THE ZULU WAR.

Evening Star, Issue 5041, 1 May 1879, Page 4

THE ZULU WAR.

lord, .ohelmsford’s despatch to the Government about the disaster at Isandula was published on March 1. It is a long history, but the facts are substantially the same as those already reported. He pays a high tribute to the gallantry of our soldiers, and sftys “So long as they kept their faces to the enemy,the Zulus were, I am told, quite unable to drive them back, and fell in heaps before the deadly fire poured into them. An officer who visited this part of the field of battle on the following morning reported that the loss of the Zulus in killed could.not'be less than 2,000. When, however, the Zulus got round the left flank of these brave men they appear to have lost their presence of mind, and to have retired hastily through the tents, which had never been struck. Immediately the whole Zulu force surrounded them, they were' Overpowered by. numbers, and the camp was lost. Those who were mounted ran the gauntlet, and some small portion managed to reach the river, which, however, at the point of crossing was deep and rapid. Many were shot or assegaied, and many were swept away by the current, and, it is presumed, have been drowned. Had the force in question but taken up a defensive position in the camp itself, and utilised there the materials for a hasty entrenchment which lay near to hand, I feel absolutely confident that the whole Zulu army would not have been; able to dislodge them. It appears that .the oxen were yoked to the waggons, three hours before the attack took place, so that there, was ample time to construct that waggon-laager which the Dutch in former days understood so well. Had, however, even the tents been struck, and the British troops placed with their backs to the precipitous Insandula Hill, I feel sure that they could have made a successful resistance. Rumours reached me, however, that the troops were deceived by a simulated retreat, and in their eagerness to close with the enemy allowed themselves to be drawn away from their line of defence. Our actual loss cannot yet be correctly ascertained, but I fear that it cannot be less than 30 officers and about 500 non-commissioned officers, rank and file, belonging to the Imperial troops, and 21 officers and 70 non-commis-sioned officers, rank and file, of the Colonial forces. The effect of this disaster throughout the colony has already shown itself, and the European colonists generally are in great alarm. The result of this has been to produce a similar effect upon the native mind, and our native contingents are beginning to lose heavily by desertion.” HONOR TO THE BRAVE. ■ The gallant defence of Rorke Drift will no doubt be fittingly compensated. Already we know that Lieutenant Brombead is made a captain, and has received a brevet majority. Lieutenant Chard will be adequately recompensed, and every man of the heroic eighty who defended the post will have a claim be gladly acknowledged. But should not some tribute be paid to the dead ? It is evident that at the last moment in the battle of Isandula the officers in command charged two young and heroic subalterns to save the colors. Horses were given to them, and they cut their way through the ranks of the Zulus, bearing the symbols of all that is most sacred to the soldier’s heart. They were probably wounded in this noble feat of arms, towhichan eye-witness has borne testimony. They succeeded, however, in making their way to Rorke Drift, which they found to be surrounded by 4,000 Zulus. We are told that they were again, attacked, and again cleared themselves of their foes. They ultimately reached the Buffalo River, and, swimming their horses across it, they gained the territory of their Sovereign. Three hundred yards from the river, we may presume that the wounds of Coghill necessitated dismounting, The other, tending him with all the care of a comrade, witnessed his

death. Himself, too, spent with loss of blood, could not remount; and with the colors wrapped round him sank down to die, happy in the soldierly conviction that honor was saved. Such heroes as Coghill and Melville would' certainly have been accorded the Victoria. Cross had they lived. Is it too much to suggest that this grand deed should be recorded in the ‘ Official Gazette,’ and that the Cross should be awarded as an heirloom to their families ? Of Melville we know he has an aged father—that he leaves a young wife and two children. Of both we are certain that their memory deserves all that a grateful country can do to render homage to her sons when they fall In the performance of duty.