START OF THE 1879 ANGLO-ZULU WAR

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is a high quality original drawing, taken from an Illustrated London News, which would have appeared at the end of January ,or early Feb. 1879. It shows the envoys from King Cetshwayo, returning to the British encampent at Fort Pearson on the Tugela River. They are carrying gifts from the King, of ivory - a traditional gift of high respect. The chiefs are carrying staffs of office - the two at the front with shaped sticks are very senior. Also, several are wearing leopard skins - only chiefs are allowed to wear spotted cat skins and only Royalty can wear lion. Unfortunately, the envoys were too late - the British had already declared war ! We didn't mess around in those days.

Basically, we had a spare 5000 men and a Lt. Gen. (Chelmsford) hanging around after the conclusion of the 9th. Kaffrarian War - we had been worried about the huge standing army of the Zulus - over 50,000 men in trained Impis - or, regiments - each of about 1000 men. The thinking was that one trained soldier was worth ten of the enemy - the usual mistake our generals used to make. On Dec.11 th. 1878 Cetchwayo was summoned to a meeting. He sent his senior chiefs - at the 'Ultimatum' tree on the Tugela River, they were given 30 days to accept a British governor and to disband their army. Since it would take at least 15 days to return to the capital - Ulundi - there was no way this could be accomplished, and so on Jan. 11 th. Britain declared war. These envoys returned soon after. On Jan.22 the Zulus destroyed 1st. Bn. the 24th Regt. + an enhanced company from 2nd.Bn.