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South Africa - Wars

Zulu Wars

1879 - Isandhlwana, Rorke's Drift

"1879-01-22 : Six companies of the 24th Regiment are annihilated at Isandhlwana.
Following this defeat British regiments no longer carry colours in the field. Eight [Victoria crosses] and nine [distinguished conduct medals] won at Rorke's Drift."

Can anyone tell me more about this battle? Did the carrying of colours contribute to the defeat, or was this just the final straw that made the army prohibit risking the regiments' most prized (but tactically useless) possessions?
Dean Tiegs - 1998-01-22

Someone else earlier on posted that in 1859 (I think that's the right year) the British colors were made smaller and not carried to the front as before in battle - unlike the American Civil War where color bearers died like flies!

At Isandlwhana, the British were encamped in an unlaagered formation - which was to lead to their destruction. This column was under the command of Col. Pulliene and served as logistics camp to the advanced column of Lord Chelmsford who was moving towards the Zulu king's kraal at Ulundi. The colors, as near as I can place them were near Pulleine's HQ at the start.

The Zulu Impi (as their army was called) had outmaneuvered the British who were basically arrogant about their foes (sounds like Afghanistan and some other places they got chopped up over the years) and did not believe the Zulus would or could literally march over a mountain range to fall on their unprotected rear areas - yet that is exactly what they did do! A younger Zulu warrior could run for over 20 miles and still fight a battle when he arrived and the Zulus were some of the finest light infantry ever in military history.
The main impi did just that - marched over a mountain and got in between the two British columns. Napoleon would have been quite pleased with this maneuver that he called "the strategy of the central position".

The British did not know where the main impi was and the Zulus had detached some regiments (organized by age grouping, by the way) to draw Chelmsford closer in to their kraal. The British cavalry units, largely Natal Native Contingent, were all over the place trying to find the main body of Zulus. One troop of British cavalry, while chasing down a herd of beef driven by some Zulus for food discovered the main body not long after they had crossed the mountains resting in a valley. They did not plan to attack until the next day but seeing their discovery they charged out of the valley after the fleeing troopers who fought a withdrawing skirmish back towards the main camp at Isandlwhana.

With the sound of gunfire the camp called "stand to" and formed lines of battle to the Northwest to East of the camp area with the regular infantry and the NNC infantry. Pulliene also had two howitzers (7 pounders) and a rocket battery as support. The Zulus drove the cavalry patrol back to the camp and formed along a low ridge overlooking it. The 1700 or so British and native troops must have about died when they saw the line of 20,000 Zulus before them!

The Zulu attacked in a formation called "the horns of the buffalo" which was a disciplined formation designed to bait their foe into assaulting their center and then the "horns" would close around the foe and flank and envelop his sides for annhilation. The Zulus attacked in this formation with the left horn almost cutting off some other cavalry units and the right horn going behind the mountain of Isandlwhana to get into the rear of the British camp. The center came straight on towards the British battle lines who were armed with single shot Martini-Henry rifles which fired a big bullet (.45 caliber) but kicked like Hell!

The disciplined British volleys actually started to break the attack of the Zulu center, forcing them to halt for some time and lie down to escape the volleys. But nothing stopped the two horns and they swept forward aggressively. What actually doomed the British, maybe even more than being heavily outnumbered, was the fact the amm box tops in the supply wagons area were bolted down and not ready for combat. Once the soldier fired the 40 or so rounds in his pouch he was out of firepower and had to face the Zulu spears and clubs with only his bayonet. The Zulus began advancing again as the fire slacked off closing and going hand to hand with the British lines. They overran them and pushed into the camp slaughtering everything in their way.

The right horn had gotten between the camp and the British line of supply back to the Buffalo River abd Rorke's Drift cutting off the fleeing soldiers who had to run the Zulu gauntlet to escape. Very few did. The rest of the 24th died where they stood basically. Pulleine gave the colors to Lt. Melville who rode towards Rorke's Drift. He was soon joined by Lt. Coghill and both were overrun by the Zulus as they tried to cross the river to safety. The colors were swept away - and I have heard they were recovered some time later.

While the battle started a rider reached Chlemsford some miles away and told him about the battle. He had his doubts but marched back towards Isandlwhana.
Reaching the place at night, so his men would not see the ghastly scene around them, Chelmsford was forced to abandon his campaign and fall back into the British territory. In the distance, however, he could see the fires of the night action from the Zulu attack on the British garrison at Rorke's Drift where 4000 Zulus took on less than 200 British troops (against orders of their king, by the way) and were defeated the next day.

Rorke's Drift was supposedly the largest single action for the awarding of Victoria Crosses in British military history.

Chelmsford was defeated by splitting his command into 5 columns allowing the Zulus to fall on one and annhilate it. It still ranks as the largest defeat of regular troops by indigineous forces in military history. The troops at the battle were defeated by a lack of ammunition getting to the firing lines - although the left horn of the Zulu attack would have probably overran them anyway.

I hope this helps you out. There are several good books on the Zulu Wars in print as well as two excellent and very accurate movies - "Zulu" which is about Rorke's Drift, and "Zulu Dawn" about Isandlwhana. Though the second film came after the first one listed you will need to watch them in reverse to preserve the timeline. Michael Caine(in his first movie role) and Stanley Baker star in "Zulu" and Peter O' Toole and Burt Lancaster star in "Zulu Dawn". They are two of my favorite war movies of all time!

