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The Battle of Hlobane was a battle of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 fought at 27°41′56″S, 30°56′60″ECoordinates: 27°41′56″S, 30°56′60″E. Combatants United Kingdom Zulu Nation Commanders Sir Bartle Frere, Frederick Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford Cetshwayo Strength 14,800 (6,400 Europeans 8,400 Natal Troops) 40,000 Casualties 1,727 killed, 256 wounded 8,250+ killed, 3,000+ wounded The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the...
is the 87th day of the year (88th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...
Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ...
Image File history File links KwaZulu_flag_1985. ...
Languages Zulu Religions Christian, African Traditional Religion Related ethnic groups Bantu Nguni Basotho Xhosa Swazi Matabele Khoisan The Zulu (South African English and isiZulu: amaZulu) are a South African ethnic group of an estimated 17-22 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. ...
Photo submitted by Marion Hebblethwaite. ...
Combatants United Kingdom Zulu Nation Commanders Sir Bartle Frere, Frederick Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford Cetshwayo Strength 14,800 (6,400 Europeans 8,400 Natal Troops) 40,000 Casualties 1,727 killed, 256 wounded 8,250+ killed, 3,000+ wounded The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the...
Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pulleine. ...
Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders John Chard Gonville Bromhead Prince Dabulamanzi Strength 139 4,000–5,000 Casualties 17 killed, 10 wounded Around 500-600 dead found in 500 foot perimeter Rorkes Drift was a mission station in Natal, South Africa, situated near a natural ford (drift) on the...
The Battle of iNtombi Drift 12th March 1879 During the last week of February an unescorted convoy of 18 wagons loaded with 90,000 rounds of ammunition and other supplies left the little town of Lydenberg in the Transvaal for Luneberg in Natal. ...
Battle of Kambula took place in 1879, during the Anglo-Zulu War. ...
Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders Lord Chelmsford Somopho kaZikhala Strength 5,670 12,000 Casualties 11 killed, 48 wounded 1,000 killed The Battle of Gingindlovu (uMgungundlovu) was fought at between a British relief column sent to break the Siege of Eshowe and a Zulu Impi of king Cetshwayo on...
The Siege of Eshowe was part of a three-pronged attack on the Zulu Impis of king Cetshwayo at Ulundi. ...
Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders Lord Chelmsford Cetshwayo Strength 5,317 20,000 Casualties 10 killed 87 wounded 1,500+ The Battle of Ulundi took place at the Zulu capital of Ulundi on July 4, 1879 and proved to be the decisive battle that finally broke the military power of...
Combatants United Kingdom Zulu Nation Commanders Sir Bartle Frere, Frederick Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford Cetshwayo Strength 14,800 (6,400 Europeans 8,400 Natal Troops) 40,000 Casualties 1,727 killed, 256 wounded 8,250+ killed, 3,000+ wounded The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the...
Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...
Prelude
No.4 Column of the British invasion force, under Colonel Evelyn Wood, were to occupy the attention of a number of Zulu tribes dwelling on the flat-topped mountains rising out of the plains of north-west Zululand. The distance of these tribes from the capital of Ulundi gave them a degree of independence from Cetshwayo’s rule, enabling the chiefs to withhold their warriors for local defence, rather than contributing to the main Zulu Army. Lord Chelmsford required these tribes to be distracted so that they would not interfere with the operations of No. 3 Column during its advance to Isandlwana and onto Ulundi. Photo submitted by Marion Hebblethwaite. ...
Languages Zulu Religions Christian, African Traditional Religion Related ethnic groups Bantu Nguni Basotho Xhosa Swazi Matabele Khoisan The Zulu (South African English and isiZulu: amaZulu) are a South African ethnic group of an estimated 17-22 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. ...
Zululand was the Zulu-dominated area of what is now northern KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. ...
Ulundi was at one time the capital of Zululand in South Africa, and later the capital of the Bantustan of KwaZulu. ...
Cetshwayo kaMpande (circa 1826 - February 8, 1884) was the king of the Zulu nation from 1872 to 1879 and their leader during the Zulu War. ...
Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford (May 31, 1827–April 9, 1905) was a British general. ...
Isandlwana (also sometimes seen as Isandlwhana) is an isolated hill in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa. ...
