UNEQUAL COMBAT British Military Power during the Colonization of Africa: Anglo-Zulu War (1879) Anglo-Sudanese War (1884 1885)
Anglo Zulu War of 1879 Causes: 1. Border disputes between the Zulu and the Dutch Boers in South Africa. 2. Zulu dissatisfaction with the Colonial System 3. British attempts to end the Slave Trade still practiced by the Zulu Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Thesiger (Baron of Chelmsford) Invaded Zululand without approval from British Government Cetshwayo Zulu King from 1872 1879 Rallied 35,000 Zulu Warriors to oppose the Boers and British troops invading Zululand
BATTLE OF ISLANDLWANA 22 Jan 1879 British Forces: 1 st Battalion, 24 th Regiment of Foot (5 Co s) 2 nd Battalion, 24 th Regiment of Foot (1 Co) Battery N, 5 th Brigade, Royal Artillery 2 Companies of Natal Native Infantry Mounted Volunteers & Natal Police (approx 1,400 men engaged) Zulu Forces: (approx 10,000 to 15,000 Warriors) DISASTER AT ISANDLWANA News reports after the Battle of Islandlwana were inconceivable to the British Empire. The British Forces had been wiped out with 1,329 killed and 471 wounded out of the approximately 1,400 engaged.
WHY DID THE BRITISH FAIL AT ISLANDLWANA? 1. The Zulu had the home field advantage because they knew the territory better than their British attackers 2. The British had under-estimated the Zulu and failed to effectively establish the standardized Square Formation or capitalize on their use of Volley Fire. 3. The Zulu were the most fearsome native warriors in Africa and had perfected the use of the Zulu battle tactic known as the Buffalo Horns. The Buffalo Horns formation would allow the Zulus to split their forces into four distinct elements. Each represented a part of the Buffalo; the chest (isifuba), left & right horns (izimpondo) and the loins (umuva). The "loins" or reserves were made up of the older veterans and used to exploit success or reinforce where ever they were needed. The "horns were made up of younger, greener troops and used to flank, encircle, and trap the enemy. The "chest" or central main force was made up of their experienced prime fighters, which were used as a feint until the main attack. The "horns were made up of younger, greener troops and used to flank, encircle, and trap the enemy.
RORKE S DRIFT STATION Lieutenant Gronville Bromhead Co B, 2 nd Battalion, 24 th Regiment of Foot Dabulamanz Zulu general and son of King Ceshwayo Lieutenant John R. M. Chard Royal Engineers News of the disaster at Isandlwana reached the British detachment at Rorke s Drift by the afternoon of Jan 22 nd The Senior officer at Rorke s Drift, Lieutenant John Chard started making preparations for the possibility of an oncoming attack by the Zulu Zulu General, Dabulamanz, decided to take advantage of his success at Isandlwana by attacking Rorke s Drift
BATTLE OF RORKE S DRIFT 22 23 JANUARY 1879 British Forces: 139 men (81 ready for duty) Zulu Warriors: Approximately 5,000 warriors 500 Zulu initially appeared on the hill overlooking the post Primary method of defense by the outnumbered British troops was the standard Volley Fire by Ranks Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead prepared to defend against attacks from all sides of the post by spreading the troops evenly around the walls of mealy bags & boxes
Volley Fire by Ranks Simultaneous fire by all men in one sub unit (rank or platoon) Entire force used is usually divided into two or three ranks Ranks usually fire alternately while advancing against the enemy... about 4.30 the enemy, from 500 to 600 strong, came in sight round the hill to our south, and driving my thin red line of skirmishers, made a rush at our south wall. They made desperate and repeated attempts to break through our temporary defences, but were repulsed time and again. About 7 o'clock they succeeded, after many attempts, in setting fire to the Hospital. The Zulus had collected the rifles and ammunition from the men who they had killed at Isandhlwana,.... so our own arms where used against us. Color Sergeant Frank Bourne
BRITISH VICTORY AT RORKE S DRIFT A series of desperate assaults were made, on the hospital, and extending from the hospital, as far as the bush reached; but each was most splendidly met and repulsed by our men, with the bayonet. After the first onslaught, the most formidable of the enemy's attacks was just before we retired behind our line of biscuit boxes, and for a short time after it, when they had gained great confidence by their success on the hospital. we converted two large heaps of mealie bags into a sort of redoubt which gave a second line of fire all around, in case the store building had to be abandoned, or the enemy broke through elsewhere. This sort of thing went on until about 4 a.m.... But at daybreak the enemy were out of sight, over the hill to our south west. Lieut John R. M. Chard Royal Engineers 11 Victoria Crosses Awarded Highest number for a single battle
MEN OF HARLECH (1880) (Dedicated to the Men of Harlech who fought the Zulu at Rorke s Drift in 1879) Men of Harlech! In the hollow, Do ye hear approaching morrow Wave on wave that surging follow Battle's distant sound? 'Tis the tramp of Zulu foemen, Zulu spearmen, Zulu war men, Be they nobles, warrior or yeomen, They shall bite the ground! Loose the folds asunder, Flag we conquer under! The placid sky now bright on high, Shall launch its bolts in thunder! Onward! 'tis the country needs us, He is bravest, he who leads us Honor's self now proudly heads us, Freedom, God and right!
