Capture and sale of cattle.

Posts : 1603 Join date : 2009-09-21

A good friend of mind was reading a letter from a soldier who took part in the Zulu War. The letter was to his parents, and he states that a good many cattle was captured and that they would received some of the money from the selling of the cattle. Would private soldiers have received any money or was the money distrubtuted among the officers only.

Subject: Capture and sale Fri Aug 17, 2012 1:59 am

Hi Dave.
From what I've read all the troops were supposed to have profited from the captured livestock including the Colonial troops , but unfortunately for all those involved they didnt get a penny !. Suspect

Cheers 90th. Salute

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

Hi 90th /Dave
The troops involved in capturing the cattle were supposed to get a proportionate share of the payout. However the butcher who bought the beef paid 30 shillings per head to the Government for them, after butchering he sold them back to the Military Commissiariat for 18 Br pounds a head. I have not read anywhere that the troops ever got their share of the 30 shillings . It is quite clear to me that there was racket going on there.

regards

barry

Posts : 225 Join date : 2011-09-19

Hi all

We have a number of these cheques for "liberated" cattle on display in the Brecon Museum.

Bill

Posts : 1603 Join date : 2009-09-21

Thanks Bill. To whom were the cheques made out to. The regiment or the officers in charge.

Posts : 225 Join date : 2011-09-19

Hi Dave

Interestingly enough - to neither !

We have three cheques - one to a Corporal and two to Troopers all from an unamed Volunteer Mounted Unit. However, none of the names appear anywhere on the S African Medal rolls - perhaps they were using false names ?

It is probably only the Colonial mounted units that had any real opportunity to round up Zulu cattle on a commercial scale, and I suspect that the Troopers would not be too happy if the proceeds only went to their officers !

Bill

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