Battle of Hlobane The Battle of Hlobane was a battle of the Anglo - Zulu War of 1879 that took place at Hlobane , near the current town of Vryheid in KwaZulu - Natal , South Africa . Prelude . No . 4 Column of the British invasion force , under Colonel Evelyn Wood , was to occupy the attention of those Zulus dwelling on the flat - topped mountains rising out of the plains of north - west Zululand . The distance of these Zulus from the capital of Ulundi gave them a degree of independence from Cetshwayo rule , enabling the chiefs to withhold their warriors for local defence , rather than contributing to the main Zulu Army . Lord Chelmsford required these Zulus to be distracted so that they would not interfere with the operations of No . 3 Column during its advance to Isandlwana and onto Ulundi . On 17 January 1879 , Wood advanced his column north - eastwards , and a laager ( a defensive wagon circle ) was established at Tinta ' s Kraal , south of a chain of flat - topped mountains on the 20th . These were Zunguin , Hlobane and Ityentika , connected by a nek , and running for in a north - easterly direction . While the camp was being fortified , scouts investigating the mountains were attacked from Zunguin by about 1 , 000 Zulus . At dawn the next day an attack was mounted on Zunguin , and the Zulus fled to Hlobane , where Wood observed some 4 , 000 Zulus drilling that afternoon . An attack on Hlobane began on the 24th , but was scrapped when Wood learnt of the disaster at Isandlwana . After falling back to Tinta ' s Kraal , Wood decided to move his column north - westwards to Kambula hill , about 14 miles due west of Zunguin . Their arrival on the 31st was met with a message from Lord Chelmsford informing Wood that all orders were cancelled , he was now on his own with no expectation of reinforcements and that he must be prepared to face the whole Zulu Army . Kambula . February 1879 passed with no major engagements , save for the mounted patrols sent out daily to raid the kraals of Zulus harassing No . 5 Column across the eastern Transvaal border . At Kambula , a hexagonal laager was formed with tightly locked together wagons , and a separate kraal for the cattle was constructed on the edge of the southern face of the ridge . Trenches and earth parapets surrounded both , and a stone - built redoubt was built on a rise just north of the kraal . A palisade blocked the hundred yards between the kraal and redoubt , while four 7 - pounders were positioned between the redoubt and the laager to cover the northern approaches . Two more guns in the redoubt covered the north - east also . This month saw Wood receive much needed reinforcements in the form of Transvaal Rangers , mounted troops , a troop of German settlers and five companies of the 80th Regiment of Foot . Wood had hoped to capitalise on the near - autonomy of the Zulus surrounding him , by trying to wean them from any allegiance they felt to Cetshwayo , centring hopes on one Uhamu , Cetshwayo ' s half - brother who had always been friendly towards the British and at odds with the Zulu King . On 13 March , Uhamu entered the camp with some 700 of his people , requesting escorts to bring the rest of his people out of hiding . They were hiding in caves near the headwaters of the Black Umfolozi , 50 miles to the east and only from Ulundi . It would be considerably risky to escort large numbers to safety over this area , but Wood considered it worth it . An escort of 360 British mounted men , in addition to about 200 of Uhamu ' s warriors were able to return to Kambula with around 900 further refugees . Shortly after this achievement , Wood received a request from Chelmsford to create a distraction to draw off some of the Zulu strength while he attempted to relieve Eshowe . Knowing that an impi was preparing to leave Ulundi and attack either Kambula or another British fort , Utrecht , Wood reckoned that by attacking Hlobane on 28 March he could drive cattle off the mountain , prompting the impi to attack him in his well - prepared position at Kambula . Battle . Hlobane consisted of two plateaux , the lower and smaller of which rose to a height of about at the eastern end of the 4 - mile - long nek connecting it to Zunguin to the south - west . At the eastern end of this lower plateau rose very steeply for another up a narrow , boulder - strewn way forming a series of giant steps , known as ‘ Devil ' s Pass ’ , to the higher plateau . On the top of this plateau were some 2 , 000 cattle and about 1 , 000 Zulu of the abaQulusi . Wood ' s plan for mounted troops led by Lieutenant - Colonel Redvers Henry Buller to scale the eastern track to the higher plateau , supported by rocket artillery