A court of inquiry was at once assembled by Lord Chelmsford, and reported that Lieutenant Carey had not understood the position in which he stood towards the Prince, and, as a consequence, failed to estimate aright the responsibility which fell to his lot; also that he was much to blame for having proceeded on the duty in question with a portion only of the escort; and that the selection of the kraal where the halt was made, surrounded as it was by cover for the enemy, and adjacent to difficult ground, showed a lamentable want of military prudence. And, finally, the court deeply regretted that no effort was made after the attack to rally the escort and to show a front to the enemy, whereby the possibility of aiding those who had failed to make good their retreat might have been ascertained. Lieutenant Carey was then tried by court-martial and found guilty. The home authorities decided, however, that the conviction and sentence could not be maintained, and consequently ordered this officer to be released from arrest and to return to his duty. In justice to Lieutenant Carey it must be said that the Prince appears to have been actually in command of the party; Lieutenant Carey accompanied it, by permission, for the purpose of completing some of his own work, taking advantage of the protection of the escort to enable him to do so; he received no order about the command of the escort, or other instructions beyond the words, “You can look after the Prince,” which were evidently interpreted as _advise him_, but could scarcely warrant controlling his movements. The Prince’s written instructions from Colonel Harrison were lost with him. On dangerous duties pertaining to the Quartermaster-General’s Department in an enemy’s country the Prince Imperial should _never_ have been employed; as long as he remained with the British forces he should have been retained on the personal staff of the General commanding. CHAPTER XXI. ULUNDI. Before entering on the history of the advance of the main column on Ulundi, we will glance at the doings of No. 1 Division, which was to operate against Ulundi from the eastward. During May entrenched posts had been established—Fort Crealock, on the left bank of the Amatikulu River and close to John Dunn’s Road, about fourteen miles from Fort Pearson, on the Tugela; Fort Chelmsford, on the right bank of the Inyezane, also on John Dunn’s Road, and eight miles from Fort Crealock; and, in June, Fort Napoleon, on the left bank of the Umlalazi River, between Fort Chelmsford and Port Durnford, where a landing-place was established—a brief account of which may be interesting. The spot is described as a straight sandy coast near the mouth of the Umlalazi River, always having a boiling surf rolling in on the beach. The landing operations were carried out by means of large decked surf-boats of about forty tons burden each.