The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1879-08-02
THE ZULU WAR.
/. gsae for Lsse Down n Rsschy Deale
Nwazrming with Mercedes BLACK saw

Aarizburg Letter to Scotsman.
I have obtained from trustworthy
serrcs the following graphic description
Of the terrible encounter in the Zobana
mountain, by one who participated in
II On March 9th we started from our
csuop at Kambula hill, in Znluland, to
attack Zulu stronghold. some twenty
miles sway, called the Zlobana noun
txin. We numbered about eight hun.
bred mounted men, and were nearly all
of us volunteers under Colonel Wood,
neminsIly, but the real command was
exercised by Colonel Butler. We started
about eight o'clock in the morning, anj
vay cheerful and lively we all were
We Bhought little of the morrow, or, if q
few did, they only had in their imsgina-
tipns dsy OF success and triumph over
srr savage foes. We had got 10 hate
those Enlus. to hate them with q per-
sonal hatred something like the manner
g NAN hates snake, or q tiger, or a
hungry vol, knowing that if we do not
destroy it we shall ourselves be de-
stroysd. The sir YVES bracing and invig-
Grating to COED lungs and empty stom-
achs, it was positively exhilsrating.
About five O'Clock in the evening we
reached the slope of the mountain. We
we're here fired at, but took no notice, as
we wanted to get along unperceived.
When darkness set in we bivouacked,
each man holding his horse in hand
while he Lay down to rest, not to sleep.
During the night there was a terrible
tEunder-storm, and we got thoroughly
drgncAed. At four o'clock in the morn
ing we were all astir, feeling miserable
enough our saddles were nearly as soft
snd wet as our clothes. We assembled
ths hill pretty easily, but nearly at the
toy the znlus began to make ms aware of
their presence. By ak O'Clock we were
st the top of the plateau and our native
allies were setting fire to some Zulu
huSs and collecting the cattle, about
two thousand in number. After time
We collected at the opposite end of the
plasesu, and here we found the Zuius In
stronger force than We had estimated.
They commenced heavy fire upon ms,
and we were engaged fully half an hour
with them before we SUGGESTED In Eilenc-
ing them. About eleven O'Clock we be-
came aware of the serious fact that while
VS. mad been engaging few Zulus at one
side very large number of them had
o. ne the way we ascended, and others to
onE right and left, and that we we're be.
ing surrounded. A few minutes obser-
vssion was sufficient 10 convey the ter.
riDle impression to our minds that once
moro tine Zulus had got us into trap,
and that We were going to have to fight
Tor our lives to get out of it as best we
couid, or die. The willy savages began
to appear on every side-not in twos or
thrsss, but I'm hundreds and thousands
Some of them had evidently elimbedwhat
seemed 10 ms positively perpendicular
bussress on our left. Our retreat was
ert Oh. and there was nothing 10 be done
ba. either Eight it ont to the end" or
endesvor to escape down m aim 1st per-
psndisnlas pass few hundred yards in
front of MS. There had been too much
fighting it out to the end I" in the two
months Immediately preceding Issndula.
There was but one outlet for us, and
toward it we had orders to gallop. /
was In the rear and when I reached the
place the sight was sickening. There
was almost perpendiculsr pass about
ten feet wide and about three hundred
or four hundred yards down 1t was
filed with rough, ragged boulders, be-
tween which were creyioes where once
tie poor horse and rider fell he YVES seen
no more. 1t seemed fuil of horses and
men Aoundering one upon the other in
dire and dreadful .confusion, while the
zaius were pouring murderous fire
among them. How / got down do not
know; have mot met with Q single
conrade yet who does. The chief seq
sation I experienced was that behind
mas, at about eight hundred yards dis
lance, was 9 very strong force Of Zuius
Yelling ia o manner the most blood
thirsty snd 6endisb. In one or two
places progress was altogether impeded
by ehssms six or eight feet wide. and it
wss only by jumping them. or rather
risking the attempt (tor many poor
fellow lost his footing and bis life here)