ECHO OF ZULU WAR.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13865, 30 March 1909, Page 3

ECHO OF ZULU WAR.

AT ISANDHLWANA". EYE-WITNESS'S STORY. (By Colonel G. Hamilton Browne, late Commandant Natal iNative Contingent.; Just thirty years ago to-day (Jan. 22uU, 19uy> uic greatest disaster British troops have ever encountered at the hands of blacks befell the camp at Isandhlwana, when the Zulus wiped out a force of about !)00 white men. It was oh January 10th that the headquarters column of the British force, under Lord Chelmsford, crossed the Buffalo river, m the advance on Cetewayo's kraal. I was commandant of the Ist Battalion of the 3rd Regiment Natal native contingent, compoesd of ten companies, each consisting of three white otiicers, six white noncoms., and 100 or more natives. Three of my companies consisted of fine fighting ZultiS, but the rest proved themselves abject cowards. Happily only 10 per cent, carried rifles, and as they had only five rounds of each, I hoped for the best. But they we'iv certainly more daugcrous_to me and my officers than to the enemy. The position on the morning of the 22nd, the day of the disaster, is easily explained. Our camp had been pitched at Isandhlwana, but Lord Chelmsford with his column had now vacated it, leaving there Colonel Pulleine, with two guns and about 900 men, mostly of the li-fth, hut including one of my Zulu companies. That morning, after I had been in action, I saw the General at breakfast, and was ordered to return to Isandhlwana and assist Colonel Pulleine to strike camp and rejoin the column. My non-coms, had had a very hard day on the 21st, and no rest at night, as the natives had to be watched lest they bolted. Nor had any of us tasted food since the previous morning, so we were none too fresh. "Just brush them aside, and go on," were my orders in case I came in touch with the enemy, so on I had to go. At this time we were about 13 miles from the camp. ZULFS' ATTACK. On the march we captured a native hoy, who said be came from the big armv, and pointed to the range of hills to the left of the camp. Here was the fi't in the lire with a vengeance! The big Zulu army was within striking distnnce of the camp which, contrary to all the. rules of South African warfare, had not been laagered (or entrenched"), and the only garrison was Colonel Pnll°ine with his two gnus and 900 men. I at once sent a mounted officer to the

General with the note : "10 a.m. —I have just captured a Zulu scout, who informs-me tue Zulu army is behind the range of hills on the lelt iiank of the camp. Wilt push on as fast as possible. The ground here is good for mounted men and guns." AVo pushed on. At about 11 o'clock 1 saw through my glasses, puffs of smoiii? rise irtun tue mils on the left of the camp. They seemed to come from a huge shadow on the hillside, and 1 knew that they were bursting shell, and that the shallow must he the /,ulu army, 1 at once sent off a second message to the effect that the Zulus were attacking the camp, the guns had opened oij them, and I would push on to support. My scared natives, who now saw what was going on, had to be thrashed and kickedforward by my officers. My two fine Zulu companies—the third was in the doomed camp—l put in the rear, with orders to kill any who lagged behind. I could now see through glasses the troops at the camp lying down and firing steadily, while the guns were hard at it. The Zulus were getting it hot, and must have been losing heavily. At noon 1 wa-s about six miles away, and coufd see the Zulu army throw out their left wing to. develop their favourite enveloping tactics. The two right companies of "the 24th, with one gun, changed front to meet them. Independent firing was going on, as if all who could use a rifle, servants and wagon, men, were fighting for their lives. BRITISH DIE FTGHTI.NG. T was making for the right of the camp when, about 1.30. looking through my glasses, I realised that all was over. Oil to the camp came a huge mob of maddened cattle, followed by a dense swarm of Zulus. These poured on to the undefended right and rear of our lighting men. At the same time the left and centre of the enemy rushed in. All formation was broken in a minute, and the camp was full of dust, smoke struggling men, and maddened cattle. Thrmigh the mist I could see the flash of baronet and assegai, and the tossing horns of infuriated rattle, while above the sharp era ok of the rifles and the cln=h of the shields could be heard the yells of the savages, the bellowing of the oxen, and the cheers of our men gradually -dying away. . T told Captain "Develm t.o rub" '»"-k as hard as )»• could and send un nil the men he cor-Id. ns the p-vmn must h* rot" 1 -en at all costs. Then I ordered my officers to form their companies into rim r s, afW the way of Zulus, and concealing all the whi*" men in +he cent'-e + r o+: r o elowlv. This we did. and nlthough there were Inrge parties of the enemy close to us they took no notice.

