulundi on17th January 1879. He may or may not have known that Chelmsford was to accompany No:3 column. This fact has never been established.
What followed in the next 12 days was to be the worst defeat ever dealt to a modern day well equipped British army from a native foe. A huge Zulu Army of 28,000 men had managed to move totally undetected to a distance of 5 miles to the No: 3 column camp that was defended by 1700 Imperial troops.
Chelmsford had split No:3 column of around 4000 men controversially, early in the morning of the 22nd January 1879 and left 1700 troops to watch over the camp at Isandlwana— 12 miles from the invasion point at Rorke’s Drift. He himself was 12 miles away across the Isandlwana Plain chasing an ever disappearing Zulu decoy. The Zulu commander Ntshingwayo saw his chance and took it. What followed was the total destruction of the camp at Isandlwana and the deaths of 1300 British and African troops. Only 60 white troops were to escape back into Natal. No front line troops in the firing line were to survive and only 5 Imperial officers were to survive.
That same day, the tiny garrison at Rorke’s Drift across the Buffalo River in Natal stood there ground and won a small victory over 4000 Zulu warriors of the reserve that took no action at Isandlwana. 120 British Troops had managed to turn the disastrous engagement at Isandlwana into a small victory that was to provide Frere and Chelmsford breathing space to reinvade Zululand a few months later. The Zulu’s engaged the British on several occasions with small success and the final battle of this war was played out at Ulundi where the Zulu army was totally defeated.
The battle of Isandlwana is a very controversial subject. The main historic accounts of this battle have traditionally been one sided—from the British point of view, as reports and accounts were gathered only from a British view after the battle. No-one at that time thought about interviewing Ntshingwayo—the Zulu battle commander or his officers and aides. Here we lose a great deal of information and facts, hence the controversy over the British defeat and blame of defeat laid at Durnford’s feet. Only now as new evidence comes to light from newly discovered materials that the stories of this battle are starting to fill in the cracks that many historians have missed.
My website mainly concentrates on the Battle of Isandlwana on the 22nd January 1879 and the Zulu victory that resulted from it. It is a pictorial guide. Enjoy the pages of photo’s and I hope you will appreciate what a special place Isandlwana is.
Jamie |
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Isandlwana 1879 |
