Surgeon Major P. Shepherd Army Medical Department.

Big if Steve, as this letter shows, the local PWD didn't even know there were graves down the trail.

It's perhaps worth stating for the newer members that the bare facts of Macleroy's death as given by Muirhead represent the ONLY account of his death. All the other 'moving' extracts quoted above are simply elaborated from it or pure invention and from secondary works.
Muirhead's original account can be found in Stewart, Henry, Our Redcoats and Our Bluejackets, (London, 1880).
This was used for the Mackinnon and Shadbolt entry where Macleroy was mistranscribed as 'Kelly'.

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

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

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 44

I wish we could find out what happen to Boy Green, I think we can safely say Green wasn't with the Doctor at his time of death.

Steve
Thank you Steve. Is there any chance you could scan and post the next bit for members so that Muirhead's account is finished off?
Muirhead also left two other anecdotes:
Anecdote quoted in a letter from George Christoper Cato to Mr. Richards, dated 2nd February 1879, Cato Papers, KCAL, MS. 1602a.
Anecdote in Brown, Dugald Blair, F.RC.S. Ed., A.M.D., ‘Surgical Notes on the Zulu War’, The Lancet, 5th July 1879.

Impi
I'd be delighted if you could find something new relating to him. It's not impossible to find new material as I've discovered this last few months - it's just that you can never determine what it will be!

Stewart took Muirhead's account from the Aberdeen Evening Express, 15th March 1879, itself reprinted, as it stated, from an (as yet unidentified) Natal newspaper. For this information we are all indebted to Frederic Bomy.

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Here is a better scan of Andrew Muirhead's full account.

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

Steve

Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France

Bonsoir Mr Whybra,
Thank you very much.
Cheers
Frédéric

Credit where credit's due.

Posts : 747 Join date : 2009-10-18

Apart from the casualty list, what real evidence is there to show that boy Green was actually the servant to Shepard

“A pathetic story is told of the late Surgeon-Major Shepherd, who lost his life at Ishandhlwana. Before leaving London he engaged as body-servant the son of a club-waiter named Green. ‘I’ll make a man of him,’ he said …” (Moodie's Zulu War, by Duncan Campbell Francis Moodie, page 69). A newspaper report also confirms Green was Shepherd's servant.

Mr G
Search 'Boy Green', we had a whole search period for him, got no where im afraid.

Regards

Last edited by ADMIN on Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:32 pm; edited 1 time in total

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

Posts : 6 Join date : 2016-08-14

I am an indirect descendant of Surgeon Major Peter Shepherd. My 3x Great Shepherd Grandfather and his Grandfather were brothers. In September we are visiting the Isandlwana Battlefield. I realise his grave is unmarked, but it seems the consensus view is that he was buried close to the marked cairn for Trooper MACLEROY. His cairn is on the western side of Mahlabamkosi (Black's) Kopje 400 m down from the nek and about a mile down the Fugitives' Trail. Is my interpretation correct?
It was good to see a photo of the Shepherd Medal. I too am an Aberdeen medical graduate, but in my year 1968 it was appropriately won by someone who went on to perform Canada's first lung transplant. Then I had no idea Peter Shepherd was a relative. I see from previous comments that there are great nephews of Peter still alive descendants of Peter's younger brother James Shepherd.

hi divyhily
The stone that marks Macleroys final resting place does not mark his grave, that's in PMB. His remains were re intered. There is a substantial amount of evidence that places Surgeon Major Shepherds demise much closer to the camp. The fact is, like most of iSandlwana, we don't really know. Finding Macleroys marker is no t easy its high up on the ridge to the left not along the main path and it is just a small marker not a full cairn.If you are staying at the Lodge then it will be much easier to get a guide to show you.
There are a few mentions of the Surgeon Major on the forum with the alternate 'evidence' of where he fell. I personally believe it was to the west of the saddle just over the ridge alongside the old road position. To locate that look towards the west from the centre of the saddle, there is a failry large donge running down the hill, the road was just to the North of that donga so its highly possible that he is in one of the cairns in that vicinity.
I hope that helps.

