The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1879-05-03 00:00:00

THE SMURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

THE ZULU WAR.

The Dail,' News of Wednesday publishes the following
telegrams :
CAPZToWN, April S. Evening.

Colonel Pearson's eolumn has reached the Tugela.
The weather has been very hot, and many men fell
out on the roarc'n, and were forced to ceek admission
to the hospital.

_
The health of the troops is bad, from the heat and
wet. A great number of oxen have died in the yoke.

The Zulus are reported to be discouraged, but are
said to have occupied Ekowe on the retreat of the
British.

The General and his staff and the Commodore
arrived at Fort Pearson on the 7th inst.

It is sail that Cetywayo has retired beyond the
Black Umvolosi.

Colonel Pearson brought everything away from.
Ekowe. The garrison was dreadfully low mhe). re-
lieved, and had no medical comforts, horse rdedicines
and the bark of -trees being used.
Our troops will remain on the border two or three
weeks to recruit. Sanitary reasons render the General's
camp at Ginginghlovo no longer tenable, and an ad-
vance pest is to be formed close to the Inyezani river.
Offensive operations will not be resumed for a fort-
night, as regards the coast district, when a strong
force will be despatched from the Tugela, taking the
lower road to Cetewayo's kraal.
The news is confirmed of the death of Colonel
Northey, who was seriously wounded at Gingin-
ghlovo. Captain Wynne, of the Royal Engineers, is
seriously ill.

The enemy's loss at Ginginghlovo turns out to have
been about twelve hundred men.

Accounts from Pretoria state that Major Lanyon
had ordered no insurgent to approach within five
hundred yards of the town. Upwards of four thousand
Boers were assembled in the immediate neighbour.
hood of Pretoria, and hostilities between them and
the British Government may at any moment arise.
They seem anxious not to fire the first shot, but are
waiting for measures of coercion on the part of our
Government.

The loss of stores, waggons and ammunition since,
the warbegan is estimated to exceed three-quarters of a
million.
CAPETOWN, April 8.
Colonel Pearson and the garrison of Ekowe arrived
at the Tugela yesterday. General Lord Chelmsford
and his staff are now on their way to Durban. Ekowe
is stated to be occupied now by the Zulus. Cetewayo,
however, is reported to have retired beyond the Black
limy°losi. The rumour current at Natal asserting
that the Boers intended to detain Sir Bartle Frere is
entirely unconfirmed.

The following extract from the letter of an officer with the
column under Lord Chelmsford, who arrived at Rorke's
Drift on the morning of January 23, will still be read with
interest (says he Times):—

"From the distance we saw the hospital in flames
and thought all was over. The mounted men rode
up carefully and were greeted with cheers by the
little garrison. When Lord Chelmsford rode up
Bromhead came out alone to make his report, and
was received most enthusiastic Ally by what was
left of Lord Chelmsfold's column. The men never
stop their yarns about him, and we are all full
of admiration at the coolness, forethought, pluck,
and determination which he showed. With hardly
a man to spare, he still posted two men in the Com-
missariat rum stores to prevent any from helping
themselves. During every lull in the attack he
sallied out, disarmed the dead Zulus, and destroyed
their weapons. In the middle of the night he went
with one man to see for himself how the reserve
ammunition was holding out. Cautiously striking a
match, to count the boxes, the Zulus saw it and fired;
the lantern was smashed and the man killed."

A Times telegram says :—" It is reported that
Colonel Evelyn W, od had a narrow escape when
Captains Campbell and Lloyd were killed. A Zulu
posted himself behind a rock, taking shots at Colonel
Wood's party. Captain Campbell rode towards the
man, and was shot through the head. Colonel Wood
galloped up with Captain Lloyd behind him, when
the Zulu fired again, the shot passing under Colonel
Wood's arm, tearing his coat, and killing Captain
Lloyd."

Brevet lieut.-Colonel Northey, (whose death is announced
In the above telegram) from the Cape, served during the
Oude campaign in 1858 with the 60th Rifles, and was present
at the capture of Fort Mittowlie and at the battle of Riswah.
Subsequently, he served under Sir Garnet Wolseley in the
Red River Expedition of 1870, and for his conduct on this
occasion the deceased, then a captain in his regiment, was
promoted to a brevet-majority. He went out to the Cape in
the Dublin Castle as senior major of the 3rd Battalion 60th
Rifles. The deceased was very popular in the distinguished
regiment to which he belonged, and, indeed, had many
friends in the Army at large, who will deeply regret this
sad ending to a promising career.