Which Infantryman rode to his death off SD's pool cliff face

Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi All,

Does anyone know the identity of the Infantryman, who rode with his horse off the cliff face at The Smith-Dorien pool on the Buffalo, and died with his horse, in the fall.
His body remained unburried at the foot of the cliff until June 1880 when a burial party, attached to the French Royal tour, buried the remains at the place where he fell.

barry

Hi Barry
It could have been any of a number of cliff faces. I doubt it was the SD pool, if he had rode of he would have dropped into the water, there is no dry land at the base he could have been buried in except for the sandy beach. Down stream towards the gorge is a more likely spot, a lot of fugitives came over there, the search party discovered many bodies/skeletons plus marks on the rocks of horses hooves.

Regards

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

Quote :: Infantryman, who rode with his horse off the cliff face.

What is the source.

Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi OH2

The source was a first hand account reported in Col Clarkes diaries.

regards,

barry

Hi Barry.
Going from memory as I've read of this in many books on Isandlwana . I'm certain his name is never mentioned
and I also think he may have been a chap from the Mtd Inf . Happy to be corrected .

cheers 90th. Idea

Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi 90th,
Thanks for reply.
Now for the tough one, do you know which cliff face it was?.
Col Clarke's diaries seem to indicate it was at the Drift itself and not further away.

barry

Hi Barry .
Will do some digging around in the next day or so . Idea

.
cheers 90th.

Hi Barry
What is generally called the drift is actually quite extensive really from the west of Sd pool for a good few hundred meters.
The actually historical drift is around a 100 meters west of the SD pool

As I said earlier if he crashed over a cliff face it would either be towards the East, from the whirlpool down stream to the gorge or it could heve been higher up on the west side of Mpethe overlooking the stream valley.

Regards

90th
About time you got of your backside and got out here mate. Very Happy

:

regards

Hi Springbok .
I hear you and your right . Idea

.
cheers 90th.

Posts : 747 Join date : 2009-10-18

It could have been just about anyone.

"Below Fugitives' Drift the river flows into a deep gorge and the right bank is inaccessible. The river was in flood, and a lot of fugitives, men and horses, must have been swept away through this gorge, or only have succeeded in effecting a landing well below the path leading from Fugitives' Drift up the right bank"

Source: Smith-Dorriens Memories of Forty-Eight Years Service

Posts : 2008 Join date : 2011-08-01 Age : 27

I have heard of this

I think it may have been McCormack??

I think Smith-Dorrien mentions his name begins with a M

Cheers
DB14

Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi DB14,
Thanks for th name Macormick. I am still trying to ascertain exactly which cliff he fell from.

barry

Hi DB14.
I'm not home till tomorrow can you tell me from which book Curling Refers to ' McCormick ' ?
cheers 90th.

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

Drummer Boy 14 wrote:: I have heard of this

I think it may have been McCormack??

I think Smith-Dorrien mentions his name begins with a M

Cheers
DB14

Hi DB14

I don't have my books with me.

Maybe MACDONALD?

Regard

Ymob

Posts : 2008 Join date : 2011-08-01 Age : 27

Thats the one Ymob Idea

Cheers
DB14

Last edited by 90th on Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:20 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi all .
Ymob is correct it is indeed Macdonald and not McCormick , but Macdonald isnt the one who rode off the cliff according to D. Morris .
MacDonald was killed with Stuart- Smith as Smith - Dorrien was attempting to bandage Macdonalds bleeding arm . Morris talks of the leaping
infantryman before or after the meeting up of Smith - Dorrien , S-Smith & Macdonald . No name is mentioned and as I've said previously I dont
ever remember this Trpr being identified . Well done Ymob .

.

cheers 90th. Idea

PS. Ian Knight's Zulu Rising quotes Smith - Dorrien as saying he was attempting to bandage Macdonalds arm , Curling wasnt 100 % sure if that was the Troopers correct name .

Posts : 2008 Join date : 2011-08-01 Age : 27

I thought it was Smith-Dorrien that was trying to bandage his arm??

Cheers
DB14

Hi DB14.
You are correct , sorry .
cheers 90th.

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