Enjoy your trip

Posts : 6 Join date : 2016-08-14

Hello Frank,
Thank you for your helpful reply. I realise that the whereabouts of Peter's grave is uncertain. Will certainly take a few photos of the cairns at the alternative site. It would good to make contact with his surviving 3x great nephew(s). I think they remain in Scotland, but not certain.
Regards
David Shepherd

Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France

Frank Allewell wrote:: hi divyhily
The stone that marks Macleroys final resting place does not mark his grave, that's in PMB. His remains were re intered. There is a substantial amount of evidence that places Surgeon Major Shepherds demise much closer to the camp. The fact is, like most of iSandlwana, we don't really know. Finding Macleroys marker is no t easy its high up on the ridge to the left not along the main path and it is just a small marker not a full cairn.If you are staying at the Lodge then it will be much easier to get a guide to show you.
There are a few mentions of the Surgeon Major on the forum with the alternate 'evidence' of where he fell. I personally believe it was to the west of the saddle just over the ridge alongside the old road position. To locate that look towards the west from the centre of the saddle, there is a failry large donge running down the hill, the road was just to the North of that donga so its highly possible that he is in one of the cairns in that vicinity.
I hope that helps.

Enjoy your trip

Bonsoir Frank,
Do you know if there is (or there was / in the past) an (old) tree near the stone that marks MacLeroy final resting place?
Regards
Frédéric

Morning Frederic, there were some small thorn trees but nothing significant.

Cheers

Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France

Bonjour Frank,
Thank you very much. I researched a grave under a "large tree".
Regards
Frédéric

The tree may have fallen.

Not many trees last in that environment for 100 years. Some where on the forum are photos of Macleroys iSandlwana grave.

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

divihily
Ive been going through my old note books and found this
28.21.34.20 S
30.38.53.65 E
Im really not 100% sure but it could be the GPS for the grave. Its of the track to the left as the track bends around the top of the ravine.

Good Hunting.

Morning Frank
According to the Sources Major Shepherd and Trooper Macleroy died beside each other and I guess there is a real possibility they were both buried together until Macleroys body was exhumed and re buried at PMB so it will be interesting if the location of there original gravesite matches the coordinates thanks I will keep it in mind when I am there next mate

Hi Aussie
As I said earlier there is conflicting evidence about Shepherd. Muirhead puts him with Macleroy but theres other testimony that Shepherds body was seen close to the saddle.

Cheers

Ive been puzzling as to where I got the photo, just figured out it was Neil, so belated thanks to him.

Certainly Shepherd was killed after Macleroy and some distance from him. (I even have an account which says that it was Boy Green who Shepherd stopped to help.) When the bodies were discovered one or the other might have been moved and buried together (or not, as the case may be).

I was once told, on the battlefield, that Macleroy was stabbed and fell of his horse on the saddle, Shepherd was dismounted and told Muirhesd to get of his horse and help. Shepherd was then killed and Macleroy staggered down the trail to his final resting place.
Its plausible, or would have been if the rather large American gentleman didn't later confess he had made it up.
Quide!

Oh yes, and Muirhead made the rest up because he was ashamed of not helping

Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France

Bonjour Frank,
Thank you for your help.
Interesting hypothesis about Muirhead.
Regards
Frdéric

Hi Frederic
It was a loud mouth spouting of to a bunch of his friends on a tour. As it was we were in the same hotel and I broached the subject that night in the bar. He did conceded, after lots of blustering, that he had indeed made it up. He shortly afterwards went to bed and I enjoyed an interesting evening with his tour companions.

Cheers

I am by the way planning a trip for sometime over the next couple of weeks to iSandlwana. If I can I will try and re trace the grave and get a fresh photo.

Posts : 6 Join date : 2016-08-14

Frank
Thanks for the coordinates. It should certainly help. our planned tour date at iSandlwana is Monday 19th Sept. Your visit will be before that.
Regards
David

Hi David
Im semi booked for the 10th September. Pty we just miss

Subject: Surgeon Maj P Shepherd AMD Sat Aug 27, 2016 1:13 am

I think I'll be there late Oct if we get the numbers . Very Happy

90th

Would love to have met up but Im committed to delivering a paper at a meeting in Rorkes Drift.
Salute

Subject: Surgeon Maj P Shepherd AMD Sat Aug 27, 2016 2:18 pm

One day Mate , one day ! Salute

90th

$Don\'t agree$ $Don\'t agree$ $Don\'t agree$

Ships in the night mate.
Hopefully Im going to take a stroll with Dalton down to Macleroys cairn. Im also looking forward to meeting up with Pam McFadden again.
Cheers

