One of Chief Sihayo’s sons, Mehlokazulu kaSihayo, left an intriguing account only weeks after the battle in which he referred to the possible fate of the British troops that had been detailed to defend the spur. He stated:
The soldiers were at this time in the camp, having come back from the front, all but two companies, which went on to the hill and never returned – they were every one of them killed. They were firing on the wings of the Zulu army while the body of the army was pushing on, the wings also succeeded, and before the soldiers knew where they were, they were surrounded from the west, attacked by the wings from the right, and the main body from the back. They were all killed, not one escaped; they tried to make an opening towards the camp, but found the Zulu army was too thick; they could not do it; it was impossible.
An account by a Colonial soldier appeared in the Natal Witness on 7 February, which touched upon the matter. The article was referring to the battle of Isandlwana and includes these provocative words:
If it had not been for the mismanagement, the Zulus would have been beaten off. Just fancy sending a company (70 men) out at a time to stop 20,000 Zulus. Barker, who escaped, says he saw one company which was sent onto the high hills, to the left of the camp to keep the Zulus back; they shot hundreds of them, but in five minutes there was not a man left. Two other companies were served the same way.
As late as 2 September 1880, when the matter was further discussed in Parliament, reference was made to the dispatch sent by Chelmsford immediately after arriving in Pietermaritzburg. Only five days after the disaster Chelmsford had stated that:
One company went off to the extreme left and has never been heard of since, and the other five, I understand, engaged the enemy about a mile to the left front of the camp, and there made a most stubborn and gallant resistance.
The most convincing material relating to this incident is found in the records of the noted South African historian George Chadwick, who was the guardian of the Isandlwana battlefield until 1986 and a member of the National Monuments Council until his death in late 2000. Chadwick always accepted that Dyson and his men had fought and died above the spur and he referred to the site of their graves in an article he wrote during his active tenure of office. He noted that in 1928 the graves and cairns immediately around the battlefield had been fenced off and these alone received any care or attention. Many graves outside the fenced area, including those of Dyson and his men, had become indistinguishable from other piles of stones that extensively littered the area. Later, in 1958, a graves curator had inadvertently destroyed a number of cairns and graves while renovating the battlefield; this process had exposed relics and human bones, which resulted in visitors registering a number of strong protests. Chadwick was requested to restore the cairns and graves in situ and whilst doing so, he decided to make a survey of the whole battlefield with the intention of restoring those distant cairns that had long since been lost or neglected. Relying on his memory, maps and old photographs he discovered forty such cairns; some were along the Fugitives’ Trail and others were on the ridge in question; this was the very same ridge that led up to the Nqutu plateau where Dyson and his men were overrun. Chadwick knew that he was possibly alone in believing that British graves were on the ridge and, after diligently searching the area, he found several isolated cairns away from the ridge exactly where Dyson was believed to have made his last stand. Chadwick’s examination of the cairns and graves revealed 24th Regimental buttons, boot protectors and human bones under the cairns. The site was dismantled, documented and rebuilt. It was the very same area through which the Zulu reserve of the uThulwana, iNdlondlo and uDoklo amabutho had sped to take up their allocated reserve position before moving on to Rorke’s Drift. In the forty-two years since Chadwick’s restoration on the spur, the area has rarely been visited except by herd boys; due to severe weathering and the growth of grass over the last forty years, the cairns are now no longer visible.2
These Zulu reserves, having now tasted blood and flushed with success, continued their rapid advance to their allocated position blocking the Isandlwana to Rorke’s Drift road. There they came across Lieutenant MacDowell’s small party of engineers who were busy repairing the damaged roadway across a watercourse 1 mile from Isandlwana. MacDowell was at the Isandlwana camp when his men were completely taken by surprise and swiftly overwhelmed and slain; and so a further ten to fifteen Martini-Henry rifles and ammunition were added to the Zulus’ armoury of captured British rifles. It is always possible that the Zulus ignored and left Dyson’s and MacDowell’s Martini-Henry rifles and ammunition where they lay following each of the engagements; however, these items were prized by the Zulus above all other trophies and it is most unlikely that the warriors would have abandoned them.