On January 17, Wood advanced his column north-eastwards, and a laager (a defensive wagon circle) was established at Tinta’s Kraal, 10 miles south of a chain of flat-topped mountains on the 20th. These were Zunguin, Hlobane and Ityentika, connected by a nek, and running for 15 miles in a north-easterly direction. While the camp was being fortified, scouts investigating the mountains were attacked from Zunguin by 1,000 Zulus. At dawn the next day an attack was mounted on Zunguin, and the Zulus fled to Hlobane, where Wood observed some 4,000 Zulus drilling that afternoon. An attack on Hlobane began on the 24th, but was scrapped when Wood learnt of the disaster at Isandlwana. After falling back to Tinta’s Kraal, Wood decided to move his column north-westwards to Kambula hill, about 14 miles due west of Zunguin. Their arrival on the 31st was met with a message from Lord Chelmsford informing Wood that all orders were cancelled, he was now on his own with no expectation of reinforcements and that he must be prepared to face the whole Zulu Army. is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...
A laager is a defensive formation of vehicles. ...
Combatants Britain Zulu Nation Commanders Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Henry Pulleine. ...
Kambula February passed with no major engagements with the enemy, save for the mounted patrols sent out daily to raid the kraals of Zulus harassing No. 5 Column across the eastern Transvaal border. At Kambula, a hexagonal laager was formed with tightly locked together wagons, and a separate kraal for the cattle was constructed on the edge of the southern face of the ridge. Trenches and earth parapets surrounded both, and a stone-built redoubt was built on a rise just north of the kraal. A palisade blocked the hundred yards between the kraal and redoubt, while four 7-pounders were positioned between the redoubt and the laager to cover the northern approaches. Two more guns in the redoubt covered the north-east also. This month saw Wood receive much needed reinforcements in the form of Transvaal Rangers, mounted troops, a troop of German settlers and five companies of the 80th Regiment. Flag of Transvaal For the Russian theme park, see Transvaal Park. ...
Kambala or KamblÄ is a rural sport, prominent in districts of Udupi and Mangalore in Karnataka and also Kasargod district in Kerala. ...
A laager is a defensive formation of vehicles. ...
Palisade and Moat A palisade is a Medieval wooden fence or wall of variable height, used as a defensive structure. ...
Wood had hoped to capitalise on the near-autonomy of the tribes surrounding him, by trying to wean them from any allegiance they felt to Cetshwayo, centring hopes on one Uhamu, Cetshwayo’s half-brother who had always been friendly towards the British and at odds with the Zulu King. On March 13, Uhamu entered the camp with 700 of his tribe, requesting escorts to bring the rest of his people out of hiding. They were hiding in caves near the headwaters of the Black Umfolozi, 50 miles to the east and only 40 miles from Ulundi. It would be considerably risky to escort large numbers to safety over this area, but Wood considered it worth it. An escort of 360 British mounted men, in addition to 200 of Uhamu’s warriors were able to return to Kambula with 900 further refugees. Shortly after this achievement, Wood received a request from Chelmsford to create a distraction to draw off some of the Zulu strength while he attempted to relieve Eshowe. Knowing that an impi was preparing to leave Ulundi and attack either Kambula or another British fort, Utrecht, Wood reckoned that by attacking Hlobane on March 28 he could drive cattle off the mountain, prompting the impi to attack him in his well-prepared position at Kambula. is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
An Impi is an isiZulu word for any armed body of men. ...
Ulundi was at one time the capital of Zululand in South Africa, and later the capital of the Bantustan of KwaZulu. ...
