The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-08-02 00:00:00

THE ZULU WAR.

THE BATTLE OP ULUNDI.

Under date Landsman's Drift, July 5, the Daily News of
Monday publishes a letter from their Special Correspondent.
from which we make the following extract:-
-

"The combat at 'Ulundi waii-singularly unvaried by
striking incident. There was a big hollow equare, and
men in red coats on the back, rifles in hand. For half
an hour this square stood doggedly pouring the sleet of
death from every face. Outside this square' mostly at
a respectful distance, surged a furious throng of
savages, brandishing shields and assegais, and firing
heavily but fitfully from their jagged front. Plesently
these black men wavered; then bolted, sent in flight
by the steady administration of canister. The square,
still grimly firm, gave one ringing cheer that was heard
In the laager behind; the bayonets wavered in the air
for a moment; then the business recommenced. The
infantry betook themselves for a few minutes to long
shots. A centrifugal whirlwind of horsemen sped from
the square as the lightning bursts from the thunder-
cloud, and dashed hot and fierce after the flying foe.
"Before the cavalry had concluded their innings
the infantry were placidly lunching, and the corks
were popping off long hoarded champagne bottles.
Inside the square a few dead Britons lay, who had
spent their lives for their Queen and country. The
green sward outside was littered thick with dead
Zulus, who, not less than our dead, have fallen for
their Sovereign.

...
"There is nothing more to tell, save of the general
fire and smoke that seethed in the bosom of the beauti-
ful valley as we marched from it. I have no
manceuvring, no elaborate tactics to recount. The
affair was simply a struggle, reduced to the first prin-
ciples of ding-dong fighting, with the natural advant-
age to the Zulus in numbers; to us in the character of
the armament. The only manceuvring done was by
Buller's men, whose horse-work was superb, clearing
the front, masking the division while in the rows
of formation in square, stinging the enemy into
opportune reprisals, and finally chevying the fugitives
many miles. Buller's men had the score of Zlobane
to settle with the Zulus, and vengeful fury raged in
their hearts, because of a spectacle which met their
gaze yesterday. In the long grass they had found
three comrades who had fallen in a reconnaissance the
previous day mangled with fiendish ingenuity;
scalped; their noses and right hands cut off; their
hearts torn out, and other nameless mutilations.

"Strange to• say, the battle was fought on semi.
sacred ground, the soil of a mission-station ! The
ruins of a Norwegian mission and house were a few
paces off. They were pulled down to open the range,
but before this was done these dead men were brought
into the precincts, a grave was dug, and the chaplain,
hastily donning his surplice, read the burial service, to
which the shell fire gave stern responses, while the
bullets whizzed round the mourners."

The Correspondent then proceeds to speak in high
terms of the steadiness of the troops, and says that
mere lads who never saw a shot fired in anger were as
cool as the seasoned veterans. After noticing Lord
Chelmsford's soldierly coolness and decisive clear-
headedness in action, the writer proceeds :

"Evelyn Wood's face was radiant with the rapture
of the fray as he rode up and down behind his regi-
ment, exposed to a storm of missiles,
_

, -
"All the officers of the headquarters staff and
Newdigate's staff were unscathed, save Lieutenant
Milne, of the Ist, who was slightly weunded, and
Captain Cotton, of the 2nd, whose temple was grazed
by a bullet.
"Owing to the conformation of the ground, the
dressing place in the centre of the square was pecu.
liarly exposed. The surgeons worked under a heavy
double cross fire with coolness and skill.

"The Lancers had their good day at last, and lost
several horses. Colonel Lowe was knocked temporarily
senseless by a shot in the back and fell from his horse,
but regained consciousness, recovered, and led his regi-
ment in the charge. Lieutenant Jenkins had his lower
jaw broken. It was bandaged, and he could not be
restrained from accompanying his regiment in the
charge.

"The Zulus squatted thick in the long grass, and
fired venomously. The Lancers spotted them in a
manner reminding one of pig-sticking. Indeed,
Keevil Davis killed six ipso menu. Young James, of
the Scots Greys' was blazed at point blank by two
men. The two turned on him. They missed. He
ran the right-hand man through. The man on the
left dropped his musket and inflicted an assegai wound
on James's bosom. The latter, extricating his sword,
brought it round to the left with a swift swing and all
but severed his antagonist's head. _ _ _

_
"The Dragoons were represented by Brewster,
Provost Marshal, who took out a little detachment and
had a good time.
"Ulundi contained many large, handsome kraals of
the chief men, enclosed in thick flanked stockades.
C'etewayo's place was a thatched European house.
There was no plunder. The flames were too swift. As
the division marched back into 'sager Wood's
bands played and the bagpipes of the 21st screeched
lustily."

The correspondent also states that Lord Chelms-
ford considered that as far as he was concerned the
war was over, and concluded by saying :

"I have ridden from Ulundi to the frontier here,
about 110 miles in fourteen hours, riding alone all
night. Twice I lost my way in the tog."

The United Service Gazette says : "Archibald
Forbes has gained further honours as a war corre-
spondent. Through his pluck and powers of en-
durance, Sir Bartle Frere and Sir Garnet Wolesley
were enabled to telegraph home the news of Lord
Chelmsford's victory in advance of the official de-
spatches. The Daily liTtws is fortunate in having
such a representative. The fifteen hours' ride from
the scene of action to Landsman's Drift was no
ordinary feat of courage and energy, and deserves more
than an ephemeral recognition in the columns of a
newspaper. It is not the first time that Mr. Forbes
has rendered signal public service while with English
troops. He rode through the Kyber Pass carrying
the first intelligence of the capture of All Musjid by
Sir Samuel Browne. He was mentioned in one of the
despatches for his gallantry and devotion under fire in
saving the life of a wounded soldier, but that despatch
seems to have shared the fate of some others during
the Afghan campaign. It has been lost or officially
pigeon-holed."

Her Majesty has telegraphed to Natal, congratu-
lating Lord Chelmsford on the recent victory of the
troops under his command, and thanking the officers
and men for the gallantry and devotion they displayed
on the occasion.