Plan of campaign--Native levies--Special service officers--The advance--Pearson's column--Glyn's column--Wood's column--Utrecht--First brush with the enemy--Difficulties of transport--Action on Inyezani--Pearson at Ekowe--Glyn's advance--Durnford's failure--Isandhlwana--Description of camp--The battle--Details--Reconnaissance and return of Lord Chelmsford--Rorke's Drift--Causes of Isandhlwana--Remarks. The plan of the campaign now commenced was to advance into Zululand in four columns, each column complete in itself, having its own artillery, cavalry, and independent leader. Each column was also to keep up communications with the columns on flank, thus creating, as it were, the effect of an advance in one extended line. By this means it was intended to thoroughly sweep the entire Zulu territory, and at the same time to prevent any large body of the enemy from slipping between the columns, and so getting to the rear and delivering a counter-attack on the colonies. In addition to the regular European forces, large native levies had been raised, amounting in all to 7400. It is a great error to suppose that these were without arms, dress, or discipline. On the contrary, a great many of them came to us well armed with serviceable-looking rifles, evidently of Birmingham or Sheffield make, while some of the older-fashioned fire-arms had the Tower mark. Nor were they clothed only with the conventional blanket. On the contrary, their uniform was neat, and, at the same time, workmanlike, and consisted of a corduroy tunic, or rather patrol jacket, and breeches, with long boots of untanned leather, and a broad-leafed _sombrero_ as a head-dress. Several native corps were rapidly formed, in the following manner:--The commandant and his staff officers were British officers, the captains mostly retired British officers, colonists, or settlers; the non-commissioned officers, white settlers of different nationalities, and the privates usually Kaffirs. Among the English officers who received commands in this native contingent were Captain Nolan (Pioneers), Major Bengough, Captain Russell (Rocket Battery), Captain Ulich de Burgh (5th West York Militia), Captain Cherry (32nd Foot), and Lieutenant Hon. H. Gough. Colonel Durnford had command of the whole column, which was to be entirely native so far as the rank and file were concerned, and to be composed of all the three arms--artillery, cavalry, and infantry.