Subject: Surgeon Maj P Shepherd AMD Sun Aug 28, 2016 10:17 am

I'm going with Ian K and the others to check out Macelroy's Cairn , I believe Isandlwana and the surrounds are very very dry , the drought is becoming much more serious , looks like I'll be doing the Fugitives for the 3rd time , it seems to get tougher each time ! . The first half is ok , it's the second half which is difficult , and it's not much fun concentrating where to put your feet going up or down Mpathe ! . If you remember can you let me know the conditions re the drought ? . Have a great trip and all the best with the paper .
Cheers Frank
90th Salute

Hopefully I will be able to send some photos for you from the RD Hotel, depends if the Wi Fi is working( a rare occurance).
I did consider booking into the Isandlwana lodge but its out of reach for locals, they charge in Dollars so the equivalent for a 3 night stay was R21000.00, that's enough to take the two of us on return flights to London. Bloody stupid no wonder they have to sell.
The camera Im taking has a GPS input so if we do get to the grave I will mark it for you, in fact I know Ians always getting lost so I will carve arrows into the trees for him. Very Happy

That reminds me are all those arrows still painted on the rocks going up from the Manzimyama? At one time there must have been 50 of them. Just for a change why don't you get Ian to take the wide loop to the left and see those 'long lost ' cairns. I can post a photo that Neil took a couple of years back.
In terms of the drought the whole country is suffering, except that is the Cricket grounds, 4 days of the Test against the Kiwis rained out.

Cheers Mate

Cheers

Gary
https://www.1879zuluwar.com/t6942-previously-unseen-cairns-way-out-on-fugitives-trail?highlight=long+lost+cairns#49797

Frank

Gary,

Who is the Macelroy that you mention?

to check out Macelroy's Cairn...

I taken you mean MacLeroy - Mac means Son of. Leroy might take some translation from Frederic's mother tongue. The name betrays the family's regal roots.

JY

John
Just a bit intrigued by your spelling...
I don't think I've ever come across the boy's name in any document spelt other than as Macleroy (i.e. never with a capital L). Have you?

Ive just had a look at his fathers signature, I have letters he wrote requesting his sons body, there doesn't seem to be a capital L in the name.
Cheers

Julian,

Only what I have seen the family archives, which is why I stuck to it.

Ask FWD for his family link.

JY

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

Subject: Surgeon Maj P Shepherd AMD Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:27 pm

Hi JY
Oops my bad ! , you are spot on as usual , it should be Macleroy Very Happy

, apologies to all concerned . Joker

Cheers 90th Salute

Subject: Surgeon Maj P Shepherd AMD Sun Aug 28, 2016 8:42 pm

Hi Frank
I can say we've never been lost with IK previously Very Happy

, the only time we had any issue was coming down Ntendeka after descending Devils Pass , as you may be aware there isn't a marked track leading off Ntendeka , it was similar to 1879 , we had to get down best we could ! Shocked

, must admit it was a bit worrying , finally we got down with about 15 mins to spare before it was dark !! Shocked

. I've been to the far right of the trail on my own , and saw some of the Cairns which are not very well painted anymore . I'll go to the left in Oct and we'll check them out , had a few Impala scare the Love out of me there back in may , along with a kudu ? , 3 grounded birds which flew off nearly as I trod on them ! , 4 Zebras and luckily no snakes , ( I know Ian nearly stepped on a large Cobra a few years back as he was heading to Shepstone's Grave ! Suspect

) when I was slogging my way through the Thornbush & acacia etc heading to Shepstone's Grave , and the Cairns of his men , think I saw 8 - 10 Cairns in that area . Once I found the Shepstone Grave I think I was there 5 mins max , wasn't feeling overly comfortable there on my own and it was late afternoon , time to decamp ! LOLLLLL. Yes the rocks are still painted white , they were easy enough to spot and follow .
Cheers mate
90th agree

Frank,

I can only conclude that his wife and daughter who compiled the archive used MacLeroy. The wife's former name was McBride, who might have led her to that style.

JY

Thank you all!

Posts : 2871 Join date : 2010-06-02

Frank

Reading Macleroy's father's letter that you posted it seems he was quite adamant he did not want his sons remains to be disturbed. Why then did he have him re-interred in Pietermaritzberg?

Steve

» Civil Surgeon J H Moir Army Medical Department
» Surgeon Major Frederick Beaufort Scott - Army Medical Department
» Civil Surgeon W H Beresford Army Medical Department