Isandlwana, Last Stands

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:34 am

Ulundi
Possibly this may help: On Google Earth iSandlwana is at 28 21'11.09" S 30 39'04.89"E
If you zoom in to the saddle you will see a pathway running diagonally down to the left, follow that along the string of cairns until you hit the L shaped row of cairns. This is the approx crossing point of the chasm, or at least one of the points. Cross the chasm and follow its southern edge and you will pick up the trail of cairns again untill you reach a clump of cairns near the manks of the stream. this is at 28 21'53.25S 30 38'10.72"E
This last group of cairns is Ansteys stand.

Hope that helps.

Salute

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

This might help too.

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

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 62 Location : UK

Does any one know which company made their last stand here?
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Subject: Isandlwana , Last Stands Fri Dec 21, 2012 9:46 pm

John.
It may not have been a company ! , there appears to be only one Cairn in sight , more than likely it was an individual or possibly a couple more . Who I would hazard a guess that they / he attempted to use the large rock as cover at some point before they were overcome .
90th .

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Fri Dec 21, 2012 10:37 pm

John
The stand was made by about 40 men from F coy under Lieut. Anstey. you could get this information from any reputable history of the battle - Jackson, Knight, etc. Do look things up!

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 62 Location : UK

Thanks 90th.

Julian, thanks for you rely, it's quicker to ask, than trawling through books to find the answer. Of course the book would have to show the same photo posted for me to know who they were.

Posts : 553 Join date : 2009-10-14 Location : Loughborough

Julian not sure about that, The image is actually on the shoulder of Isandlwana, and would represent the retirement line that Younbhusbands company took along the scree slope, It is not the only one n the vicinity. The "big" cairn which is prominent in most images is off to the left.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:44 am

Neil/John
Apologies. I misread the thread. I thought John was asking about the coy at the Manzimnyama stand. At the shoulder cairn, you are quite right, it would have been Younghusband's C coy remnants (about 60).

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

Interesting, so the slope behind is the one they charged down, making their last effort to cut through, where the Cain is.

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

So the cairn posted in this thread by John, it one of the same, as depicted in this image.

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

Posts : 558 Join date : 2012-05-05

"Some officers who were with the advance column, and who afterwards visited Isandhlwana, say that they appear to have " tried to get the waggons together to form a laager," but there was not time."
Source: HISTORY OF THE ZULU WAR AND ITS ORIGIN.BY FRANCES E. COLENSO

Does anyone know the names of these officers.

Posts : 1093 Join date : 2009-01-14 Location : East London

Just trying to think at what point in the Battle they woud have tried this. Of course the only problem with their thoughts on this, is that some waggons were used by the Zulus to take away their dead. And others Probaly just moved. There are no accounts that I know of from any of the survivors that men tryed to Laager the waggons.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Tue Jan 29, 2013 6:22 pm

I don't think this happened. It took 50 men to move a waggon. This was Zulus moving the transport about.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Tue Jan 29, 2013 10:36 pm

I also tend to agree with Oh2 & Julian , never any mention of an attempted Laagering of wagons during the Battle .
Not that I've come across in any of my books .
Cheers 90th.

Posts : 1862 Join date : 2009-03-25

These officers who claimed this is what they saw, possibly saw a few waggons in close proximity of each other and assumed that's what took place.

Posts : 1 Join date : 2013-04-08

Have been lurking this forum for some time -- I have found the amount of insight and knowledge amongst the posters impressive and enlightening.

With regard to the question of a square being effective at Isandlwana, I came across this brief academic paper on the subject of simulation models. Fortunately for all, the author happened to choose the battle at Isandlwana as his test case!

It is an interesting read. You can follow the assumptions the author made (artillery was ineffective, distribution of ammunition was strained over larger distances, etc). The author simulated both the actual battle to "prove" the model and then an alternate hypothesis of a British square.

Enjoy!

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

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Sun Apr 21, 2013 9:30 am

Bill
Will the family be donating the other items taken from Anstey's body in their possession?
Adrian
I think it worth noting in terms of last stands that the reason many of the camp casuals managed to run the gauntlet was because of Durnford's stand holding up the left horn and Shepstone's behind the mountain holding up the tip of the right horn.

Posts : 225 Join date : 2011-09-19

Julian

Not that I know.

Bill

Posts : 1603 Join date : 2009-09-21

Can we be absolutely sure,that Durnford deliberately held up the left horn, to enable the rest to get away, or was it a case of he had no choice, but to fight wetther it was the right horn, left horn, or other.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:21 pm

Dave
Whether it was so intended or not, that was the result. Durnford could not have known whether Shepstone was stemming the tide behind the mountain but he would have been aware that the right horn had not yet appeared and the longer he could hold back the left, the greater the chance the men in the camp had of surviving.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Sun Apr 21, 2013 5:35 pm

Are there any accounts of what "Shepstone" was actually doing.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Sun Apr 21, 2013 6:56 pm

No. They were all kia.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Sun Apr 21, 2013 10:37 pm

Thought as much!!!

Posts : 1603 Join date : 2009-09-21

Why didn't Durnford retreat all tne way back to the camp?

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Tue Apr 23, 2013 1:39 pm

Dave
Impossible. He would never have made it with his command intact (remember, it was a mounted command, movement through the tented area would have been terribly restricted). But he had no intention of doing that anyway - a stand to the south of the camp might perhaps form part of a defence which would hold up the progress of the left horn. And this it did.

Posts : 1862 Join date : 2009-03-25

So it's true to say, Dunford didn't choose his spot to fight, he wasn't given a choice. So in hind-sight he had no option, but to fire at the oncoming Zulu's for preservation of himself and his men. It’s possible that those who left the Battlefield did so by taking advantage of Durnford’s position and action.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Tue Apr 23, 2013 2:28 pm

24th
I suppose he had a choice as to whether to run, form a stand on the saddle, go it alone into camp to find Pulleine...