Biggsk - 1998-01-23

"It was the Zulu War of 1879 which forced the British Army to reconsider carrying Colours in battle. When the Zululand invasion force was annihilated at Isandhlwana on 22 Jan. 1879, two officers of the 24th Foot fled the battlefield with the Queen's Colour. Zulus pursued them and killed them in the Buffalo River where they lost the Colour in the river current. A search party later found their bodies and the Queen's Colour further downstream. When the regiment returned home in 1880 Q. Victoria asked to see the recovered Colour and placed a wreath of immortelles on the pike. The wreath is carried to this day, and that particular Colour, presented in 1866, was carried until 1934. In August 1880 an MP questioned the propriety of carrying Colours on the battlefield and recommended discontinuing "such impedimenta". The Secretary of War polled generals and colonels on the matter in July 1881. Finally in January 1882 the Army issued an order that "in consequence of the altered formation of attack and the extended range of fire, Regimental Colours shall not in future be taken with the battalions on active service." But at the same time they decided to retain Colours for ceremonial purposes, "affording a record of the services of the regiment and furnishing to the young soldier a history of its gallant deeds." This order extended to the Dominions and Colonies.

"While the debate was in progress, the 58th Northamptonhire Regiment carried their Colours into action at the battle of Laings Nek during the 1st Anglo-Boer War (28 Jan. 1881). The Colours provided a conspicuous target for the Boer snipers, and Lt. Baillie carrying the Regimental Colour was repeatedly wounded before being killed. This was the last time British Colours were carried in battle."

T. F. Mills - quoting himself from 1997-03-20

As the British Army invaded Zululand, they left one company at the border with all the sick and malingerers. This was at a Swedish mission station and river crossing called Rorke's Drift. After the annihilation of one column of the army at Isandhlwana, 4000 Zulus converged on Rorke's Drift. The 100 men there were commanded by two lieutenants with no combat experience. They held off the Zulus for about 12 hours, most the battle raging through the night. 17 British died and about 1000 Zulus. By sunrise both sides were exhausted and couldn't go on. For their heroics, the British were awarded more VCs than for any other single action (11 actually, not 8) -- for a totally unnecessary battle. There were no Colours at Rorke's Drift.

Despite several dramatic and whimsical paintings to the contrary, the Queen's Colour which was carried off the field at Isandhlwana was cased. So complete had been the surprise of the Zulu attack on the British camp, that nobody had an opportunity to uncase the Colours during the battle. All the British (600) and over 2000 Zulus were killed at Isandhlwana. The Colours played no role at the battle (i.e. nobody was killed because they were a conspicuous target), but the press attention to the heroics of Lts. Melvill and Coghill who attempted to save the Queen's Colour, and the Queen's desire to see it afterwards are what raised the debate about the propriety of carrying Colours in modern warfare.

T. F. Mills - 1998-01-23

According to the Hutchingson Dictionary of Battles, by Ian V. Hogg, Rorkes's Drift occurred after the British disaster at Isandhlwana during the Zulu War (Jan 1879). 4000 Zulus attacked the farm where a hospital was established. 66 troops of the hospital and 84 troops of the 24th Regiment with a company of native infantry, a chaplain, a surgeon, and Lt John Chard of the Royal Engineers were stationed. Some survivors from Iandhlwana arrived shortly before the battle, adding to the defenders' strength. After the native troops fled, Lt Chard and 140 troops were left to defend the premises. The ensuing attack by the Zulus killed 17 and wounded 10; the attackers suffered 400 dead on the field. After retreating, the Zulus sat and watched awhile before leaving for good. No mention is made of the colours playing a substantial part in the battle.

A note on the back of the John Player and Sons cigarette card depicting the 1st Bn of the South Wales Borderers (24th Foot) regimental colours indicates that they were saved after the battle by two officers who died doing so.

The British Army was in the midst of a reform during this period. Not only were there many organization changes, but uniforms, equipment, weapons, etc also changed. The old scarlet uniforms were no longer worn in the field, being replaced by khaki. It may well be that the reforms also stipulated that colours would no longer be carried into battle.

A. Fischer - 1998-01-23

The 24th Regiment of Foot (Welsh Borderers) in the Zulu Wars still wore their scarlet jackets however at both Isandlwhana and Rorke's Drift.

Also - a Lt. Bromhead was also at the Drift with Lt. Chard. Chard got the higher command as his commision was earlier than Bromhead's.

Biggsk - 1998-01-23

Was it the last time they (the old scarlet uniforms) were worn in combat?

Zulu shields

I'm not sure if its really flag related, but it gives a light upon different cultures approach to group recognition and symbolic. The zulu clearly had no national or regimental colors. But each warrior carried a huge flah wich was made of carefully matched bull skin, with the hair apparent. So all the warrior of the same regiment did sport an identic set. With bulls having only black, red, dun or white hair, the difference between regiments had to be made on the pattern. There was monocolor shields, with large patches, speckled etc...

In the early days of Zulu kingdom it is said that regiments could be quite efficiently distinguished from a distance because of their shields.

Philippe Bondurand - 1998-01-23

In some ways it is Phillipe - for flags prior to that time and back to the ancient Chinese were for command and control purposes in battle. Since the Zulus had no flag, if the commander of their corps (yes - the Zulu Impi was organized into proper corps and then regiments) wanted to exert command and control over a particular unit he would have to know their shield facings to do so.

The Zulus were very well organized and very well trained - which is why they were the dominant war machine in Africa at the time. They can thank Shaka for their army.

Biggsk - 1998-01-23