Swazis in the first Anglo-Zulu War

Hi all

Here is a neglected aspect of the first Anglo-zulu on the forum ...

Swazis in the first Anglo-Zulu War.

The Swazis wer a related people the military methods of the zulus,but avoidedl british colonial occupation thanks to their mountainous homeland and a policy of fighting alongside the whites alas,rather than again them.

They possed a spectacular army owing to their habit of wearing their full regalia in battle,something the Zulus no longer did .(Also the warriors assigned in the zulu war to Wood's Irregulars reported for duty wearing full Swazi regalia,including their impressive ostrich and sakabuli feather headress and mantle of animal skin ;they sem to have retained these in battle .Like their traditional enemy ,the zulu,they carried large hide shield and spears .African officers and NCOs received percussion firarms on a scale of about ten to each company of 100 men ;in addition these men received a belt ,bullet pouch and cap pocket.To differenciate the men of Wood 's Irregulars from the zulus (?)they wore strip s of coloured cloth around the head (?),although these is a suggestion that some wore these around the upper left arm .For the Wakkerstroom warriors the cloth was red and white ,and for those from Ultrecht blue and white ;Hamu 's zulus received cloth of red and yellow )

Nevertheless they were no match for the zulus in a stand-up fight, and their reluctance to join massively the british in the war of 1879 suggest that they knew it.

Also ,when the Natal government prepared to recruit a Native Contingent from its African population Lord Chelmsford authorised Col Evelyn Wood ,commanding N°4 Column,to raise 2000 men from the south - eastern Transvaal.In late December 1878 the landdrosts or magistrates of Utrecht and Wakkerstroom received an order calling men for service ,and by early January the ranks of Wood's irregulars began to swell as recruits arrived in batches at the camps at Balt Spruit.

While many of the men of this region were of Swazi origin,those recruited were not hired Swazi mercenaries.Chelmsford allowed Wood more discretion in the organisation of his African auxiliaries,resulting in a less formalised structure than in the infantry of the NNC.

Two battalions were formed ,led by Cdts J.Henderson and R.Roberts,and by 14 January numbered about 800 men with european officers;although the strenght reached 1065 men by 3 February,this was still far below the stated target.

Early in February ,deciding that the performance of the unit lacked discipline and overall organisation ,Col Wood placed it under Army officers:overall command went to Maj W.K.Leet,1/13th" light" infantry regiment ,with Lt C.Williams ,58 th Regiment,as his staff officer.A week later Wood disbanded the Wakkerstroom contingent except for about 50 men.At the third rout of the British army in this war,at HLOBANE at this time ,the reorganised 1st Battalion ,now under Cdt T.L.White ,numbered 240 men ,and the 2 nd Battalion ,still commanded by Roberts,mustered 277 men;Maj Leet accompagnied the 2 nd Battalion.

The defection to the British of Hamu kaNzide,an important Zulu leader,with 1300 of his adherents added 230 warriors to Wood's Column.These Zulu,many of the uThulwana regiment,also took part in the race pursuit of Hlobane,led by Capt C.Potter with Leet's staff officer William in overall command.

After this third rout of the British army in this war,most of Wood's Irregulars dispersed,only 58 being present at Kambula the following day .The unit did reassemble later and incorporated Hamu's Zulus.Major Leet resigned the command of Wood Irregulars in May 1879,and it was under Cdt White that about 330 men fought at Ulundi.

Before in November 1878,Col Wood recruited also about 50 African scouts from the Luneberg district and he obtained old Dragoon Guard cavalry tunics for them from Pietermaritzburg ,claiming these were "the only ones into they could squeeze their bodies,and in these the top buttons that would meet"He allowed six men to each company of the 90 th "light"infantry regiment .They do not appear to have had an official unit designation but served with the 90 th "light"infantry regiment until the war.Wood considered them invaluable on outpost duty ,as "their powers of hearing were extraordinary;[and]they could see further than we could with field glass".

Cheers

Pascal

Hello

If there are those who know or find figurines of Swazis 1 / 56 scale ,but not those of Black tree, foundry or empress, let me know please.
thank you

Cheers

Pascal

Hello

This was sent to me by a Swazis friend ,who is not happy with the comparison I made with the Zulu ...