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

Quote :: go it alone into camp to find Pulleine...

If he had taken the choice above, would there had been a specific reason for doing so, what could have be achieved by finding him.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Tue Apr 23, 2013 4:50 pm

To co-ordinate the defence - so that the right hand knew what the left had already done!!

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

Julian Whybra wrote:: To co-ordinate the defence - so that the right hand knew what the left had already done!!

Seems an odd asumption to make, taking into account he wasn't prepaired to co-ordinate the defences, when he first arrived at the camp. A little too late me thinks!!!!!!

Posts : 705 Join date : 2012-05-05

Quote :: Seems an odd asumption to make, taking into account he wasn't prepaired to co-ordinate the defences, when he first arrived at the camp. A little too late me thinks!!!!!!

It's a valid point.

Durnford last stand was dictated by the Battle formations of the Zulu Army.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Wed Apr 24, 2013 10:09 am

When Durnford arrived in camp he was not intending to stay and was 'passing through'. Although he was senior officer at that moment, his stay in the camp was brief and beyond making certain suggestions, recommendations, and requests (and at least one known order), he did not, in his own words, "interfere". Neither was the camp under any specific threat at that moment.
When he returned to the camp for the last time following his retreat from the donga no-one knows precisely what his intentions were. It is logical to assume that if he intended taking command he would try to reach Pulleine to see what he had already done and what remained of the command and communications structure. If matters were beyond that, he would want to concentrate the troops for an effective 'last stand' (we do know he sought to concentrate the troops) and to be among them. As has been written, the movement of the Zulu warriors restricted his possibilities and dictated what he was and was not able to do. A last stand in front of the saddle was all that was left open to him.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Apr 25, 2013 12:48 pm

Julian Whybra wrote:: Dave
Impossible. He would never have made it with his command intact (remember, it was a mounted command, movement through the tented area would have been terribly restricted). But he had no intention of doing that anyway - a stand to the south of the camp might perhaps form part of a defence which would hold up the progress of the left horn. And this it did.

Not quite.
Durnfords stand was above the 1/24th tented area so he, Durnford, did actually retreat back to the camp. There are two potential routes he could have taken, to the South of the tents or along the road that bisected the camp. Considering the site of the volunteers deaths I would assume that the men took the road to the point below the saddle. This was the point on the NW corner of the 1/24th tented area that the stand was made. That position was tactically brilliant as it forced the left horn to break up and work its way through the entanglement of the tents/guy ropes etc. It also had the wagon park on their shoulders and could arguably have been a point where they could have been replenished. That is untill the right horn aproached from the rear and cut of the route to the saddle.
If the position was forced on them it was an unbelievable stroke of luck. But if that position was decided on by Pullen or Durnford it was well chosen. Personally I believe, unlike Mike Snook, it was of Durnfords choosing. The reasons behind that are there to see in the time line.

Cheers

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

Quote :: That position was tactically brilliant as it forced the left horn to break up and work its way through the entanglement of the tents/guy ropes etc

I thought the tents weren't struck, that was one of the arguments with regards to the defences of the camp. There was no entanglements just thin red lines of soldiers well away from the camp.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:27 pm

impi
The tents werent struck that meant that the guy ropes outstretched etc were definitly an impedence, ever tried running through a camp site when you were a kid? I have fond memories of friction burns from tripping over taught ropes. Unless the left wing ran up the road they would have had to negotiate the tents or the slopes of Mahlabamkosi. Either one would have slowed them down and taken the impetous out of the charge. On the other side of the tents were the volunteers, Durnfords horse and the Carbineers. The time line again shows that they would have been alone untill joined by units of Popes Company and/or H company. ( We know they were re enforced because of the bodies found there) Great job eventually done by Durnfords force. They would have had to hold that wing back for a considerable time before the retreating imperial forces joined them, to do that they must have had ammunition replenishments, ergo the ammo wagon at their backs.
Its all about the time line.

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:39 pm

springbok9 wrote:: I have fond memories of friction burns

Are you remembering this accurately Springy?

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:46 pm

Caught out. :p;:

Posts : 1862 Join date : 2009-03-25

Quote :: They would have had to hold that wing back for a considerable time before the retreating imperial forces joined them, to do that they must have had ammunition replenishments, ergo the ammo wagon at their backs.

But on sending his men back for more ammo, they found but a few cartridges.... agree

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Apr 25, 2013 4:34 pm

24th
Try and come up with a plausible explanation as to how: The forces in the donga had to retreat because of a lack of ammunition and then after doing so managed to hold back the entire left wing untill they were joined by various imperial forces retreating, at least 30 minutes and possibly more.

Cheers

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Apr 25, 2013 6:34 pm

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

It's there somewhere!!!!!

Subject: Re: Isandlwana, Last Stands Thu Apr 25, 2013 7:30 pm

No it isnt, whats there is hyperboly miss direction and supersition and downright untruths.
The question has been asked and never been answered,let me ask it again:
Durnfords men retired from the Donga with little or no ammunition. A rearguard action was fought by the Carbineers plus volunteers. In a similar time zone the line collapsed. The companies made their way across half a mile of veld before some joined Durnfords forces for a stand below Mahlambamkosi. There was a time gap, minimum of 30 minutes before those two forces joined up and fought till eventually the died.
The question therefore is: how could those Carbineers and volunteers have fought for that period ( plus the additional time when the imperial troops joined them ) with no ammunition.
Cheers

-------

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

» The last stands at Isandlwana.
» Isandlwana, Last Stands
» Had the 2nd/24th colours disappeared before the last stands were made