About five miles from the camp I halted at a place where 1 thought I could put up a bit of a light in case we were attacked. . During the retreat 1 oiton looked back, and could see the lighting was over in the camp, but one company in company square, was'retreating slowly up the hill surrounded by a dense 'swarm of Zulus. They kept the enemy off as loiig as their ammunition lasted, then used the bayonet, but at last, overcome by numbers, they fell in heaps. * . Presently Develin galloped back. He had met Major Black, with the second 24th and Colonel Harness with the guns, and they at once turned back towards me, but on their way were recalled by the staff. INCREDULOUS GENERAL. Towards evening the General with his start rode up, ana lie said to me, "what are yoit doing here , Commandant .Browne Y You ought to have been in camp hours ago." I replied that the camp had been taken. ,'How dare I you tell me such a. falsehood;'" he retorted. "Get your men iuto line at once and advance." 1 did so, and with my crowd of miserable cowards, supported by the Staff, advanced against the victorious Zulu thousands! Presently the General called mo to' him, and said, "On your honour, Commandant Browne, is the camp taken:''" I replied that it was taken about 1.30 that afternoon, and pointed out that the Zulus were now burning some of the tents. Thereupon he ordered moto halt my men, and sent back for the rest of the column: At last evening closed in, and in the darkness we set out to recapture the camp. My .orders were to take the Kopjes at all costs, and in case my gang of niggers turned tail a party of the .mh, under Major Jtilack, wlio supported me, was to lire a volley and! charge. This was pleasant for me! All the way up the kopje, in pitch darkness, stumbling over dead men, black and white, 1 could hear Black's voice ringing out, "Steady the 24th. ..Be. readv to lire a volley and charge.; Thus" urged on in the rear, ljiy natives pushed ahead. How- we won the position there is no space to tell here. Tiiat night we saw a. great ilaro over Rorke's Drift, and. thought the base hospital, stores, and all supplies were in the hands of the enemy. We did not then know the fine defence Chard was making, and wo felt by no means cheerful. At daybreak 1 paraded my men, and then rocie over to the recaptured camp to try and save some papers, medals, etc., from my tent. 'Uliat a sight the place was! In their mad rush tlie Zulus had killed everything. Horses had been stabbed at their picket lines. Splendid spans of oxen were lying dead in their yokes. Mules lay dead m their harness, and even dogs were stabbed among the tents. Sacks of rice, Hour, i'lid meal had been ripped open and lay everywhere. LIVES SOLD DEARLY. Singly, in heaps, or rather in groups of two or three, lay the mutilated bodies of the gallant 24th, showing liow, when their formation was broken, they had fought back to back in groups until they had been run over and destroyed. That they had fought to the last gasp could be seen by tno number of dead Zulus who lay everywhere amongst them, the bayonet wounds on their bodies telling of the fierce, though short, combat that had taken place alter the right horn of the Zulus had swept round the hill. Two of my olliccrs lay dead with heaps of empty cartridge cases by their sides. Both had been splendid shots, and 1 knew. they had done their share. To. the left, and left front of the camp were heaps and heaps of Zulu dead, where the vollcvs of the 24th had checked them. Surely the 24th had died game. I had no 'time :to dismount, as I heard the bugle sound, the advance, n.id I galloped back to my men as fast as I could, without trampling on the bodies of my poor comrades. On my way I reined up my horse sharply, for therc lav the body of my old friend, Colonel Pulleine. I could do nothing for him, so I saluted the poor remains, and passed on.

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