Finally, with regard to this issue, if the Zulus had fired Martini-Henry rounds from the Oskarsberg into the British position, would the Zulus have diligently collected their spent cartridge cases or abandoned them where they fell? During archaeological excavations of Rorke’s Drift during 1992, a metal-detector survey was conducted on the slopes of the Oskarsberg with special attention being given to the caves and ledges reputedly used by the Zulu marksmen during the battle.3 No Martini-Henry cases were discovered although a number of Martini-Henry rounds were found; these, presumably, had been fired into the caves by the British defenders.
During April 2001, the author undertook a small survey of the area immediately above the caves and terraces; the possibility was that some of the Zulu marksmen could have fired into the British position from the cover of rocks beyond the caves. Indeed, by spending only one day searching the area, six spent Martin-Henry cases were discovered at a distance of 300 yards from the original British rear box-wall. It is therefore highly probable that a number of the Zulu marksmen firing from the Oskarsberg into the British position were marginally further away than previously believed: the area where the cases were found would have been the only protected area where the Zulus could have assembled before their attack on the mission station rear wall.
The gap in time between the lived event and its present-day examination is too great for conclusive proof that Bourne was right or wrong. If his belief was correct and the Zulus attacking Rorke’s Drift used Martini-Henry rifles from Isandlwana, which the above factors tend to suggest, then, sadly, the implication is that a number of British soldiers at Rorke’s Drift were killed by Zulus firing British rifles that they had seized only hours earlier.
APPENDIX G
Application from the Swedish Government for Protection of its Mission Station
This recently discovered document clearly indicates that the Swedish government was expecting war in Zululand as early as the end of 1878, which challenges the widely held view of historians that the British government were taken completely by surprise when British troops invaded Zululand in January 1879.
CC.–2308 Item 10. Further Correspondence respecting the Affairs of South Africa. Request for protection of Rorke’s Drift Mission Station by Swedish Government1
From: Lieut. Governor Sir H. Bulwer, Government House, Pietermaritzburg, Natal, February 18,1879.
To: Sir Michael Hicks Beach
Sir,
With reference to your despatch of the 5th last,2 transmitting copy of a correspondence with the Foreign Office, respecting an application made by the Swedish government that steps might betaken to afford protection in the event of a Zulu war to the Swedish mission of Oskarsberg, on the borders of Zululand, I have the honour to inform you that the mission station in question is in this colony, and appears to be stationed near Rorke’s Drift, where the reverend Otto Witt purchased, a short while back, on behalf of his mission, the farm Tyeana, formally belonging to the late James Rorke, which, since the purchase, has been called by Mr. Witt, in honour of the king of Sweden, Oscarberg.
2 When Mr. Witt purchased the farm last year, there were two large substantial buildings on it, the one being the dwelling house, and the other comprising several rooms used for
mission and farm purposes.
3 Before the Zulu war broke out, a column of Her Majesty’s troops and of some Colonial forces, was stationed in the neighbourhood of Rorke’s drift, which is one of the principal roads entering Zululand.
4 When the war broke out the troops belonging to this column crossed Rorke’s drift, and had proceeded ten (10) miles, or thereabouts, into the interior to Isandula, where the attack was made on the 22nd January by the Zulu army on the headquarter’s camp.
5 From the situation of the mission station at the entrance of Zululand, and several miles from any other house, the buildings of Oscarberg became of importance to the military column, as commanding the ford and as suitable for the purposes of a military depot. Permission was accordingly obtained by the military authorities from Mr. Witt for the use of the outer building as a depot, and more recently the dwelling-house was occupied as a hospital.
6 On the night of the 22nd January, after the disaster at Isandula, a large Zulu force attacked this post. The attack was most gallantly and successfully repulsed by a small detachment of troops stationed there. The dwelling-house was, however, destroyed by fire.
Signed;
H. Bulwer,
Lieutenant Governor.