Anglo Sudanese War (1884 1885) Also known as the Mahdist War Causes: 1. Dissatisfaction with the Egyptian rule of Sudan under the British Colonial System. 2. Dissatisfaction with the Heavy taxes imposed by the Egyptians and British 3. Attempts to stop the slave trade under the new British laws Sir Herbert Stewart, Major General in charge of a British Expedition to the Sudan to oppose the Mahdist Revolt. Mahist movement began in 1819 against Egyptian rulers and was extended to the British when they took over direct control of Colonial activities in the Sudan Muhammad Ahmad, Muslim cleric and the self-proclaimed Mahdi.
Battle of Abu Klea (17 January 1885) Forming the Square The British Naval Gun and Army Gardner Gun In the Center of the Square 1. A square or rectangle was formed with each side composed of two or more ranks of soldiers 2. The unit colors, commander, reserve force, medical support, transport wagons, etc., in the center 3. Once formed in a square, the infantry would volley fire at approaching cavalry by file, rank, or platoon 4. Undisciplined (early or late) fire could be ineffective against cavalry and leave troops exposed to attack Immediately I perceived the enemy coming down, I ran the gun to a position in the centre of the left flank, and commenced firing. After about thirty rounds the gun jammed...... I was knocked down in rear of gun, but uninjured, except a spear scratch on my left hand. As I struggled up I was carried against the face of the square, which was literally pressed back by sheer weight of the numbers of our attackers. - Dispatch of Lord Charles Beresford, Royal Navy (22 Jan 1885)
Battle of Abu Klea (17 January 1885) Breaking the Square 1. Attacking Cavalry could cause defenders to loose cohesion and break ranks 2. Combined attacks by Infantry and Cavalry would have the same effect 3. Although the square could be breached, well trained troops could recover and defeat the enemy Including the dedicated Colonel Burnaby, the British lost 74 men killed and 94 wounded out of approximately 1,800 men engaged. The Mahdists lost about 1,100 killed and wounded out of an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 engaged - A sign of the tremendous firepower of the British and the un-relenting courage the Sudanese tribesmen showed in facing it. Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick Burnaby
The force moved on foot into a square, which was formed as follows : left front face, two companies Mounted Infantry ; right front face, two companies Guards, with the three guns Royal Artillery in the centre. Left face, two companies Mounted Infantry, one company Heavy Camel regiment. Right face, two companies Guards, detachment Royal Sussex. Bear face, four companies Heavy Camel regiment, with Naval Brigade and one Gardner gun in the centre. Sir Herbert Stewart s Dispatch Sir Charles Wilson s Interview "With all their banners waving, their tom-toms thundering, and shrill cries of "Allah!" "Allah!" "Allah! they began a quick advance towards the square, but not quicker than a fast walk, brandishing their spears and wielding aloft their flashing two-handed swords. They were soon within 300 yards of the square, and now they commenced to run towards us, coming over the rolling ground like a vast wave of black surf. Sir Charles Wilson s Interview in 1886 At any rate, the advancing mass came on nearer and nearer undeterred by the tremendous fire they were exposed to. That the firing at this moment did not stop the front ranks of the enemy is shown by the fact that all the flags coming on, high up in the air, were being riddled with bullets, and seeing this I found myself near the left face trying with others to induce the men to aim lower. By this time they were against us hand-to- hand. I saw Burnaby on his horse outside the square doing great execution with his sword, then he disappeared, then by sheer weight we were driven back step by step Lieutenant Douglas Dawson (Royal Greys) description in 1885. Lieutenant Douglas Dawson s Description Lieut. Col. R. Talbot s Report At this moment the Wadi to our left became alive with Arabs, from which a solid column was seen emerging; but our skirmishers were still out, and their attention being concentrated upon the enemy's sharpshooters, with whom they were exchanging shots, they did not soon enough perceive the attack upon the main body. Consequently the fire of the rear of the square had to be reserved, and the efforts of the officers were directed to prevent the men taking up the fire of the Guards and Mounted Infantry until our skirmishers had returned into the square. The last but one to get back was Major Byng; the last man was overtaken and speared. - LTC Richard Talbot The strength of the enemy is variously estimated from 8000 to 14,000 men. My opinion is that not less than 2000 of the enemy operated on our right flank, 3000 in the main attack, and 5000 in various other positions; but it is difficult to estimate their numbers with any exactness. Their losses have been very heavy; not less than 800 lay dead on the open ground flanking our square, and their wounded during the entire day's fighting are reported by themselves as ' quite exceptional. - Sir Herbert Stewart s Dispatch on 18 January 1885 Sir Herbert Stewart s Dispatch
FUZZY WUZZY (1885) A Poem By Rudyard Kipling (Dedicated to the British Soudan Expeditionary Force during Abu Klea in 1885) We've fought with many men across the seas, And some of them was brave and some was not: The Paythan and the Zulu and the Burmese; But the Fuzzy was the finest of the lot. We never had a porters chance of him: He squatted in the scrub and locked our horses, He cut our sentries up at Suakim, And he played the cat and banjo with our forces. So here's to you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your home in the Sudan; You're a pore benighted heathen but a first-class fighting man; We gives you your certificate, and if you want it signed We'll come and we ll have a romp with you whenever you're inclined.