ABC Wednesday U is for Ulundi

King Cetshwayo  photographed c1875

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Ulundi was the final battle of the Zulu War of 1879 and destroyed the military strength of the Zulus. The battle was fought in Ulundi, the capital of Zululand, in South Africa on 4^th July, 1879. Six thousand British troops were commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Chelmsford and faced King Cetshwayo’s army of twenty thousand warriors.

Sketch of Lord Chelmsford made by an officer shortly before the battle of Ulundi 

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Despite the disparity in numbers, the British army was one of the best equipped in Europe while the Zulus were armed mainly with shields and spears. King Cetshwayo had acquired thousands of muskets and rifles but they were mostly of inferior quality and handled by Zulu troops poorly trained in their use. So although Ulundi was a victory for the British their tactical capabilities were exposed by a superior opponent in the first Boer War a year later.

As dawn broke on July 4^th the British crossed the White Mfolozi river and formed up into a hollow square, infantry protected on the flanks and at the rear by mounted troops. Around 09:00 the Zulus attacked the hollow square on all sides but were unable to get closer than thirty yards. Within half an hour the skirmish was over, with 1500 Zulus dead and perhaps the same number injured.

Ulundi was razed. The fire burned for days.

The burning of Ulundi

Engraving of 1879

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

King Cetshwayo had taken refuge in a village and escaped when he heard of the defeat. He was captured on August 28^th and exiled to London. He returned to his throne just before he died in 1884.

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