British Forces In Zululand 1879

Osprey's study of British troops prior to and during the Anglo-Zulu War (1879). On 4 March, 1878 at King William's Town, British Kaffraria, Gen. Sir Arthur Cunnynghame handed over supreme command of the British forces in southern Africa to his successor, Lt. Gen. Sir Frederic Thesiger. The High Commissioner, Sir Henry Bartle Frere, was convinced that one solution to the complex problems which beset the region was to overthrow the last powerful independent black kingdom bordering British possessions – the Zulu kingdom of King Cetshwayo KaMapande. However Cetshwayo had remained on the political defensive. This book descirbes the uniforms and equipment of the forces that Thesiger led across the border to wage war in Zululand.

A new and complete history of Zululand, and its destruction at the hands of the British in 1879. This book is not only a complete history of the Zulus but also an account of the way the British won absolute rule in South Africa. In the early decades of the nineteenth century, Shaka Zulu established a nation in south-east Africa which was to become the most politically sophisticated and militarily powerful black nation in the entire area. Although the Zulus never had any quarrel with their British neighbours, the rulers of the Cape Colony could not conceive of them as anything but a threat. In 1879, under dubious pretences, the British finally crossed the Buffalo River, and embarked on a bloody war that was to rock the very foundations of the British Empire. The story is studded with tales of incredible heroism, drama and atrocity on both sides: the Battle of Isandlwana, where the Zulus inflicted on the British the worst defeat a modern army has ever suffered at the hands of men without guns; Rorke's Drift, where a handful of British troops beat off thousands of Zulu warriors and won a record 11 VCs; and Ulundi, where the Zulus were finally crushed in a battle that was to herald some of the most shameful episodes in British Colonial history. Comprehensive, vast in scope, and filled with original and up-to-date research, this is a book that is set to replace all standard works on the subject.

In Zululand with the British Army. Eyewitness from disaster to victory. Very few professional writers are fortunate enough to be 'on the spot' when momentous events occur. Most often we are left with accounts by amateurs. Charles Norris-Newman is different. He accompanied Lord Chelmsfords expeditionary force into Zululand as a special correspondent and, but for his decision to attach himself to the staff would have been fatefully present at the slaughter that was Isandlwhana. In the event he had the chilling distinction of being able to describe the British Camp both before and immediately after the battle. Norris-Newman remained with the Army through most of the remainder of war and left us in his writing an essential, full and immediate view of the Zulu War of 1879 that is without parallel.

An in-depth look at the army of Africa’s Zulu kingdom leading up to their epic battle against the British army in 1879. Forces of the independent Zulu kingdom inflicted a crushing defeat on British imperial forces at Isandlwana in January, 1879. The Zulu Army was not, however, a professional force, unlike its British counterpart, but was the mobilized manpower of the Zulu state. Ian Knight details how the Zulu army functioned and ties its role firmly to the broader context of Zulu society and culture. The Zulu army had its roots in the early groups of young men who took part in combat between tribes, but such warfare was limited to disputes over cattle ownership, grazing rights, or avenging insults. In the early nineteenth century the Zulu nation began a period of rapid expansion, and King Shaka began to reform his forces into regular military units. Ian Knight charts the development and training of the men that formed the impi, which later operated so successfully under King Cetshwayo. Knight analyzes the Zulu’s fighting methods, weapons, and philosophy, all of which led to the disciplined force that faced the British army in 1879. “For me, this is the Zulu bible—everything you need to know about this warrior race over a 60-year period during the 19th Century. The battles fought are legendary and well covered many times over in other books, but Knight’s “anatomy” goes much deeper. The book explains why the Zulu Army was so fearsome and effective, by exposing how each warrior was virtually nurtured into the role from birth and remained loyal until death.” —David H. Smith, Military Modelling

This is an account of one of the most dramatic episodes in 19th century military history, which continues to exert a unique fascination. On 22nd January 1879 the British military camp at Isandlwana, South Africa, was annihilated by about 20,000 Zulu warriors. Some 1200 troops died under the Zulu spears, half of them British regular infantry of the 24th Foot armed with modern breech-loading rifles. This battle was partly redeemed that evening at the tiny hospital and supply post of Rorke's Drift, successfully held in hand-to-hand fighting against thousands of Zulus by some 140 defenders, only 80 of them able-bodied redcoats.