is the 87th day of the year (88th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
Battle Hlobane consisted of two plateaux, the lower and smaller of which rose to a height of about 850 feet at the eastern end of the 4-mile-long nek connecting it to Zunguin to the south-west. At the eastern end of this lower plateau rose very steeply for another 200 feet up a narrow, boulder-strewn way forming a series of giant steps, known as ‘Devil’s Pass’, to the higher plateau. On the top of this plateau were some 2,000 cattle and about 1,000 Zulu of the abaQulusi, many of whom had firearms. Wood’s plan for mounted troops led by Lieutenant-Colonel Redvers Henry Buller to scale the eastern track to the higher plateau, supported by rocket artillery and friendly Zulus – once on top he was to drive off the cattle. A similarly composed force, under Major R. A. Russell, would occupy the lower plateau. The forces departed at dawn on March 27 and although hampered by a heavy thunderstorm, and Zulus firing at targets presented by the light of lightning flashes, Buller’s mounted troops had reached the summit by 6am of the following day. Native infantry then began herding cattle westwards. As Russell’s troops occupied the lower plateau, Wood, who was personally commanding the attack on the ground, encountered a group of the Border Horse who had become detached from Buller’s advance up the higher plateau. Wood ordered them advance towards the firing on the upper plateau but the men, mostly English settlers from Transvaal, refused. Wood himself rode on with his small party, intending to take Buller’s track up to the summit, and was eventually followed by the Border Horse. Coming under fire from the caves, as Buller’s men had, Wood was again faced by refusal upon ordering the Border Horse to clear the way. Five of Wood’s escorts charged the caves themselves, resulting in the death of two officers- Wood’s staff officer, Captain R. Campbell, and his political agent Mr Lloyd. The group moved westwards to join Russell on the lower plateau. Sir Redvers Henry Buller (VC, GCB, GCMG) (7 December 1839-2 June 1908) was a British general and Victoria Cross holder. ...
is the 86th day of the year (87th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...
On his way, at 10.30am, Wood was riding along the southern flank of Hlobane and spotted five huge columns of Zulus to the south-east. This was the main impi, which he was not expecting arrive in the area for another day and were closing on the British fast, only 3 miles away. The impi was already breaking up and Wood could see that they would effectively block Buller’s retreat from the upper plateau and then trap Russell also. Even if Wood withdrew both groups a rapid retreat to Kambula would be required before the Zulus could reach it. Wood hurriedly sent a message to Russell, ordering him to move up to the nek, but with the advantage of high ground Russell had already seen the impi, an hour and a half before Wood, and warned Buller of their presence.
Buller realised the serious predicament of his force. Descent by his route up was impossible. The only option was to make for the lower plateau, where he’d be supported by Russell’s force. Russell had moved his troops off the lower plateau to Intyentika Nek, to support Bulller’s descending troops. When Wood’s orders arrived, Russell and his officers believed that Wood wished for them to take up positions on another nek, 6 miles westwards by Zunguin. Leaving a small amount of troops behind, Russell’s force departed that direction, leaving Buller alone at Hlobane.
Buller’s troops only had one route to the lower plateau, Devil’s Pass. The treacherous traverse was the cause of much confusion among his nervous troopers, and frenzied horses, causing inevitable casualties. This danger was heightened by the abaQulusi, who after they saw the approaching Zulu army, became more confident and daring in their attacks on the withdrawing troops. The British had to fight their way through the pass. Despite this nightmare, the British were able to get off the plateau and onto the plains, where Buller gave the immediate order to make for Kambula. The force was broken and disorganised, and with many horses lost the men were required to ride pillion to make it to Kambula, but they eventually all made it. The Zulu impi reached the plain where the British had departed from mere minutes after they had done so. Wanting revenge, they followed the British for 12 miles, skirmishing on all sides.
Results The Battle of Hlobane had been a total disaster for the British. 15 officers and 110 men were killed, a further 8 wounded and 100 native soldiers died. The loss in horses gravely weakened Wood’s mounted capability. The Border Horse unit, trapped and unable to retreat to Kambula was wiped out, and the battalions of Zulu warriors helping the British had decamped. However, Wood was confident that the Zulu impi would now attack Kambula as he hoped, and he was confident of victory at Kambula.
Colonel Buller received the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous gallantry and leadership, as did Lieutenant Lysons and Private Fowler for charging the caves that morning and to Major William Knox Leet and Lieutenant Browne for going back to the save the lives of wounded men at the descent of Devil’s Pass. Lieutenant D’Arcy of the Frontier Light Horse was recommended for the Victoria Cross but denied on the grounds of him being a colonial. This was later rectified. The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour in the face of the enemy to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. ...
William Knox Leet (VC, CB) (November 3, 1833 - June 29, 1898) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. ...
See also The military history of South Africa chronicles a vast time period and complex events from the dawn of history until the present time. ...
External link - http://www.anglozuluwar.co.za/battle-of-hlobane.htm
- Anglo-Zulu War: Battle of Hlobane
- Travellers Impressions
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