Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

Hi all, I’m a long time lurker and first time poster. Hopefully a few of you here might be able to help me with a few questions I have about the Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th.

During the first invasion the 80th were station up in Derby (all 8 companies?)

In February 5 companies of the 80th went down to Luneburg. Are these the same 5 companies that then took part in the battle of Ulundi. Did the other 3 companies remain in Derby?

Kind Regards

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Tue Oct 31, 2023 8:21 am

5 coys were at Derby. 1 was garrison at Pretoria. 2 were stationed at locations in the Transvaal (Lydenburg district). 4 of the 5 took part in Ulundi (Moriarty's was destroyed at iNtombe Drift).
The regiment was united at the end of the war on the Transvaal border and for a time during the Sekhukhune War.

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

Thanks for the info! I’ve also ordered the book “ The Zulu War and the 80th...” so hopefully I’ll be able to get some more info.

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Tue Oct 31, 2023 11:50 am

If you have Mackinnon and Shadbolt's The South African Campaign 1879, that gives a breakdown of who was where in the 80th down to individual officers.

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Tue Oct 31, 2023 12:08 pm

On pp. 348-350.

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

Thanks - I haven’t got that book. (Only recently started reading into detail about the Zulu war)

My understanding so far is:

13th November 1878 - G company stationed at Krugers Post and remain in this area for the rest of the Zulu War. F company are stationed at Middleburg and then move to Fort Weeber on the 6th July 1879.

1st January 1879 - B company move to Pretoria and remain there for the rest of the war.

The remaining companies (A, C, D, E and H) do a lot of moving around, but are fundamentally used at Ulundi. Some also see action at Intombi. I also understand that a handful see action at Kambula and Isandhlwana.

I appreciate it isn’t 100% exact as some of B & F show up at Intombi, but hopefully I’ve got the basic “drift” of it?

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Tue Oct 31, 2023 4:32 pm

M&S:
Jany 1879 5 coys under Lieut.-Col. Tucker march to join Rowlands's Column No. 5 at Derby. A sixth was stationed at Pretoria.
14th Feb Tucker, 5 coys & HQ march to Luneberg and arrive on the 19th.
end-Feb ColumnNo. 5 moves to Pretoria. Tucker and 5 coys garrison Fort Clery and the laager at Luneberg.
12th March two of the 5 coys under Capt. Moriarty ambushed at iNtombe Drift whilst on waggon escort duty: 64 slain.
April Tucker and the remaining 4 coys join Wood's Column No. 4 at Kambula.
5th May The 4 coys advanced with Newdigate's Division into Zululand to Ulundi.
Sept onwards 2 coys formed part of the campaign against Sekhukhune's and the final attack on his stronghold.
Regiment re-unites, marches to Durban.

Maj Creagh o/c 3 coys (Capts. Howard, Roworth and Saunders) in the Transvaal.
Lieut.-Col. Tucker o/c 4 coys at Luneberg and into Zululand Capts. Anderson, Jerrard, Sherrard and Potts.
Capt. Moriarty kia iNtombe Drift.

Feb 1880 embarks for England.

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

From the 80th Regiment of foot I have the following:

28th May “Major Tucker with 5 companies of the 80th (from Doornburg) join Woods Column located between Munda and Incanda Hills.

During the battle of Ulundi the 5 companies:

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

That’s 3 comp to the top left and 2 comp to the bottom left

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Tue Oct 31, 2023 6:37 pm

I can only suggest that the 45 who escaped from iNtombe Drift formed what was left of the 5th coy - I notice that one of the representative coy formations shown in the diagram is much smaller than the others. This rump had no captain and may have formed an additional two sections under the auspices of 1 or 2 of the other coys.

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

When Moriarty went out to the convoy, he took a detachment of companies strength. Looking at the killed or missing list from Intombi there are mixture of privates from A, C, E and well as small handful from B and F.

When Tucker went out he took C and H and left D at the fort.

Subject: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Fri Nov 03, 2023 2:38 am

Hi Dick
Your picture of the Square doesn't show the direction to Ulundi , it was the 80th Regt who manned the face looking to Ulundi / Ondini . Also your pic doesn't mention the Regiments on one side of the Square , which was the facing at the opposite end of the Square from the 80th , this was in fact where the Zulu's got the closest , these regiments being companies of the 94th and 2/ 21st .
90th Salute

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

Hi 90th

Thank you for your reply. The picture was taken from Robert Hopes book on the 80th. I’m not sure who did the original drawing. On a side note I’ve only recently started reading about the Zulu war and I have really enjoyed reading this book on the 80th as it goes into a lot of detail about one subject. Likewise I also enjoyed reading about the FLH in Cams book. Are there any other books you might be able to recommend where the author focuses on one subject (not inc RB and Isandhlwana) in the meanwhile I’m waiting for “ The Naval Brigade in South Africa During the Kafir and Zulu Wars 1877-79” to turn up.

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Fri Nov 03, 2023 12:04 pm

Dick,

Victoria’s Harvest concentrates on the Irishmen who fought in the Zulu War. Plus it is dirt cheap on [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

JY

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

Thanks for the recommendation, is this book written as a story or more like the “History of the Irish fighting during the Zulu war”? I’m no word smith, so hopefully I make sense! haha

Subject: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Fri Nov 03, 2023 12:58 pm

Hi Dick
There are 2 editions of Robert Hope's book , the one you really need is ' A Staffordshire Regiment In The Zulu War & Sekukuni Campaigns 1878-1879 '
It has much more information than the 1st edit which will be the one you have ? .
90th

Subject: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Fri Nov 03, 2023 1:19 pm

Hi Again Dick
Have sent you a private Message , not sure you can access it until you've been a member for 2 weeks or so ?
90th Salute

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Fri Nov 03, 2023 1:29 pm

Dick,

It is an illustrated history of the Zulu War that identifies the service of the Irishmen in the campaign. But if you consider it is about the price of a cup of coffee you can’t go wrong, plus my share of any profit goes to armed forces rehabilitation charities.

JY

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

John Young wrote:: Dick,

It is an illustrated history of the Zulu War that identifies the service of the Irishmen in the campaign. But if you consider it is about the price of a cup of coffee you can’t go wrong, plus my share any profit goes to armed forces rehabilitation charities.

JY

Ordered

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Fri Nov 03, 2023 2:09 pm

Dick,

Well done!

JY

Posts : 12 Join date : 2023-10-24

90th wrote:: Hi Dick
There are 2 editions of Robert Hope's book , the one you really need is ' A Staffordshire Regiment In The Zulu War & Sekukuni Campaigns 1878-1879 '
It has much more information than the 1st edit which will be the one you have ? .
90th

I must have the first there’s no details on the Sekukuni Campaigns.

Subject: Re: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Fri Nov 03, 2023 2:22 pm

Dick,

The revised edition has an introduction by the Duke of York.

JY

Subject: Rowlands 5th Column and the 80th Sat Nov 04, 2023 8:01 am

Dick your book by Hope will be the 1st edition as I expected ' The Zulu War And The 80th Regiment Of Foot ' with 192 pages , you need the second edition which was the one I mentioned in an earlier post runs to 384 pages ! Salute

90th

» A marching column.
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