The Life and Times of Queen Victoria; vol. 4 of 4Wilson, Robert
History
The Life and Times of Queen Victoria; vol. 4 of 4
Wilson, Robert
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901; Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1901
Gundamuk, was able to join hands with Roberts, who again made himself
master of Cabul.
In South Africa affairs began to assume a more hopeful aspect towards
the end of the year. After the victory of Ulundi the Zulu chiefs one
after another submitted to the British Government. Cetewayo--who, as
we have seen, had been captured on the 28th of August--was sent as a
State prisoner to Cape Town, and Sir Garnet Wolseley made peace with
the Zulu chiefs and people.[149] The Kaffir chief, Secocoeni, who had
defied the Government before the Zulu War broke out, was attacked and
subdued. He had been secretly aided by the Boers, who had warned Sir
Bartle Frere that they did not accept the annexation of the Transvaal.
At Pretoria Sir Garnet Wolseley, however, told the Boer leaders that
the annexation which they were resisting was irreversible, and the
Boers for a time confined themselves to obstructing the judicial and
fiscal administration of the British Government.
The Zulu War was marked by one incident that powerfully influenced
the destiny of Europe: it cost the heir of the Bonapartes his life.
The young Prince Louis Napoleon--or the “Prince Imperial,” as the
Bonapartists insisted on calling him--had resolved to serve with
the British Army in Zululand. His object was to acquire a military
reputation that might be useful to him as a Pretender. A proud and
self-respecting Government, however hard pressed, cannot accept the
services of a foreign mercenary, however high his rank might be. But,
in deference to Courtly influences, the Prince was permitted to proceed
to the seat of war in an ambiguous position. He held no commission,
but he was treated like a junior officer of the General Staff, and the
Duke of Cambridge requested Lord Chelmsford to let the Prince see as
much of the war as he could. Lord Chelmsford issued instructions to
the military authorities, which made the Prince a burden--perhaps, in
some degree, a nuisance--to them. When he joined Lord Chelmsford Prince
Louis seems to have been attached to the Quartermaster-General’s
Department. But he was not to be allowed to go out of the camp without
Lord Chelmsford’s permission, and even then he was to be guarded by
an escort under an officer of experience. On the 1st of June Colonel
Harrison allowed the Prince to make a reconnaissance for the purpose of
choosing the site of a camp, but without obtaining Lord Chelmsford’s
sanction. The Prince’s party was to consist of six troopers and six
Basutos, and though no officer was sent to accompany him, Lieutenant
Carey, an accomplished and intelligent soldier, happened, by an
accident, to join the band. Carey had been employed to survey and map
out some of the adjoining ground, and he asked leave to go with the
Prince to clear up a doubtful topographical point on which he and Lord
Chelmsford differed in opinion. Carey merely went for his private
convenience. He was not told to look after the Prince; in fact, he was
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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