Bibliography
P. E. Abbott, Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal 1855–1909
Jack Adams, The South Wales Borderers, London 1968
Anglo Zulu War Historical Society Journals 1–10
C. T. Atkinson, The South Wales Borderers 24th Foot 1689–1937, Cambridge 1937
J. W. Bancroft, The Zulu War, 1879: Rorke’s Drift, Tunbridge Wells: Spellmount Ltd 1991
Ian Bennett, Eyewitness in Zululand, Greenhill 1989
Sonia Clarke, Invasion of Zululand, Brenthurst: South Africa 1979
Richard Cope, The Ploughshare of War, University of Natal Press 1999
Sir Reginald Coupland, Zulu Battle Piece – Isandlwana, London 1948
M. J. Crook, The Evolution of the Victoria Cross, Midas Books 1975
Sir A. Cunynghame, My Command in South Africa, Macmillan 1879
F. Emery, The Red Soldier, Ball Paperbacks, Johannesburg 1977
The Hon. Gerald French, Lord Chelmsford and the Zulu War, Unwin 1939
P. Gon, The Road to Isandlwana, London 1979
Adrian Greaves, Isandlwana, Cassell 2001
A. Greaves and B. Best, The Curling Letters of Zulu War, Pen & Sword 2001
A. Greaves and I. Knight, A Review of The South African Campaign of 1879, Debinair 2000
J. J. Guy, 1971 ‘A note on firearms in the Zulu kingdom with special reference to the Anglo-Zulu War 1879’, Journal of African History (4): 557–70
Hamilton-Browne, A Lost Legionary in South Africa, London 1890
Norman Holme, The Silver Wreath, Samson Books 1979
Ian Knight, There Will Be An Awful Row At Home About This, Shoreham 1987
Ian Knight, The Sun Turned Black, Watermans 1995, and Windrow & Green 1992
Ian Knight, The Zulu War – Then and Now, Plaistow Press 1993
John Laband, Lord Chelmsford’s Zululand Campaign, Alan Sutton Publishing 1996
John Laband, Oh! Lets Go and Have a Fight at Jim’s, Kingdom & Colony
J. Laband and P. Thompson, Kingdom in Crisis. The Zulu response to the British invasion of 1879, Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press 1992
Laband, Thompson and Henderson, The Buffalo Border 1879, University of Natal, Durban 1983
W. G. Lloyd, John Williams, VC, Glamorgan 1993
M. Lummis MC, Padre George Smith of Rorke’s Drift, Wensome 1978
F. Mechanick, 1979 ‘Firepower and firearms in the Zulu War of 1879’, Military History Journal 4 (6): 218–20
Medal Rolls 1793–1889 of the 24th Foot, South Wales Borderers, J. B. Hayward & Son
W. E. Montague, Campaigning in South Africa, Blackwood 1880
Donald Morris, The Washing of the Spears, Cape 1996
Morris and Arthur, Life of Lord Wolseley, 1924
Parliamentary Papers 1878–1906 (C 2222–2295)
Paton Glennie, and Penn Symons, Records of the 24th Regiment, London 1892
A. H. Swiss, Records of the 24th Regiment, London 1892
War Office, Précis of Information, 1879
A. Wilmot, The Zulu War, London 1880
W. B. Worsfold, Sir Bartle Frere: a Footnote to the History of the British Empire, 1923
Newspapers, Journals and Periodicals of 1878/1879
The Illustrated London News London
The Graphic London
Natal Colonist South Africa
Natal Mercury South Africa
The Natal Times South Africa
Natal Witness South Africa
Punch London
Standard London
The Times London
Daily News London
Notes
Introduction
1 A memorandum in July of 1878 from Chelmsford to the Duke of Cambridge at the War Office.
2 The regiment had two serving battalions and, most unusually, both battalions were serving in South Africa. For future easy reference throughout, each battalion is entitled as the l/24th or the 2/24th.
