The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-16
THE ZULU MASSACRE.
The Disaster Of IsanduIa-Graphfc Ne
scripfi0n of the UtsRstfr-Dead Zufas
Cast on the British Bay0nets.
TLondOn Daily NeWsJ


TIondon Daily News.l
Tho following detailed account OF the terri
BILE disaster at Isandula is telegraphed from
MADEIRA: .The day before the action took
nlaee Col. Glyn. In command OF the third
column. acting under the direct orders OF
Lord Chelmsford, sent away the advance
guard under command Of Major Dartnali,
composed OF detachment OF carbineers, the
Natal mounted police, Lonsdaie's native con- /
tingent and others. This advance guard sent |
to say 1t was engaged with the Zulis. Lord
Chelmsford himself and Col. Glyn pushed
forward the main force, consisting OF
seven companies Of the 2-Ath, under
Lieutenant Colonel Degacher Lonsdale's
native contingent, under Major Black,
2-24th and other troops, leaving behind as
rear guard five companies OF the 1-Mth, |
under Lieut. Col Pulleine, one company OF
the 2-24th, under Lieut.. Pope, and q portion
Of the First regiment Of the Natal native
contingent, under Lieut.. Col. Durnford, with
the following cavalry: About thirty naval
carblneers, the Buffalo Border Guard, and
about twenty-five Newcastle mounted rifle
men In addition, Col. DuDford had Sikali's
Horse and two guns, under Capt. Russell,
Royal artillery. There were few artillery
men. The army hosDital corps, the commits
| sariat, with q column OF Lord Chelmsford s
moved forward with the main body either on
Ing Of the twenty-second. The rear guard
had finished 1t usual morning march and out
spanned when Zulu skirmishers were observed
surrounding the hills. These skirmish
ing up desultory fire. The camp
was pitched In broken country In q sort OF
valley, with distant surrounding hills. Col
| Pulleine sent sklrmishers, who responded to
| the fire Of the Xulus. 1t seems that the num-
| Der OF Zulus was not estimated, it being con-
sidered slight demonstration Of q few men.
As the enemy's scouts we're soon Joined by
bodies OF considerable strength Col Pulleine's
skirmishers were recalled, and the camp
hastily put upon the defensive. The Zulu
army then came on rapidly Ia regular bat
talions, eight deep, keeping up heavy steady
| fire, until well within asSegai distance. They
then ceased their fire and hurled assegais.
Our men kept up very steady, telling fire.
and great numbers Of the enemy dropped,
but without checking their progress The
places OF the men who fell were constantly
| filed by comrades.
THE AMMUNITION WAGON CAPTURED.
While this attack was going on In the rear q
| double flank movement was executed by which
the horns of the Zulu army surrounded the
camp. The disadvantage OF the wagons not
being packsd in lager was now evident and
1t led to the disaster. Our men had emptied
| their pouches and found it impossible to re-
place them, as the Zulus had obtained posses
sion of the ammunition wagons. The affair
then became one Of absolute butchery. Our
officers and men were assegaied as they
stood. They made no charges. The Zulu
host came with the weight Of its battaons
and literally crushed the small body, which
could only defend itself with the bayonet,
and very soon it had not even room to use
that. The Lufus picked up the dead bottles of
their comrades and hurled then on the bayo-
net points Of our soldiers, thus simply beat
ing down all defense The work OF destruc-
ttOn was complete. Within two hours from
the time the Zulu skrmiShers were seen there
| yffa vi white
ammunition, the guns, the c0mmissaTiat sup
plies, the wagons, the oxen all the material
OF the column, fell into the hands OF the enc
my. Fortunately, two cannons were spiked
by Capt. Smith, Royal Artillery, who was as
segaied while In the act ofspking, all the am
munitiOn and some wagons, and destroyed
whatever was left behind.
| The Zulu army was completely organized.
It advanced, first throwing out skirmishsrs;
then as the battaliOns came down In mass,
used their rifles while at long range with con-
| siderable effect. When near enough to use
their own familiar weapon, the aSsegai, they
threw in two or three showers. All this time
they were advancing steadily and rapidly,
and the stabbng assegai was soon at work.
The impression in Natal Is that this engage
ment on the part OF the Zuus is not attribu-
table to generaship, but the army OF inva-
sion was making for Natal and accidentally
Glyn'sj column Our troops were al
to e G f1e rTs an bod Ear 4as
en- iced by a feint advance away
from its material Then the main body Of
the enemy supposed to be under Sirayo, the
favorite Induna 81 Cetevayo, swept down on
the baggage guard. Our native allies fought
bravely, too; and If the camp had been formed
In aager, and our men could have been fur
nished with the ammunition with which the
camp was 50 generously supplied, 1t would
have given different account OF the enemy.
Young saw nothing Of barbarities. The way
In which the men were surrounded and crush
ed down by weight Of numbers proves that
utter humiliation took place, but 1t is hoped
that the horrible stories in circulation have
no foundation in fact.
THE HORRORS OF THE SCENE.
All that are left Of the Twenty fourth Regi-
ment are Capt. Harrison's company stationed
at st. Johns river; Capt Upchers and Capt.
Rainfooth, who were at that time on their
march to Join their battalion; Major Much
and DR.. Hartley, who were invaided a short
time before, and Lieut.. Morshead, who was
doing staff duty at Pietermaritzburg. The
great wonder was that 80 few mentor there
were only about 600 men in the camp, exclud-
ing natives who ran, and not Including Col.
Durnford's mounted men, under Capt. Barton,
who did fight well-were able in the Open
and with no protection Of cover, to keep off
II for four or five hours the large numbers Of
Kaffirs that must have attacked them. The
line Of Zulus which came down the hills to the
left was nearly three miles long, and must
have consisted Of over 5000 men, while
a body OF over 5000 remained on the
top as a reserve and took part in the
action, but simply drove off the captured
cattle, wagons and plGndeT. When these men
moved they took most of their dead bodies
with them In our wagons, mixed with the
debris Of the commissariat wagons the con-
tents Of which-flour, sugar, tea, biscuit,
mealies, oats, etc.-wete scattered about
and wasted In pure wantonness on the
ground there were also dead horses shot In
every position, oxen mutilated, mules stab
bed, while lying thick upon the ground in
with only their boots and shirts on, or per,
haps an old pair OF trousers, or part Of their
coats, with Just enough showing to indicate
to what branch they belonged. In many
cases they lay with sixty or seventy rounds
Of empty cartridges alongside them, showing
they had only died after doing their duty.
American ant English Driving.
i Walking along the MarYlehone road on