Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-04
THE BATTLE OF ULUyDT.
now the Z"ius were Defeated In their
NtFouRhoId

stronghold.
DIR. w. H. Russell sent 10 the Lon-
don 1etc1rdM the following account of
the battle Of Ulundi:
At six O'Clock in the morning the
combined columns Of Newdigate and
Wood crossed the White Umv0Iosi. Az
the forces gathered on the left bank of
the river in all their strength of artillery,
cavalry and British infantry, the Zulu
prediction, that the cradle Of the nation
IN the valley Of the UmvOlOsi would also
DC It's grave, seemed certain Of fulfill
ment. What could the Zulu swarrns,
seen gathered along the spurs, with all
thcir feline courage and instinct for tn5-
tlcH, effect in the face Of the army that
WIN unwontod celerity and precision
moved down the slopes, and massed
upon thc further bank' Koppic Drift,
upon the regular mission road. was tho
crossing point
" a y passed over and reached the high
ieFcI ground beyond the river Some
TWO mics distant rose the gterp bowlder-
capped hills. over which. some thirty
years ago, the Iulus hunted the beaten
Boer-, associated, therefore, in Zulu
minds with victory and victorious pur-
suit. To the right las lower thorn
covered hills, which extend to the Ia
goons Al the mouth Of the White Umyo-
losi Behind and on the left stretched
broken country, SCARED with Tayiurs
ana valleys, sprinkled with mimosas-
clumping in places into AWKWARD look
ing c0ycr-and branching euphorbiag.
which give the country 20 striking a
character. Close on the right lay
gloomy glen. which, from thf DAYS Of
Chhkh. The Iulus have used for the exc
cution Of criminals. just beyond we
crossed "a little stream nearly dry that
winds among the kings iicldz-hcrc all
y royal d"rnc.Ho-and supplic- the royal
kr:tais with water We found ourselves
in view Of the amphithcatcr. whore
stand three great military kraal Nod
w"nga, Idabakaumbi and Ulundi. Our
position was excellent for strategic pur-
p"-es, commanding the cnGmy'z ground
IN front. and, except on tho left. where
stood ih" Nodwcngn kraai, thousand
yards distant, aii0rding the Zulu no
rallyiu. point ia thrir disorder Our
rear Hanks from Tho nature Of the corn-
try. were equally protected from sur
prise.
d" Here the army halted. awaiting the
impi that was seen surging down the
hills on our Jeff, taking skiilfu. advan-
tagc Of the Nodwcnga kraal on our rear.
and emerging from the bush on our right
front. At : 30 the mounted irTegulars.
under Butler, were thrown out on the
rear, left and front. keeping the enemy
IN check on these three sides: but. from
an error. the right, whore II was thought
the iAncors would have acted. was al
first unprovided for. This omission
was discovered, and the mounted Basu
tos and the native contingent under
Cochranc rapidly deploycd in the prct.
tic-i manner possible. and skirmished
toward Cdakaomhi kraal. returning tho
cncmy,s fire bri-kly. and holding them
plu,kiiy in check. The /ulus were too
strong for such a handful. and the Ba-
-uior, retiring on the right face, came
into action with what may be called
the lrft horn Of tho Zulu army.
" Meanwhile. however. the enemy Lad
80 extended taciT formation that all
four sides were soon cngagcd-thc Zuius
advancing in skirmishing order. with
great stcadincss had unexpected silence.
There was no shouting. clashing Of
shields, nor savage demonstration. but
strictly orderly discipline. Our fire was
terrific. and the artillery practice excel
lent, but the determined Iulus advanced
within seventy yards on al tour sides be-
fore they begun 10 break. as a further
advance was really impossible In
aFHaA nan dil ilNuH lfHli2' Nl't ftlff
ment of the infantry fire they were seen
falling back in close masses. becoming
rapidly disorganized under the storm
Of bullets and shells which poured upon
them. and the wayering mob broke into
open fight.
The lanccrs. now loosencd. were
among them, and within minute were
riding through and through. cutting
them down right md left. while the guns
continued tearing up the flying masses
with their fire. Within an hour the
whole affair was over.
The Iulus certainly were from
twelve thousand 10 thirteen thousand
strong. including the flower of the army.
Seven thousand warriors were engaged.
Prisoners state that they went into
action under Cctywayo's own eve. Our
troops, young Sld old alike. behaved adj
mirably; hut the firing. considering the
small loss Of the Zulus--cigli hundred
in all-must have been rather wild. Our
loss was ten killed"