and friendly Zulus – once on top he was to drive off the cattle . A similarly composed force , under Major R . A . Russell , would occupy the lower plateau . At dawn on 27 March the forces departed and , although hampered by a heavy thunderstorm and Zulus firing at targets presented by the light of lightning flashes , Buller ' s mounted troops had reached the summit by 6 am of the following day . Native infantry then began herding cattle westwards . As Russell ' s troops occupied the lower plateau , Wood , who was personally commanding the attack on the ground , encountered a group of the Border Horse who had become detached from Buller ' s advance up the higher plateau . Wood ordered them to advance towards the firing on the upper plateau but the men , mostly English settlers from Transvaal , refused . Wood himself rode on with his small party , intending to take Buller ' s track up to the summit , and was eventually followed by the Border Horse . Coming under fire from the caves , as Buller ' s men had , Wood was again faced by refusal upon ordering the Border Horse to clear the way . Five of Wood ' s escorts charged the caves themselves , resulting in the death of two officers — Wood ' s staff officer , Captain R . Campbell , and his political agent Mr Lloyd . The group moved westwards to join Russell on the lower plateau . On his way , at 10 . 30 am , Wood was riding along the southern flank of Hlobane and spotted five large columns of Zulus to the south - east . This was the main impi , which he was not expecting to arrive in the area for another day and were closing on the British fast , only away . The impi was already breaking up and Wood could see that they would effectively block Buller ' s retreat from the upper plateau and then trap Russell also . Even if Wood withdrew both groups , a rapid retreat to Kambula would be required before the Zulus could reach it . Wood hurriedly sent a message to Russell , ordering him to move up to the nek , but with the advantage of high ground Russell had already seen the impi , an hour and a half before Wood , and warned Buller of their presence . Buller realised the serious predicament of his force . Descent by his route up was impossible . The only option was to make for the lower plateau , where he ’ d be supported by Russell ' s force . Russell had moved his troops off the lower plateau to Intyentika Nek , to support Buller ' s descending troops . When Wood ' s orders arrived , Russell and his officers believed that Wood wished for them to take up positions on another nek , westwards by Zunguin . Leaving a small number of troops behind , Russell ' s force departed in that direction , leaving Buller alone at Hlobane . Buller ' s troops only had one route to the lower plateau , Devil ' s Pass . The treacherous traverse was the cause of much confusion among his nervous troopers with their frenzied horses , causing inevitable casualties . This danger was heightened by the abaQulusi , who after they saw the approaching Zulu army , became more confident and daring in their attacks on the withdrawing troops . The British had to fight their way through the pass . Despite this serious situation , the British were able to get off the plateau and onto the plains , where Buller gave the immediate order to make for Kambula . The force was broken and disorganised , and with many horses lost the men were required to ride pillion to make it to Kambula , but they eventually all made it . The Zulu impi reached the plain shortly after the British had departed . Wanting revenge , they followed the them for , skirmishing from all sides . Results . The Battle of Hlobane had been a British defeat . Fifteen officers and 110 soldiers were killed , a further 8 wounded and 100 native soldiers died . The loss in horses gravely weakened Wood ' s mounted capability . The Border Horse unit , trapped and unable to retreat to Kambula was wiped out , and the battalions of Zulu warriors helping the British had decamped . However , Wood was confident that the Zulu impi would now attack Kambula as he hoped , and he was confident of victory . The following day , at the Battle of Kambula , Wood did indeed rout the Zulu army . Colonel Buller received the Victoria Cross for his conspicuous gallantry and leadership , as did Lieutenant Henry Lysons and Private Edmund Fowler for charging the caves that morning . Major William Knox Leet and Lieutenant Edward Browne were awarded the VC for going back to save the lives of wounded men at the descent of Devil ' s Pass . Lieutenant D ’ Arcy of the Frontier Light Horse was recommended for the Victoria Cross but denied on the grounds of his being a colonial . This was later rectified .