3 Hansard, Lords, 13 February 1879, 1042
4 Parliamentary Papers C–l883 dated 15 May 1877.
5 a. Ultimate paragraph of a letter from Sir Henry Bulwer (Lieutenant Governor of Natal) to Sir Henry Barkly (Colonial Office) dated 1 April 1877. C–l 776.
As the mail is closing, I have just received news from our borders that Cetywayo is collecting his men, and that he is very angrily disposed again against the Boers, and evidently contemplates the necessity of hostilities.
b. A deposition taken by Mr Fynn, Resident Magistrate of the Umsinga Division, dated 29 March 1877 states:
That all the Zulus, with the exception of Sihayo’s people, including all those in the western border, were assembled, as with the greater part already mustered for war with the Transvaal Dutch. C–l776.
c. Another deposition by the same magistrate reports:
The Dutch had been informed secretly that the Zulu would enter the Transvaal yesterday or today (the 30th or 31st March 1877) for the purpose of war with the Dutch. C–1776.
d. As if confirmation of Cetshwayo’s intention was needed, he sent the following message on 15 May 1877 to Shepstone:
I thank my father Somtseu [Shepstone’s native name] for his message. I am glad that he has sent it, because the Dutch have tired me out, and I intended to fight with them once, only once, and to drive them over the Vaal. You see, my Impis are gathered. It was to fight the Dutch I called them together. Now I will send them back to their homes. C–1883.
6 C–2100.
7 C–2222.
8 An account by a Zulu deserter recorded by the Hon. William Drummond, a Zulu speaking staff officer on the HQ Staff. See Frank Emery, The Red Soldier, Ball Paperbacks, Johannesburg 1977.
9 C–2308 No. 10. See Appendix G.
Chapter 1
1 By the end of the war the invasion force would have used over 27,000 oxen and nearly 5,000 mules to reach Ulundi for the final battle. (War Office Précis).
2 John Laband, Lord Chelmsford’s Zululand Campaign, p.xxxv, Introduction.
3 Composition of the Centre Column:
No. 2 Column – Commanding, Lieutenant-Colonel Durnford, RE Staff – For general staff duties, Captain Barton, 77th Foot; for transport duties, Lieutenant Cochrane 32nd Foot; senior medical officer, civil surgeon Cartwright Reed. Corps – Rocket battery (mules), Captain Russell, RA; 1st Battalion 1st Regiment Natal Native Contingent, Commandant Montgomery; 2nd Battalion 1st Regiment Natal Native Contingent, Major Bengough, 77th Foot; 3rd Battalion 1st Regiment Natal Native Contingent, Captain Cherry, 32nd Foot; Sikali’s Horse; No. 3 Company Natal Native Pioneers, Captain Allen.
No. 3 Column – Commanding, Brevet Colonel Glyn, CB, 24th Foot; Staff – Orderly officer, Lieutenant Coghill, 24th Foot; principal staff officer, Major Clery; for general s
taff duties, Captain Gardner, 14th Hussars; for transport duties, Captain Essex, 75th Foot; senior commissariat officer, Assistant Commissary Dunne; sub-district paymaster, Paymaster Elliott (hon. captain); senior medical officer, Surgeon Major Shepherd. Corps – N battery, 5th Brigade, Royal Artillery, Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Harness; Royal Engineers, No. 5 Company, Captain Jones, RE; 1st Battalion, 24th Foot, Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Pulleine, 24th Foot; 2nd Battalion, 24th Foot, Lieutenant Colonel Degacher, CB, 24th Foot; No. 1 Squad, Mounted Infantry, Lieutenant Colonel Russell, 12th Lancers; Natal Mounted Police, Major Dartnell; Natal Carbineers, Captain Shepstone; Newcastle Mounted Rifles, Captain Bradstreet; Buffalo Border Guard, Captain Smith; 3rd Regiment Natal Native Contingent, Commandant Lonsdale; staff officer, Lieutenant Hartford, 99th Foot; 1st Battalion, Commandant Lonsdale; 2nd Battalion, Commandant Cooper; No. 1 Company Natal Native Pioneer Corps, Captain Nolan.
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