Thus the original Zulu left
became the extreme right, the right the centre, and the centre the left.
The two regiments forming the latter--the Nkobamakosi and
Umbonambi--made a turning movement along the front of the camp to the
English right, but became engaged before they could complete it. The Uve
battalion of the Nkobamakosi had to retire till reinforced; and the
Umbonambi suffered heavily from the artillery fire. Meanwhile the Zulu
centre, consisting of the Umcityu (left centre) and Nokenke and
Nodwengu (higher up on the right) under the hill, were making a direct
attack on the left of the camp. The Umcityu suffered very severely from
both artillery and musketry fire; the Nokenke from musketry fire alone;
while the Nodwengu suffered least. When the camp was carried the
regiments became all mixed up together; some pursued the fugitives to
the Buffalo; the remainder plundered the camp: but the Undi and Udkloko
made the best of their way to Rorke's Drift, in order to plunder the
post there."
It is now time to turn attention to the remainder of the troops that had
left the camp before this sad event occurred.
The force under Colonel Glyn, accompanied by Lord Chelmsford, moved off
at early dawn, and had reached Major Dartnell by 6.15 a.m. The General
at once took command, and ordered out scouting parties of mounted men to
gain intelligence of the positions and strength of the enemy, who soon
after showed in some force on the opposing heights parallel to the
Inhlazatye Mountains. A general advance of the troops was made, and the
enemy retired slowly, but without firing. The guns and 24th Regiment
meanwhile moved up the valley, their left being protected by the Mounted
Infantry, while the Mounted Police and Volunteers guarded the right
flank. The main body of the enemy drew back in regular order and took up
a position with great skill on the spurs of the Isipisi Mountain,
distant about six miles, but Captain Shepstone, with his Natal
Carabineers, managed to cut off about 300 of the stragglers and
destroyed fifty of them. At nine a.m. a messenger, whose horse was
panting and covered with foam, arrived before Colonel Glyn with a brief
despatch from Colonel Pulleine, notifying that musketry firing was heard
on the left front of the camp. Lord Chelmsford at once sent a staff
officer, Lieutenant Milne, to an eminence from whence the camp and
valley of Insalwana could be seen, and it seems that a delay of an hour
took place while this officer was vainly scanning the horizon. The
actual scene of conflict where Colonel Durnford was engaged with the
Zulu army was five miles away, and hidden by some hills intervening
between Lord Chelmsford's position and the British camp. The General,
therefore, seems to have felt no apprehensions in regard to the safety
of the camp, and continued his operations against the supposed main body
of the Zulus.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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