"The Swazi were powerful & defeated the Zulu.

In 1826 the Ndwandwe people under Sikhonyane tried to regain their old lands from the Zulu of King Shaka. Instead they were routed and fled. King Sobhuza I gained strength by allowing many of the defeated Ndwandwe to become his subjects.

This angered Shaka, who for two successive years sent regiments to raid Swaziland. The Swazis simply avoided them by hiding in secret caves and mountains. This does not mean that the Swazi were unable to fight the Zulu intruders: they merely waited patiently for opportunities favouring themselves and then fought and even drove the Zulu away.

In 1839 four Zulu regiments were sent by Dingane to capture and hold southern Swaziland. After a fierce two-day battle they were driven out of Swaziland and all their cattle captured. Furthermore when two additional Zulu regiments were sent as reinforcements, the Swazi warriors inflicted heavy losses on them too. The Zulu were finally forced to retreat after suffering heavy losses of men and cattle. Proof that the Swazi nation was able to hold its own in battle against the mighty Zulu impis!"

Cheers

Pascal

Hi all

If there are more who knows on the Swazis in this war, it would be nice to add it to the rest of this article, thank you

Cheers

Pascal

Then it inreresse you :study: that ?

Hi all

If a reader of this forum has other information on this wonderful people, be nice to share it with others on this forum, thank you in advance ...

Cheers

Pascal

Oh I forgot, that would be great to know the internal organization of the two Swazis battalions of Wood ..

There was something necessarily write the above ...

Cheers

Pascal

Pascal,

Have you tried looking in 'The Boiling Cauldron, Utrecht District & the Anglo-War, 1879', by Huw Jones?

There's quite a bit on the breakdown of the battalions.

kwaJimu1879

Hello

Thank you, I knew someone would eventually have a solution ...

This is what a forum should be used ..

Cheers

Pascal

No one else loves the Swazis ?

Hello

If there is more information on the detail of the swazis in the zulu war battles that I'm interested ...

Cheers

Pascal

Hi all

Wakkerstroom Swazi warriors of the 1st battalion of the Wood Irregulars in theZululand in 1879 .

There were four companies - there were 16 Whites and 601 Africans - each company had 150 Africans of theWakkerstroom district.

The names of the captains of the four companies were Dean T, E McGregor, Colin MacRae D, Henderson and Pieter Frederik (until 1/15/79, after it was Edward Hazelhurst).

Each company had two lieutenants.

There was also an interpreter, an adjutant, and a conductor of wagons, and a chief Induna for the battalion.




Pascal

Ultrech Swazi warriors of the 2nd battalion of the Wood Irregulars in the Zululand in1879 .

There were three companies - there were 8 Whites and 319 Africans - each company had 106 Africans of the of the Utrecht district.

The names of the captains were Lorraine Thomas White, Maré P, and C. James Hook.

There were only three lieutenants, one interpreter and one Induna.



Pascal

The 7. February , overall command went to Maj W.K.Leet,1/13th" light" infantry regiment ,with Lt C.William,58
th Regiment , as his staff officer the 25. February. and Graves of the 1/13th" light" infantry regiment, became a
clerk in the Wood's Irregulars.
The Commander James William Henderson , resigns on 26. February.
White had a promotion and became commander of the first battalion.

Hazelhurst, Klopper, Lieut. Henderson, Cairncross and Laas were also resigns.

CA Potter became captain as the adjutant J Mulligan (December 27 until 7. March) and QM, JB McMahon (27.January) and JB Duncombe (25. February) as first lieutenants in the battalion.

Bird left the battalion the 28. January.

Hook becomes interpreter for the two Swazis battalions ,the 27 February.
Barnabas became adjutant .

Gerhard Brecher and Caractacus R. Rathbone become lieutenant of the 1st Battalion the 7 March.

Before Hlobane (we do not know the date) PF. Darcy and S. Fredrick Henderson become lieutenants.

A week later Wood disbanded the Wakkerstroom contingent except for about 50 men.



Pascal